(by George Stoia) It appears OU will be without one of its top weapons against Texas on Saturday in wide receiver Deion Burks. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Purdue transfer is not expected to play at the Cotton Bowl. Burks suffered a “soft tissue” injury against Tennessee and did not play against Auburn. He also has not practiced since...read more from the SoonerScoop
Series Spotlight: A brief history of the Red River Rivalry
(by Kyle Dubbels) Every year on the second Saturday in October, college football fans of the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns converge at the Cotton Bowl at the State Fair of Texas for one of the top rivalries in college athletics: the Red River Rivalry. Since 1934, the fans have made the pilgrimage and split the Cotton Bowl in half by color...read more from FBSchedules
No one has more pressure on him this weekend than Steve Sarkisian: On the Line
(by Zach Barnett) A must-win game for Steve Sarkisian. In Saturday's Red River Shootout (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), is Texas playing Game 5 in a best-of-7 series down 3-1? No. Is Sark going to be fired if he loses? Also no. So is Red River a must-win game in the most literal sense of the term? No. But "Life will be really annoying if you lose, so you might as...read more from the FootballScoop
Just a Bit Outside: Sark vs. Venables ... does OU have the edge?
(by Travis Galey) The Red River Shootout is one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football – if not the greatest. It’s half the crowd in burnt orange, half the crowd in red (they call it crimson). The boos from Sooners fans as Texas exits the tunnel into the stadium, only to switch to cheers at the 50-yard line. The game being played every...read more from Orangebloods (Rivals)
The Longhorns won't soon forget Danny Stutsman's comments, and plan to use them as motivation on Saturday
(by Joe Cook) A pregame boast became a postgame taunt for Danny Stutsman and the Oklahoma Sooners last year. Shortly after Oklahoma’s 34-30 win over Texas in the 2023 Red River Shootout, Stutsman put the statement on a T-shirt and posed for a picture with Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables. To the victors go the spoils. In addition...read more from Inside Texas (On3)
Texas Longhorns Release Initial Injury Report vs. Oklahoma
(by Zach Dimmitt) AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns have released their initial student-athlete availability report ahead of the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma Saturday in Dallas. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was listed as probable, which almost guarantees that he'll be ready to start against the Sooners. Here's the full availability report:...read more from Texas Longhorns on SI
Oklahoma Dealing With Multiple Key Injuries vs. Texas Longhorns
(by Zach Dimmitt) AUSTIN -- Oklahoma Sooners receiver Nic Anderson won't be able to break the hearts of the Texas Longhorns this time. Anderson was officially listed as out for the Texas game on the initial student-athlete availability report released Wednesday. He's one of four Oklahoma receivers that will miss the Red River Rivalry due to injury...read more from Texas Longhorns on SI
How Brent Venables, Steve Sarkisian last coordinator stops brought them to OU-Texas
(by Aaron Gelvin) The 120th edition of the iconic Red River Rivalry is days away from coming to fruition. The Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners will face off yet again in Dallas at a neutral site in the Cotton Bowl at the State Fair of Texas in one of the greatest rivalry games sports has to offer. There’s simply nothing like it. The atmosphere...read more from the Sooners Wire
What did Sooners work on in bye week to shore up rest of season?
(by Chip Rouse) In Bob Stoops' reign as head coach at Oklahoma, you didn't want to play the Sooners coming off a bye week. In Stoops 18 seasons at Oklahoma, his teams were 19-4 coming off a bye week. Brent Venables is 2-0 coming out of a bye week, but that perfect record could be in jeopardy this time around with No. 1 Texas being the...read more from Stormin' in Norman
Sooners On SI Podcast, Ep. 256
(by John E. Hoover) Sooners On SI's John Hoover and Ryan Chapman present Episode 2567 of the Sooners On SI Podcast: Oklahoma's plans to face Texas as both teams come in off a bye week, how much QB Michael Hawkins can handle, the latest injury updates, the matchup of OU's offense against Texas' defense, the matchup of OU's defense...listen to podcast from Oklahoma Sooners on SI
9 Oklahoma players listed on initial availability report for Red River Rivalry
(by Tom Green) NORMAN — Oklahoma came out of the bye week somewhat healthier on the injury front. The SEC on Wednesday released the initial availability report for this weekend's Red River Rivalry between 19th-ranked Oklahoma and top-ranked Texas, with nine Sooners listed on the first of the week's four reports. Oklahoma had a dozen...read more from Sooners Illustrated
Red River Rivalry gets ESPN's lead broadcast crew on Saturday
(by Aaron Gelvin) ESPN “College GameDay” may not be going to the Red River Rivalry this week, but the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns will still have ESPN’s top broadcast crew on the call for Saturday’s game. Despite “GameDay” choosing to go to Eugene, Oregon in Week 7 for Ohio State vs. Oregon, the Sooners and the Longhorns...read more from the Sooners Wire
Brent Venables says Michael Hawkins Jr. is 'easy to bet on'
(by John Williams) When the No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners take the trip to Dallas, Texas, to take on the No. 1 Texas Longhorns in the Red River Showdown, they’ll be making history. Michael Hawkins Jr. will become the first true freshman to start for the Sooners in the Red River Showdown. This comes two weeks after he was the...read more from the Sooners Wire
Kobie McKinzie, Kip Lewis making big strides in Year 3
(by Jesse Crittenden) NORMAN — In the midst of a forgettable blowout against Texas in 2022, there was a sign of things to come for Oklahoma. Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie, who were both true freshmen, entered late in the fourth quarter for the first collegiate snaps of their careers. Lewis actually came away with a half-tackle for loss in...read more from the OUInsider
'Texas Fears Oklahoma:' How Danny Stutsman Found the 'Passion and Energy' to Spark His Teammates Over Texas
(by John E. Hoover) NORMAN — The vibe in the Oklahoma locker room was solemn. The last time the Sooners had faced their arch-rival Texas Longhorns, they had been handed a 49-0 beatdown — their worst loss in the history of the Red River Rivalry. The outcome in 2022 wasn’t indicative of either program, nor of the trend this series has followed...read more from Oklahoma Sooners on SI
Dr Pepper didn't tell Boz that Texas QB Quinn Ewers was his deputy until last minute
(by Trey Luerssen) The Red River Rivalry can even impact commercial shoots. This year, Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers is starring in Dr Pepper’s ‘Fansville.’ ‘Fansville’ is a satirical episodic drama from Dr Pepper set in a fictional college town. The popular series of commercials is in its seventh season. The Texas QB plays ‘Deputy Ewers’...read more from the Longhorns Wire (USA Today)
SEC football, pay heed: Nothing you've had to this point tops the Red River Rivalry
(by Jenni Carlson) The Southeastern Conference is serious about football, pageantry and tradition. It’s not afraid to tell people about it either. Just look at the hours of programming on the SEC Network celebrating all of it. You can binge till your eyes bleed on "SEC Storied" or "TrueSouth" or "Saturdays in the South." Check out this part of the...read more from The Oklahoman
'They haven’t played a defense like us': Trace Ford embraces challenge ahead of matchup against No. 1 ranked Texas
(by Gracie Rawlings) For Trace Ford, Texas is a paradox. The school has represented both triumph and tribulation for the Edmond native. After not getting recruited by Texas out of high school, Ford, who was at Oklahoma State for four seasons before transferring to OU in 2023, had something to prove. While with the Cowboys, Ford beat...read more from the OU Daily
Slowing Down Texas' 'Explosive' Passing Attack is a Must for Oklahoma
(by Ryan Chapman) NORMAN — Brent Venables downplayed the coaching matchup between himself and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian on Tuesday, but all eyes will without a doubt be on Oklahoma’s defense as it tries to slow down the Longhorns’ high-powered offense on Saturday. Regardless of if Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning has been tasked...read more from Oklahoma Sooners on SI