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Oklahoma football: Four bold predictions for 2021 Red River Showdown

By Chip Rouse

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 14: Fans cheer during the kickoff for the game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl on October 14, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas skyline appears in the background. (Photo by Richard W. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 14: Fans cheer during the kickoff for the game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl on October 14, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas skyline appears in the background. (Photo by Richard W. Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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All roads lead to Dallas this weekend if you are a fan of Oklahoma football or Texas Football. It’s the second weekend of the State Fair of Texas, and that can only mean one thing if you’re a college football fan: Oklahoma vs. Texas and the 117th renewal of the Red River Showdown.

The Sooners come in as a slight favorite (-3.5), but anyone who know anything about this classic rivalry, one of the best in college football, is that records and rankings mean little in this game. The emotions and tradition play a big role, and both teams generally bring their “A” game in what history has shown us is a Texas-size dogfight to the finish.

Oklahoma has won seven of the last 10 games against Texas and two of the last three regular-season games. Lincoln Riley is 4-1 against Texas in the four season he has been head coach of the Sooners, including the Big 12 Championship in 2018. New Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian would like to change that trajectory.

Here are four bold predications for the 2021 edition of the Red River Showdown:

Spencer Rattler will throw for more than 300 yards and two touchdowns

Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler has had just one game this season in which he has passed for at least 300 yards in a game, and that was Oklahoma’s season opener against Tulane. He had four such games last season. In the Texas game last season, Rattler threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns. two of which came in overtime.

In his second start in the Red River rivalry game with Texas, Rattler will pass for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns.

The Sooners will get two takeaways

Oklahoma is tied for 15th in the nation through five games with a minus-five turnover margin and tied for fourth with six fumble recoveries. On Saturday, the Sooner defense will recover one Texas fumble and intercept at least one pass from Texas quarterback Casey Thompson. One of those turnovers will result in an Oklahoma touchdown.

Oklahoma defense will hold Texas RB Bijan Robinson to under 100 yards rushing

Texas sophomore running back sensation Bijan Robinson has rushed for 652 yards in five games, second most in the country and 130 yards per game. He’s averaging 6.21 yards per carry. The Oklahoma defense, however, is allowing just 79.4 rushing yards per game, seventh best in the nation. Robinson will get his yards against the OU defensive front — he is dangerous both running the ball and catching passes out of the backfield — but the Sooners will hold him under 100 yards rushing.

OU will score at least 30 points for sixth time in last seven games with Texas

Since the 2012 season, Oklahoma has scored at least 30 point in 45 of the last 52 games, including seven of the last 10 games against Texas. The Sooner offense will score 30-plus against Texas on Saturday.

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