Recap: Oklahoma Sooners 55, Texas Longhorns 48
A game a year in the making had a wild beginning, middle, and end, with the Longhorns succumbing when it mattered most.
The 117th Red River Shootout had an electric start, as Texas won the toss and elected to receive. On the first play from scrimmage, Casey Thompson threw a screen to Xavier Worthy. The California speedster made one man miss, evaded another tackle, then zoomed 75 yards to make it 7-0 Texas after the game’s first play.
The Sooners went three-and-out on their first possession, and Texas was able to block Michael Turk’s punt, recovering it at the two-yard-line. Bijan Robinson would score to make it 14-0 very early.
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Oklahoma was reeling, and may have been the beneficiary of some shoddy officiating. Spencer Rattler dropped back on third down and hit Mike Woods to escape back-to-back three-and-outs. Replay showed Woods stepped out on his own accord and returned to the field before making the catch, and the officials went to the booth to review. The call stood, and Rattler eventually maneuvered down the field, finishing the drive with a short touchdown run.
Texas went three-and-out on its ensuing possession, and Oklahoma began on its own 33-yard-line. Facing 3rd-and-3, Rattler dropped back and threw an interception hauled in by BJ Foster. There was no Sooner in the area, marking the beginning of some of Rattler’s woes.
Thompson hit Worthy for 27 yards, Robinson ran for 14 to make it 1st-and-goal, and Thompson hit Joshua Moore from 10 yards out to make it a 21-7 game with just under five minutes remaining in the first.
Oklahoma went three-and-out in response, but Sooner punter Michael Turk launched an 85-yard punt to completely flip the field. Alex Grinch’s Sooner defense could not stop the Longhorns in the first, as Texas marched down the field, achieving two first downs, and scored on a 48-yard pass from Thompson to Moore to make it 28-7.
As the first quarter transitioned to the second, Oklahoma faced a crucial fourth down on its own side of the field. Needing less than a yard, backup quarterback Caleb Williams took the field for the situational as he has done several times this season. He got the one he needed, plus a lot more. Williams sprinted to the pylon, beating Texas defenders to the end zone for a 66-yard score.
Texas went three-and-out, and the Sooners had an opportunity to regain some momentum. A 48-yard pass from Rattler to Jeremiah Hall put Oklahoma in position, but the Longhorn defense held and forced a Gabe Brkic field goal.
Texas had another drive sputter out, but Rattler once again cost his team when the Sooners retook possession. After moving into Texas territory, Rattler tried to run up the middle and was stripped by Ben Davis. DeMarvion Overshown, who tallied four tackles in the first half, recovered the fumble.
Texas put itself in scoring position thanks to one of the most electric plays of the season by Robinson.
After stepping out at the two, Thompson found tight end Jared Wiley for a touchdown to make it 35-17.
When the Oklahoma offense took possession, Caleb Williams stood under center at quarterback on first down, and not for any sort of situational play. A deep pass to Hall helped OU get into Texas territory again, and Williams almost made a sensational play for a passing touchdown to Brayden Willis. After D’Shawn Jamison broke up a pass in the end zone intended for Jadon Haselwood, Brkic lined up and hit a 35-yard field goal to make it 35-20.
With 3:02 left in the half, Texas took possession on the 25. After an intentional grounding penalty on Thompson, he reared back and tossed a 39-yard pass to Worthy to set up a field goal attempt. After running the clock down, Cameron Dicker took the field and hit a 38-yard kick as the half expired to make it 38-20.
Oklahoma began the second half with Rattler once again on the sidelines and Caleb Williams at quarterback. He picked up 17 yards for one first down, but then when facing 3rd-and-5, but could not pick up another first down after his pass intended for Woods fell incomplete.
Texas took over on the eight-yard-line, and immediately went backwards with a handoff to Robinson. A short pass to Robinson didn’t help the situation out much, nor did a false start on Derek Kerstetter. Texas was forced to punt and Oklahoma took over on the plus side of the field.
After one solid run, the Sooners faced a 3rd-and-1. Williams’ skill set is different than Rattler’s and includes the ability to run the ball. He picked up the first down, then another with a pass to Mario Williams.
A wild play on 3rd-and-long ended up in Austin Stogner’s hands after Williams avoided several tacklers and was even wrapped up in the backfield. Despite the gain, Riley decided to kick a field goal after the 9-play, 30-yard drive that took 4:53 off the clock.
After a Jamison return, Thompson found Xavier Worthy for a 17-yard gain on first down. A holding penalty knocked Texas back, but Robinson quickly erased the issue with a 33-yard run to put the Longhorns in Sooners territory. A screen to Jordan Whittington picked up the first down.
The Longhorns faced a 3rd-and-7 two plays later that they tried to convert with a deep pass to Marcus Washington, but his foot was just out of bounds on his attempted catch. Cameron Dicker hit a 41-yard field goal to make it 41-23 Texas with 2:45 left in the third.
The game continued to delve into absurdity. Kennedy Brooks broke free on the first play of the drive and rushed 65 yards down the field. Jamison tracked him and ripped the ball from his hands with Foster there to recover. However, Brooks was down prior to the ball coming out and the Sooners took over on the Texas 13 after the explosive play.
The Longhorns eventually forced a 3rd-and-long, and Williams fumbled the snap. He picked it up and rolled right, drawing some UT defenders. He found Marvin Mims in the end zone to make it 41-30 with 1:02 left in the third.
As the third quarter ended and the fourth began, Texas faced 3rd-and-13 on its 22. Thompson looked for Moore over the middle but couldn’t complete the pass.
Dicker flipped the field with a 78-yard punt, and Oklahoma took over trailing by 11. The Longhorns forced a third down, but Williams flipped the field with a deep pass to Mims who fought off Foster for the catch for a 47-yard gain. Oklahoma moved quickly and gained a first down, but encountered another third down on the Texas 9. Williams looked for Haselwood in the end zone but could not complete the pass. OU settled for another field goal, and Brkic hit it to make it 41-33.
The following Texas drive got off to a bad start after Thompson was sacked for a huge loss. Then he was almost sacked again. Then one more time, and Texas went three-and-out.
Williams gained a first down via the pass on the second play of the drive, but a holding call on second down hampered their efforts and knocked the Sooners out of field goal range. Texas then forced a loss of five to make it 3rd and 19.
Williams delivered. Stepping up in the pocket, he heaved a ball downfield for Mims, who made a tremendous play against Darion Dunn to haul in a 52-yard pass and dive into the end zone. His toe barely remained in bounds The Sooners converted the two-point attempt to tie the game at 41.
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On the ensuing kickoff, Worthy brought the ball out from five yards deep in its own end zone. At the 19-yard-line, Caleb Kelly stripped the ball from Worthy and gave Oklahoma the chance to take the lead.
They did one play later. Brooks followed blockers from 18 yards out to give the Sooners a 48-41 lead with 7:10 left.
Texas responded with a 48-yard pass play from Thompson to Worthy to move into Sooner territory. Once they got there, the offense stalled and faced a 4th-and-11. Steve Sarkisian elected to go for it, and Thompson looked for Robinson with a pass up the middle. His throw fell incomplete and Oklahoma took over with a touchdown lead with 4:39 remaining.
The Longhorn defense forced OU into a 3rd-and-long, and held them to a minimal gain to get the ball back. Jamison returned the punt to the 40-yard-line for Texas last crack at the Sooners.
It began with a short Robinson run, then continued with a short completion to Worthy to make it 3rd-and-short, but another snap infraction backed the Longhorns up. It was no matter, as Thompson found Cade Brewer for a first down.
Thompson found Worthy for another first down, but a Thompson pass intended for Moore fell incomplete on the ensuing play. His next pass found its target.
Worthy’s ninth catch for his second touchdown put Texas within one with 1:23 left. Dicker hit the PAT to tie the game.
Oklahoma began its drive at the 25 and picked up nine yards with a pass to Haselwood. A second down pass fell incomplete, but Brooks picked up plenty of yards on third down to get the first and move close to midfield.
Williams found Mims for another first, then Stogner for another. With 10 seconds left, Brooks took a direct snap all the way to the end zone to make it 55-48.
Texas couldn’t do anything on the resulting kickoff, and the game ended.
