Six advantages Texas will have this year against Oklahoma State
The Texas Longhorns have struggled against the Oklahoma State Cowboys for the past decade. They blew a double-digit lead last year in Steve Sarkisian’s first game in the series.
Texas found itself up 17-3 late in the first half and in position to put the game out of reach. Then Jason Taylor II picked off Casey Thompson and took the ball 85 yards to the end zone.
Texas scored out of halftime to make the game 24-13. Afterward they didn’t score again. Mike Gundy’s Cowboys tallied the final 19 points defeating the Longhorns 32-24 in Austin.
This year’s team is on a revenge tour that has seen Texas flip the script in each of this season’s rematches. Last season Texas lost to Oklahoma by 7 points, Iowa State by 23 and West Virginia by 8. The Longhorns have combined to beat those teams by a margin of 70 points.
Let’s look at what could swing this year’s matchup with Oklahoma State in their favor.
Pass protection
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Texas is not surrendering sacks to opponents. That’s due in part to Quinn Ewers getting rid of the football. Albeit, the offensive line deserves the bulk of the credit. The Longhorns are preventing teams from getting to the quarterback and opening up the offense to more explosion.
Better quarterback play
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Casey Thompson made great plays at Texas, but his interception turned the Oklahoma State game last season. Some criticized Quinn Ewers’ performance Saturday, but the freshman quarterback protected the football. Ewers completed 65 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. If that’s a bad day for the signal caller, Texas is in good hands. He will face the No. 126 pass defense in the FBS this week in Oklahoma State. The Ohio State transfer should have a better showing than he did against the No. 17 pass defense in the country, Iowa State.
Confidence
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Last season, Texas blew a double-digit lead to an Oklahoma team they dominated in the first half. They were unable to fight off doubt that crept in and ultimately couldn’t hold on the following week against Oklahoma State. This year Oklahoma State is in a similar predicament. The Cowboys overpowered the TCU Horned Frogs on the road for much of the game before blowing a two-touchdown lead. With Oklahoma State looking for answers after a draining loss, Texas needs to leverage its confidence advantage to win on the road.
Gary Patterson's success vs Mike Gundy
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TCU’s success against Oklahoma State started before last season. One way or another, Gary Patterson’s squad found a way to make life difficult for the Cowboys in recent years. This ballgame will be close enough that coaching could determine the outcome. Having two defensive minds breaking down an elite offensive attack could put Texas over the top.
Reliable defense
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While Oklahoma State has one of the worst pass defenses in the FBS, the Longhorns have the No. 65 pass defense this season. Iowa State, Texas Tech and Kansas State are the only better passing defenses in the Big 12 conference statistically. The growth the group has made in Pete Kwiatkowski’s second season is making a huge impact.
Leadership
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One of Steve Sarkisian’s measurements of culture involved player leadership and accountability. The 2022 Longhorns have that in spades, with multiple upperclassmen pushing the team to improve. Team leadership will need to prepare younger players for the battle they will face in Stillwater. Should they get a lead, Roschon Johnson and company will be counted on to close out the game.
