Joel Klatt predicts Oklahoma to beat Texas in Red River Rivalry

The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are set to descend upon the Texas State Fair and the Cotton Bowl. There, the Longhorns are looking to turn around what has been a frustrating season. Meanwhile, the Sooners want to prove they’re legitimate SEC contenders.

There are more than a handful of storylines in this game. For Joel Klatt, however, the most important point comes down to the Texas offense against the Oklahoma defense. There, as he explained on The Joel Klatt Show, he thinks the Sooners will shine and be able to win the game on the strength of that defensive performance.

“What we have not seen at all, all season,” Klatt said. “Is this Texas offense, Arch Manning, the offensive line, play well against an FBS opponent. There’s no evidence. You can’t point to any. There’s no stretch of any game that you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s it. That’s what they can lean on. That’s what they can be from an identity standpoint.’ They don’t run it well. They don’t protect the passer very well. Arch has really struggled if and when they do protect the passer.”

To this point in the season, Texas is ranked 52nd nationally in total offense, averaging 419.2 yards per game. The Longhorns are also 63rd in scoring offense, averaging 29.6 points per game. As for Oklahoma, the Sooners are ranked first nationally in total defense, averaging 193 yards allowed per game. The Sooners are also second in scoring defense, giving up just 7.2 points per game.

“So, there’s nothing to lean on that would suggest — other than the logo on their helmet and the name of their head coach — that all of a sudden they’re going to turn it around and play really well offensively, Klatt said. “That’s just the case. In particular, against a team like OU.”

For Klatt, the major concern is actually along the line of scrimmage. Texas has struggled along the offensive line, while Oklahoma boasts one of the best defensive lines in the country. The Longhorns sit at 65th nationally in sacks allowed, giving up 1.80 per game. That compares to a Sooners team ranked second in sacks forced, getting to opposing quarterbacks 4.20 times per game.

“See, I actually think OU — Florida is really good defensively… I think OU’s defense is probably better than Florida’s. Certainly up front,” Klatt said. “And when they’re not protecting well, you look at this. Arch was under pressure in 60 percent of his dropbacks. He was sacked six times. OU leads the country in sacks at over four per game. They get after it up front. We saw it when they played Michigan. We’ve seen it over and over. We saw it when they played Auburn. Absolutely got after Auburn. So, what leads us to believe that, all of a sudden, that’s gonna change? I can’t wrap my head around that. I do not see any evidence, thus far, on tape that Texas is going to, all of a sudden, turn it around on the offensive side.”

All of that amounts to the reality for Klatt that Oklahoma should be able to win Red River. Still, he expects it to be a close game, with the Sooners winning by around a field goal. That should put them on a path toward the College Football Playoff.

“Therefore, I’ve got to take the point and a half,” Klatt said. “I think OU wins this one straight up, 20-17, in Red River, in Dallas… OU gets the win, and they start trending toward a Playoff spot because I think that defense is that good.”

As always, Red River is set to be played at the Cotton Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST, with the winner set to make noise in the SEC moving forward.