<\/p>\n
Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) celebrates scoring a touchdown in the 11th of the Longhorns\u2019 game against the Texas State Bobcats at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 5, 2026.<\/p>\n
Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n
With eyes on a third straight win in the rivalry,\u00a0Texas football<\/a> will soon meet Oklahoma<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n But who will be the stars of the show when the bitter foes meet at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas<\/a>? What statistic will define the 102nd meeting of the Red River Rivalry<\/a>? And should Oklahoma’s struggles continue, who could the Sooners consider as their next head coach?<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n MORE HORNS: Why the RRR takes place in Dallas<\/a><\/p>\n GOLDEN: The gap\u00a0between UT, OU quarterbacks may be smaller than you think<\/a><\/p>\n The American-Statesman’s Cedric Golden <\/a>and the Houston Chronicle’s Kirk Bohls<\/a> tackle those topics and mull questions about Texas A&M, Georgia vs. Alabama and more. Here is what the two longtime columnists think:<\/p>\n Is there a chance Oklahoma catches top-ranked Texas napping in Dallas?<\/p>\n Texas Tech running back J’Koby Williams (20) runs the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes at\u00a0Folsom Field on Oct. 3, 2026 in Boulder, Colorado.<\/p>\n Chet Strange\/Getty Images Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond (15) looks to the sidelines in the second quarter during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at\u00a0Folsom Field on Oct. 3, 2026 in Boulder, Colorado.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chet Strange\/Getty Images<\/p>\n GOLDEN: The Horns would have to be in Rip Van Winkle REM sleep to lose this one, given what is ahead on the schedule. They must bank this win knowing a string of ranked opponents is coming up in Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Missouri. Oklahoma has one of the most inept offenses since coach Bob Stoops turned things around at the turn of the century so the Horns should be able to take full advantage despite some of its own offensive struggles. The Sooners will show a pulse, but Texas will pull away for \u00a0a 31-17 win.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0\u00a0Not a chance. The Longhorns know better than to be overconfident in this rivalry game, but this promises to be a competitive first half before Texas\u2019 superior offense takes charge in a 20-6 win and keeps the Sooners out of the end zone for the fourth time in five years.<\/p>\n 2. If the Sooners lose and OU decides to fire Brent Venables, who would the crimson look to hire?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: Good question as we ponder why athletic director Roger Denny was so hellbent on giving him a six-year contract extension. If they\u2019re looking to restore the offense to previous program standard, why not reach into the family tree and bring back Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, who tutored Sam Bradford to a Heisman Trophy in 2008?\u00a0Heupel is having his own offensive issues in Knoxville \u2014 the Vols are last in passing offense among SEC teams \u2014 \u00a0but a change of scenery might be the tonic to get both sides back to putting up some numbers.<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0I got two for new OU AD Roger Denny. He could strike a dagger into the heart of Oklahoma State fans everywhere and hire away first-year head coach Eric Morris or think out of the box and grab a proven Willie Fritz from Houston.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns wide receiver Emmett Mosley V. (3) fumbles the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Devin Sanchez (6) at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 12, 2026.<\/p>\n Ricardo B. Brazziell\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n 3. What will be the biggest stat in the Cotton Bowl game?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: \u00a0Turnover margin. Neither defense is taking the ball away at a record rate. Texas is at zero in turnover margin and OU is minus-6 \u2014 \u00a0the third-worst among the 138 teams in FBS. The one that can give its struggling offense a shorter field will be standing tall at the end. This has the feel of a low-scoring affair \u2014 Vegas has the over\/under hovering around 39 \u2014 but there will still be some opportunities for fireworks.<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0It has to be takeaways. The Sooners are a minus-6 while Texas is at zero with as many takeaways and giveaways.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 4. Name two Longhorn players who could become a legend Saturday?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: Colin Simmons and Cam Coleman. Simmons is already one of the most unblockable edge rushers in America, but he will ascend to even loftier status when he follows up 5\u00bd sack performance at Tennessee with four more in his hometown. Coleman has been eerily quiet since catching just one pass for 30 yards in Knoxville. The high-priced wideout is poised for an explosion. He will get loose for six catches for 120 yards and a couple of touchdowns in front of a national audience.<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0I think it\u2019s inevitable that Colin Simmons makes a name \u2014 OK, a bigger name \u2014 for himself by making the biggest plays of Saturday and can see linebacker Rasheem Biles do the same because he is always around the ball.<\/p>\n 5. Does surging Missouri experience the same mental hangover over a big win as Florida and Mississippi State did or take care of business against Texas A&M?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: The oddsmakers have installed the Tigers as a 4\u00bd-point favorite at home, which is a tighter point spread than I saw coming. The Aggies spanked the Tigers 38-17 in Columbia last season, but the 2026 Tigers have found a nice groove under lefty QB Austin Simmons, who has thrown 13 touchdowns with zero interceptions. In close games, I go with the better quarterback, and Simmons is playing lights out as opposed to A&M\u2019s Marcel Reed, who has been up and down. I\u2019ll take the Tigers 27-24.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n BOHLS: I bet they do, but still survives a very tight game and wins 28-20 because the Tigers have the better quarterback in Austin Simmons, who has thrown 13 touchdown passes without a pick and is on fire.<\/p>\n Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams\u00a0 reacts during the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on Oct.\u00a0 3, 2026 in Starkville, Mississippi.<\/p>\n Justin Ford\/Getty Images<\/p>\n 6. Is the Georgia-Alabama game a preview of the SEC championship, and does the winner ascend to No. 1?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: I would say yes, but the Bulldogs haven\u2019t played anybody, and the Longhorns still haven\u2019t played their most complete game despite a No. 1 overall ranking. Alabama QB Keelon Russell has roared up the Heisman Trophy oddsmakers\u2019 charts and for good reason. The Duncanville product has 10 touchdowns and no interceptions over his last three games. The winner will get my No. 1 nod if the Longhorns lose or win a close one against Oklahoma. Give me Bama by six at the house.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n BOHLS: I would say it probably is because I think the whole country doesn\u2019t believe in the Longhorns and is waiting for Texas to stumble. Those other two look like the two most balanced teams on both sides of the ball and there\u2019s a great chance both could wind up in Atlanta in December.<\/p>\n 7. Who is your lock of the week?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: We\u2019ve been doing these locks for three weeks now and I\u2019m 0-3. Do yourself a favor and pick opposite of the horrible stuff I\u2019m putting down but since you asked, I\u2019ll take the Longhorns to cover that eight-point spread in Dallas. They own this rivalry right now.<\/p>\n BOHLS: Give me rising UCLA plus-11\u00bd to give a Dante Moore-less Oregon fits and maybe even pull the outright upset.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 8. Name a national pretender you just don\u2019t believe in?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: The No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders are 5-0 with one of the easiest remaining schedules in the country, but that defense just isn\u2019t as scary without those elite linebackers David Bailey and Eric Rodriguez. The Raiders have a great path to win the Big 12 I don\u2019t expect them to last in the College Football Playoff for long.<\/p>\n Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire celebrates after a win against the Colorado Buffaloes at\u00a0Folsom Field on Oct. 3, 2026 in Boulder, Colorado.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chet Strange\/Getty Images<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0 I just don\u2019t see it in Texas Tech yet. Sure, the 11th-ranked Red Raiders are 5-0, but they have yet to wow me. Besides they have had one of the easiest Power Four schedules of anybody, ranked between 65th and 71st.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 9. Because Group of Six teams are 3-73 against Power Four conference teams, should the highest-ranked G6 team be guaranteed a\u00a0CFP berth?<\/p>\n GOLDEN:\u00a0It doesn\u2019t hurt to throw a good G6 team a bone in an 12-team playoff even though the odds are stacked against pulling an upset in the postseason. The record doesn\u2019t surprise me given the huge disparity in money, facilities and visibility when compared with these Power Four football factories. Give the little guy a shot at it. No harm there.<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0Yes, they should. The playoff wouldn\u2019t be the same without a representative from the G6 leagues. And once the field grows to 24, you can bet there will be two to three of the James Madisons of the world.<\/p>\n 10. What\u2019s the one coach-speak quote you hate the most?<\/p>\n GOLDEN: How about \u201cNo one gave us a chance to win this game\u201d when the whole world knows you were favored to win. \u00a0The self-manufactured us-against-the-world cliches always seem to roll out after a team rebounds from a loss. I try not to publish many because it can become redundant and in most cases, disingenuous.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n BOHLS:\u00a0Boy, where to start? For me, it\u2019s a tie between \u201cWe just need to be the best version of ourselves\u201d and \u201c(Fill in the blank team) is a great team. Big, fast, strong and well-coached.\u201d Team X has just had some unlucky breaks in their 0-5 season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) celebrates scoring a touchdown in the 11th of the Longhorns\u2019 game…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":462062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[778,782,772,3233,266,27,29,537,536,28],"class_list":["post-462061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-alabama-crimson-tide","tag-georgia-bulldogs","tag-oklahoma-sooners","tag-red-river-rivalry","tag-sec-football","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-longhorns","tag-texas-longhorns-football","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=462061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/462062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=462061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=462061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=462061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n
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