How Oklahoma football can stay unbeaten before facing Texas in Red River Showdown
The last time the Red River Showdown featured Oklahoma and Texas as undefeated teams was in 2011.
Twelve years later, it's possible — maybe even probable — that it will happen again.
No. 6 Texas (2-0) stunned then-No. 3 Alabama 34-24 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday night, and No. 16 Oklahoma (2-0) got by SMU 28-11 at home.
Both programs face manageable schedules between now and the Week 6 showdown. The Sooners have games at Tulsa, at Cincinnati and at home against Iowa State. The Longhorns host Wyoming, play at Baylor and then host Kansas.
As both teams wade through their final season in the Big 12, here's how Oklahoma can stay undefeated before arriving at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas on Oct. 7:
How OU-Texas rivalry can feature two unbeaten teams
QB Dillon Gabriel stays healthy
He’s backed up by five-star freshman phenom Jackson Arnold, but fifth-year senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel likely needs to stay healthy for the Sooners to keep stacking wins early this season.
Gabriel, in his second season as OU’s starter after transferring from UCF, has completed 38 of 49 passes for 484 yards and has seven total touchdowns this season. The Millilani, Hawaii, native led two consecutive touchdown drives in the fourth quarter on Saturday after SMU pulled within three points.
The situation is different from last season, when Gabriel missed the OU-Texas game (a 49-0 Texas victory). Arnold is a talented and capable backup, but experience matters in rivalry games. Plus, the Oklahoma staff is committed to Gabriel.
Oklahoma defense gets more pressure
After finishing 6-7 in 2022, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables added six defensive linemen — Rondell Bothroyd, Trace Ford, Da’Jon Terry, Trace Ford, Phil Paea and Davon Sears — through the transfer portal to address an area of need.
The growth has been hard to measure through two games. The Sooners have forced just two sacks, despite only allowing 11 points total this season.
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Progress with defensive pressure could play a factor in OU's success, especially as conference play heats up before the Red River Showdown.
Sooners find weapons, consistency on offense
Oklahoma survived SMU by scoring back-to-back touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, but the sluggish start was worrisome.
Walk-on running back Tawee Walker flashed with 21 carries for 117 yards, and Gabriel eventually finished with four touchdowns, but the offense hit lulls throughout the game that allowed SMU to stay within striking distance.
Consistency and establishing go-to weapons is a must for any program, especially for a unit trying to recapture its College Football Playoff form in 2023.
The Sooners’ best playmakers last season, running back Eric Gray and receiver Marvin Mims, are now in the NFL, and this season’s team is still trying to fill the void. Michigan transfer receiver Andrel Anthony seems to have settled into the No. 1 receiver role with a team-high 10 catches, 142 yards and a touchdown so far, but the running back situation seems muddled.
Entering the season, OU was expected to form a dynamic one-two punch with sophomore running backs Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk. Through two games, however, the Sooners have mostly relied on Walker and fifth-year senior Marcus Major.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Oklahoma-Texas rivalry can feature unbeatens in Red River Showdown
