Texas vs. Oklahoma highlights: Sooners get validating win, Longhorns still in playoff race

DALLAS — Saturday was a massive, important win for Oklahoma — so much so that Joe Castiglione, the Sooners’ athletics director, told me it was one of the most exciting he’d ever seen in the Red River Rivalry. And he’s been around for 26 of them, many of which have been similarly epic.

“This game is always going to take a four-quarter effort,” he said.

It always feels good for Oklahoma to beat Texas, but especially so this year. After a 6-7 season in 2022 and getting embarrassed 49-0 in this game, it was a big deal for the Sooners to not just win 34-30, but to do it with quarterback Dillon Gabriel driving down the field in the final minute and scoring the winning touchdown with 15 seconds left.

More than just the rivalry, this win was validation that Oklahoma is trending in the right direction again after coach Brent Venables took over for Lincoln Riley and had to overhaul a roster to play the kind of aggressive defensive football that made him one of the most successful coordinators in college football history.

“You sort of begin with the end in mind,” Castiglione said. “We’re certainly nowhere near where we want to be.”

This was Oklahoma’s day to show what might be possible under Venables. But let's not count out Texas, either, because the reality is that these two teams may play again the first weekend in December for the Big 12 title.

If you’re the Longhorns, you’re certainly upset that you couldn’t hold on after you worked very hard to come from 10 points down to take a 30-27 lead with 1:17 left.

But you can also look at it this way: Texas was minus-3 in the turnover battle, including two uncharacteristic interceptions from Quinn Ewers. It had a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line in the second half and couldn’t punch it in. The Longhorns had 527 yards of offense on what felt like kind of a mediocre day for them, committed some bad penalties (nine for 70 yards) and lost starting center Jake Majors to injury pretty early in the game.

In other words, Texas did a lot of things wrong and still nearly won the game. And that should give the Lonhorns a lot of confidence that they’re nowhere close to being out of the College Football Playoff race.

“I expect us to get back on the horse,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We got a locker room full of competitors. This is a tight knit group. I’m super proud of them for what they bring every single day. Now we gotta go handle our business.”

That business, frankly, includes a lot of games Texas should win. The Longhorns likely won’t face another ranked team in the second half of the season unless Kansas State or TCU sneaks their way back into the US LBM Coaches Poll. So there’s a pretty good chance they’ll end up 11-1 and back in Dallas for the Big 12 title game, which would likely be played against Oklahoma. — Dan Wolken

Oklahoma comeback stuns Texas, 34-30

DALLAS — In all the back-and-forth about whether Texas football is “back” this season, nobody ever asked a more pertinent question.

Is Oklahoma back?

The answer, it seems, is yes.

After a 2022 season that shook some faith in Brent Venables as a head coach and cast doubt on the Sooners’ readiness to enter the SEC next year, Oklahoma came roaring back into the national picture Saturday with a 34-30 victory over the Longhorns to reach 6-0.

Leading for most of the afternoon, including by two scores early in the third quarter, 12th-ranked Oklahoma suddenly found itself trailing with 1:17 remaining when Texas’ Bert Auburn kicked a 47-yard field goal to take the lead.

But Sooners’ quarterback Dillon Gabriel responded with a remarkable 5-play, 75-yard drive, avoiding a sack to find an open Nic Anderson in the back of the end zone with just 15 seconds remaining.

Even in an intense rivalry that frequently produces a surprising result, few gave Oklahoma much chance of beating Texas this time around. The No. 4-ranked Longhorns had looked like one of the nation’s best teams through the first month-plus of the season — including a convincing victory at Alabama — while the Sooners had been less explosive against a weaker schedule.

But in this matchup, Oklahoma played with a renewed physical edge and made life uncomfortable for Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who committed three turnovers.

Though the Longhorns had 527 yards of offense, Oklahoma stood up when necessary including a remarkable stand early in the fourth quarter that kept Texas off the scoreboard despite having first-and-goal at the 1-yard line.

Gabriel finished with 285 passing yards on 23-of-38 but was even better with his legs, running 14 times for 113 yards and a touchdown. — Dan Wolken

Oklahoma strikes back, takes late lead

The Sooners took the lead late as Dillon Gabriel threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Nic Anderson with 17 seconds left.

Bert Auburn kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1:17 left to rally Texas from a 10-point third-quarter deficit for the go-ahead score.

After the Oklahoma offense stalled, Texas took advantage and got the ball back with 4:49 left in the fourth quarter, Quinn Ewers completed five passes on the drive to set up the go-ahead field goal. — Scooby Axson

Texas ties score after missed field goal

Jonathon Brooks scored on a 29-yard run to tie the score at 27, aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Oklahoma’s Trace Ford.

Before that score, and after the Longhorns were stuffed at the 2-yard line, Oklahoma drove down the field, helped by a 44-yard Dillon Gabriel run. But on fourth and 5, the Sooners took a timeout, only to come back out and have a 45-yard field goal missed by Zach Schmit. — Scooby Axson

Texas stuffed at goal line, still trails Oklahoma

Oklahoma failed on a fourth-and-one and after an opening possession score to start the third quarter, the offense stalled allowing the Longhorns to possibly put more points on the board.

After a Jordan Whittington 28-yard catch got the ball down to the Oklahoma 1, three attempts by Jonathan Brooks were stuffed and Quinn Ewers’ pass to Xavier Worthy was also stopped short, turning the ball back over to the Sooners. — Scooby Axson

Texas cuts into Oklahoma's lead

Bert Auburn kicked a field goal from 45 yards out as Texas sliced into the Oklahoma lead to bring the score to 27-20 as the third quarter winds down.

Jonathon Brooks had 31 total yards on the drive and Quinn Ewers completed four passes.

Oklahoma had a chance to increase the lead after Ewers was forced out of the pocket, scrambled for five yards and fumbled when he was hit by Peyton Bowen. The ball was recovered by Gentry Williams. But the Sooners quickly went three and out and punted the ball back to Texas deep in Longhorns territory. — Scooby Axson

Oklahoma increases lead as second half begins

Tawee Walker scored his second touchdown of the game, a one-yard score as Oklahoma took the second half kickoff and drove 75 yards in 13 plays to give the Sooners a 27-17 lead.  The 10-point deficit is the Longhorns’ biggest of the season.

Dillon Gabriel completed five passes on the drive for 38 yards. — Scooby Axson

Oklahoma takes halftime lead with field goal, 20-17

Zach Schmit hit a 26-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give Oklahoma a 20-17 lead at halftime.

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel went 11-for-18 for 163 yards in the first half as the Sooners got a nine-yard touchdown run from Gabriel, a Tawee Walker one-yard score and a Schmit 27-yard field goal.

Quinn Ewers started to heat up for Texas as he completed his last six passes for 109 yards. Bert Auburn hit a 25-yard field goal with 1:53 left to tie the score, 17-17.

Texas got on the board after blocking an Oklahoma punt and recovering the ball in the end zone. Ewers also threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm on a fourth-and-2.

The Sooners have 245 yards of offense and the Longhorns have 228. Both teams came into the game with top 10 scoring defenses, with Oklahoma giving up 10.8 points a game and Texas surrendering 12.8 points. — Scooby Axson

Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel injures non-throwing hand, has bloody finger

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel's finger was seen dripping with blood during the first quarter of the Red River Rivalry game between No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 4 Texas on Saturday.

ABC cameras showed blood all over Gabriel's pinky finger on his right, non-throwing hand during the final minutes of the first quarter. The blood could be seen on the Hawaii native's pants and on his uniform.

Gabriel threw for 74 yards and completed 5 of 9 passes to begin the game and stayed on the field after cutting his finger. Before the injury, Gabriel threw a beautiful 43-yard pass to wide receiver Jalil Farooq, delivering it right in stride down to the Texas 22-yard line. The Sooners kicked a field goal to wrap up the drive. — Sahil Kurup, USA TODAY NETWORK

Oklahoma takes lead right back as Dillon Gabriel leads drive

Tawee Walker's one-yard touchdown run gave Oklahoma a 17-14 lead in this back-and-forth Red River Rivalry game. Dillon Gabriel had a run of 15 yards and completed three passes on the possession as the drive was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Jerrin Thompson. — Scooby Axson

Baker Mayfield wears 'Horns Down' hat, shoots rifle on College GameDay

Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield hasn't played in the Red River Rivalry since the 2017 college football season. That hasn't lessened his disdain for Texas, as he demonstrated Saturday.

The current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback used his bye week to appear at the Cotton Bowl as the celebrity guest picker for "College GameDay" in Week 6. The Sooners legend made sure to leave no doubt he was still backing the crimson and cream vs. Texas in this final Big 12 version of the rivalry.

Mayfield took his love for Oklahoma a step further than some guest pickers have in previous weeks, showing up wearing a "Horns Down" hat on the set of "College GameDay" — a reference to the popular pro-Texas hand gesture, "Hook 'em." — Zac Al-Khateeb, USA TODAY NETWORK

Texas converts another fourth down as Longhorns take lead, 14-10

Texas got their running game going as Jonathon Brooks had a 31-yard scamper and on a fourth-and-two from the 22-yard line, Quinn Ewers rolled out to right and found a wide open Gunnar Helm for the score. That capped a nine-play, 85-yard drive for the Longhorns. — Scooby Axson

Oklahoma uses big pass play to set up second score

Dillion Gabriel hit Jalil Farooq down the right side for 43 yards on a fourth and 10 from their 35-yard-line as part of the Sooners' next scoring drive. The Sooners capped a 13-play, 78-yard drive to take the lead after Jerrin Thompson dropped a possible interception in the end zone that could have potentially ended the drive.

Zach Scmit hit a 27-yard field goal as Oklahoma took a three-point lead, 10-7, early in the second quarter. — Scooby Axson

Commish Greg Sankey in Dallas to see future SEC schools Texas, Oklahoma

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has finally made the trip for OU football and Texas' Red River Rivalry.

Sankey is on site for one of the more memorable showdowns of recent years, with No. 4 Texas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) and No. 12 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0) facing off with undefeated records for the first time since 2011.

He added the atmosphere feels similar to that of SEC games he has been accustomed to since becoming the commissioner in 2015.

"I think it's consistent with what we experience on a weekly basis (in the SEC)," Sankey said. "... The intensity, walking in hearing the fans actually being friendly toward each other but clearly rivals is something familiar. I'm really excited because there's this almost seamless integration that's nearly upon us with moving 14 to moving to 16 (teams)."

OU and Texas will play again next year at the Cotton Bowl, but as members of the SEC. Sankey is getting a head start on seeing the conference's future members in 2023, while Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark will not be in attendance. — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK

Texas blocks kick to even score against Oklahoma, 7-7

After Oklahoma went three and out after an interception, Josh Plaster’s punt from the end zone was blocked by Kitan Crawford and it was recovered by Malik Muhammad. — Scooby Axson

Texas wastes two fourth-down conversions as Quinn Ewers intercepted again

After a three-and-out, Texas used a fake punt on a 4th and 5 from its 32 as Jordan Whittington ran down the left sideline for 20 yards to get the Longhorns an extra set of downs.

Texas then went for it on a 4th and 1 at the Oklahoma 39 and completed a 25-yard pass to Gunnar Helm from Savion Red out of the Wildcat formation.

Two plays later, Ewers was picked off again as Kendal Dolby got a tip after Billy Bowman broke up a pass. — Scooby Axson

Oklahoma cashes in early on Quinn Ewers interception

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was intercepted on the game’s second play after Gentry Williams jumped a slant route at the Texas 22.

The Sooners needed only five plays to hit pay dirt when Dillon Gabriel scrambled up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown run. — Scooby Axson

Texas vs. Oklahoma predictions

Here are the USA TODAY Sports staff picks for Longhorns vs. Sooners. And here are the the staff picks for the rest of the Top 25 matchups.

• Dan Wolken: Texas

• Paul Myerberg: Texas

• Erick Smith: Texas

• Jace Evans: Texas

• Scooby Axson: Texas

• Eddie Timanus: Texas

Here’s how writers at The Oklahoman and Austin American-Statesman are predicting the game will go.

• Ryan Aber, The Oklahoman: Texas

• Justin Martinez, The Oklahoman: Texas

• Joe Mussatto, The Oklahoman: Texas

• Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman: Texas

• Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman: Texas

• Cedric Golden, Austin American-Statesman: Texas

• Thomas Jones, Austin American-Statesman: Texas

Texas vs. Oklahoma odds

The top college football betting apps favor No. 4 Texas in its Red River showdown with 12th-ranked Oklahoma. The Longhorns are 6.5-point favorites over the Sooners in the neutral-venue tilt, according to the BetMGM college football odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering college football betting promos in 2023.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (+700) has some of the best odds to win the Heisman in 2023, but Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel could be considered a sleeper at +2000 to win the award.

Not interested in this game? Our college football betting guide can help you get started.

If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place bets online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin

Texas-Oklahoma how to watch, live stream

ABC is airing the contest, which kicks off at noon ET, and ESPN is live streaming the matchup.

Texas alum Matthew McConaughey on College GameDay: 'We're on a mission'

Few celebrities are more synonymous with their alma mater than Matthew McConaughey is with Texas.

The celebrity is on hand for nearly every high-profile Longhorns game, and the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma Saturday was no exception.

McConaughey appeared on "College GameDay" to talk about Texas, harkening back to the Longhorns' signature win over Alabama this year before talking about where the team is ultimately trying to end up. He did it with all the bobbing and weaving one would expect from a McConaughey monologue.

"Talent and belief," McConaughey said of the Longhorns. "Focus, and intent. This team, we've got talent, they've been under [head coach Steve] Sarkisian now, this is his team. OK? It is different this year. Notice, we've been kind of quiet. Texas has been kind of quiet. Cause we're focused on. We're not taking any shots. We're on a mission to go where we need to go. Is OU in the way? Damn right they are. Cause it's a championship game we need to have win to get where we wanna go? You're damn right it is. We see this as a huge game, but this is on the mission that we're on." — Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY NETWORK

Texas CB Ryan Watts ruled out against Oklahoma

Cornerback Ryan Watts will not play against Oklahoma, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has told the Longhorn Network.

Either Gavin Holmes or Malik Muhammad will likely start in place of Watts, a senior who has started the past two seasons for Texas since transferring from Ohio State. Watts suffered a lower-leg injury last week in the win over Kansas and was a game-time decision entering Saturday’s showdown in the Cotton Bowl, according to Sarkisian. — Thomas Jones, Austin American-Statesman

Texas-Oklahoma means deep fried goodies at every turn

DALLAS — Good morning from the Texas State Fair, which means it's time for the Red River Rivalry. But it also means FOOD.

Unfortunately, it's a bit early for me to completely fill my stomach. I've still got a game to cover, after all, and do not need to be napping before halftime. (We'll see how things are going in the second half.) But one of the great college football experiences anywhere is roaming through the fair before kickoff when fans are still relatively sober and well behaved.

So, of course, I had to sample a couple things. First up was a standard breakfast taco because, of course, we're in Texas. And it was a very good one with a little bit of chorizo and egg and homemade salsa with a nice kick. I then walked by a stand with some fried tamale balls and couldn't resist a quick taste. And then for dessert I tried one of the newer items, a fried Vietnamese coffee.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but it sounded good. I love coffee, and I love Vietnamese food, so it was a no-brainer. Though tasty, it was a bit dense for me. It was basically like a big, coffee-flavored cake pop that was deep fried, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with condensed milk. Not bad.

I was tempted to get the deep fried pho from the same stand which looked like it was filled with noodles and meat and seemed absolutely delicious. But for 9 a.m., it seemed like a bit much. Maybe on the way out. I was also tempted to try the deep fried pickle pizza, but my stomach can only take so much.

Now onto the game. I'm unsure whether it is going to live up to the hype, but one thing about Texas-Oklahoma is that it rarely goes the way we think it will. I picked the Longhorns and certainly think they're going to win, but I've seen too many of these where the underdog plays its best game of the year to think it's going to be easy for the Horns.

Enjoy, everyone. — Dan Wolken

Red River Rivalry: What makes it special? Texas players spill.

On Monday, Texas players were asked what makes this rivalry special. Here’s what they said.

Sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers: "It has a deep history and it's always back and forth and it's one of the best rivalries in all of sports. It's been going on for years and years and it's been at the same place. I think it just holds so many memories for so many people. It's always a good time, State Fair and all that good stuff."

Senior defensive back Jahdae Barron: "I say how they split it 50/50, just split it down the middle. Then everybody's having a fun time at the carnival and then they go out to just watch us and to watch everybody put on a show for them."

Junior receiver Xavier Worthy: "I feel it has like a good build up and like a history behind it. ... I kind of really don't understand it still. I kind of see the history behind it. I've seen the old games with (Michael) Huff and all them, so l see it's kind of like a huge rivalry."

Read more from the Austin American-Statesman.

Texas-Oklahoma undefeated games

This will be just the 13th time in the past 50 years that this game will be a battle of unbeatens. Here are the previous 12 results:

• 2011: Oklahoma, 55-17

• 2008: Texas, 45-35

• 2004: Oklahoma, 12-0

• 2002: Oklahoma, 35-24

• 2001: Oklahoma, 14-3

• 1985: Oklahoma, 14-7

• 1984: Tied, 15-15

• 1983: Texas, 28-16

• 1979: Texas, 16-7

• 1978: Oklahoma 31-10

• 1977: Texas, 13-6

• 1975: Oklahoma, 24-17

— Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman

Oklahoma-Texas all-time record

Texas holds a 63-50-5 lead in the all-time series with Oklahoma. The Longhorns did record that 49-point win last year, but the Sooners have earned a win in six of their last eight meetings with Texas. This will be the fifth time in the past seven games that Texas and Oklahoma have battled as ranked Red River rivals. — Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman

Red River Rivalry 2023

This is the first time that the Longhorns and the Sooners are facing each other with undefeated records since 2011, when the Sooners grabbed a dominant 55-17 win. However, Texas was even better last year, when it shut out Oklahoma for the 11th time, 49-0, the most lopsided win of the series. Overall, the Sooners are 7-4-1 in games where the two teams entered undefeated. — Caleb Yum, Austin American-Statesman

Texas vs. Oklahoma through the years

Check out this photo gallery highlighting all the biggest moments of this rivalry, which is in its 119th year.

Oklahoma-Texas: Predictions

Time/TV: Noon ET, ABC

Why watch: The Red River showdown is arguably the biggest game on the calendar, a bitter-sweet development at Big 12 headquarters with both teams off to the SEC next year. They might also meet again in a couple of months, but that is far from a certainty at this early stage of the season. We do know that the Sooners’ defense, anchored by LB Danny Stutsman, has made significant strides from a season ago. Whether it can keep Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers and his vast array of big-play targets, led by WRs Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, in check remains to be seen. Sooners QB Dillon Gabriel has boosted the performance on the other side of the ball as well, but DT Byron Murphy and the Texas front that shone in the signature Alabama win could make his job difficult.

Why it could disappoint: It won’t be another 49-0 drubbing like the Sooners absorbed here last year, but Oklahoma might nonetheless have trouble keeping up if the Longhorns put up some early scores. Then again, this rivalry has been known to produce unexpected results. Hopefully, it will be at its entertaining best.

ESPN College GameDay today

With Texas and Oklahoma facing off in the Red River Rivalry this weekend, it's only fair that ESPN College GameDay makes a visit to Texas. The college program will be broadcast from the Cotton Bowl Plaza inside the State Fair of Texas grounds at 9 a.m. ET Saturday ahead of the noon matchup between No. 4 ranked Texas and No. 12 ranked Oklahoma. Texas alum and longtime Longhorns fan Matthew McConaughey is expected to make an appearance. — Caleb Yum, Austin American-Statesman

Deion Sanders, underpaid? He leads the way amid best coaching deals in college football.

Sometimes, programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision get what they pay for and then some.

Some schools are seeing huge returns on contracts handed out to some of the most successful coaches in the country. That's especially true at two Pac-12 programs, Colorado and Washington, which have been rewarded handsomely for investments in Deion Sanders and Kalen DeBoer, respectively.

But in terms of bang for their buck, the biggest returns can be found in the Group of Five conferences. That's where you'll find three of the best deals in USA TODAY Sports' list of the most underpaid coaches in college football. — Paul Myerberg

Who are college football's most overpaid coaches? Hint: SEC leads the way.

The top programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision will shell out tens of millions of dollars for head coaches and ask for the world in return: conference championships, College Football Playoff appearances and national championships.

Very few coaches meet the standard laid out by the gargantuan deals that have become commonplace in the Power Five.

In some cases, a hefty contract signed on the back of one or two successful seasons can become the defining aspect of a coaching tenure. The best example of that might be Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher, who tops USA TODAY Sports' list of the most overpaid coaches in college football. (Buyout figures below are listed if the coach is fired on Dec. 1.) — Paul Myerberg

Why college football is king in coaching pay, even at blue blood hoops schools

John Calipari had been the highest-paid public employee in the state of Kentucky since the day he was hired to coach the state's flagship men's basketball program in 2009. But this year, that's changed. After being the state’s top earner for nearly 14 years running, Calipari recently ceded his salary crown to the Wildcats' football coach, Mark Stoops.

Stoops, who has been at Kentucky since 2013, signed a mammoth contract extension in November that effectively gave him a 33% raise, bumping his pay up to $9 million annually. Calipari, who is the highest-paid coach in college hoops, is due to make $8.5 million this year.

"Continuity has become more and more important in today’s landscape," Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart said in a statement announcing Stoops’ extension.

And make no mistake: That landscape has shifted. Now, even at hoops-crazed universities such as Kentucky, college football is king − at least when it comes to coaching pay.

As part of its annual analysis of college football coaches' compensation published Tuesday, USA TODAY Sports found that the public schools in the Power Five conferences will pay their head coaches an average of $6.2 million this year − which marks a whopping 14.3% increase from 2022, among schools that were in the Power Five in both years.

It's also nearly double the average salary ($3.35 million) that those same schools paid their head coaches in men's basketball, the other major revenue-generating sport, in 2022-23.

Read USA TODAY Sports’ complete story here.

Steve Sarkisian salary

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is set to make $5.6 million in 2023 with a maximum bonus of $825,000. He ranks 30th on the list of highest-paid coaches, according to USA TODAY Sports’ database.

Steve Sarkisian contract

In 2021, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian signed a six-year deal with the Longhorns worth $43.5 million. That year, he earned $5.45 million before taking home $5.4 million in 2022 and $5.6 million this year.

Brent Venables salary

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables is set to earn $7.1 million in 2023 with a maximum bonus of $985,000, according to USA TODAY Sports’ database. He ranks 17th on the list of highest-paid coaches.

Brent Venables contract

In 2021, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables signed a six-year deal with the Sooners worth $34.2 million. In 2022, his first season with the team, he earned $7 million before taking home $7.1 million for this season.

Highest-paid college football coaches 

Want to know who the highest paid coaches are in college football? Check out the USA TODAY Sports database here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas-Oklahoma highlights: Sooners get revenge, Longhorns still alive