ESPN Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi bluntly deemed the second half of the Red River Rivalry the most important 20 minutes of the season for the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns.
During that 20 minutes, the Sooners finally prevailed and beat Texas 76-72 on Saturday night in Austin to end an eight-game losing streak against their most-hated rival. It was also the first time head coach Porter Moser has led OU to a victory in the Red River Rivalry in his fourth season.
The victory was also OU's sixth Quadrant 1 win this season, tying for the most among all of Lunardi's other bubble teams.
With OU and Texas locked 37-37 at halftime of Saturday night's game in Austin, Lunardi was on SEC Network's halftime show to explain what was at stake for both teams in the regular-season finale.
In Lunardi's latest ESPN Bracketology released Saturday morning, the Sooners were his last team in the NCAA Tournament after upsetting No. 15 Missouri on Wednesday. OU was Lunardi's first team out as of Friday.
Texas, meanwhile, was still part of the first four out with North Carolina, Boise State and Nebraska. Boise State dropping out of the field of 68 is what bumped OU back in.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 8, 2025
Lunardi said during halftime that both teams still had a lot to play for in the Red River Rivalry as far as for their March Madness fate. He believes if the winner of Saturday night's matchup, OU, wins its first game of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament, then the Sooners should be a lock to go dancing barring a record number of bid stealers.
The SEC Men's Basketball Tournament is scheduled to tip off on Wednesday. The Sooners got the 14 seed and will play 11 seed Georgia in the first round. Texas is the 13 seed and will get 12 seed Vanderbilt first.
Georgia already beat the Sooners 72-62 earlier this season in Athens. OU also lost its first meeting against Texas in Norman, 77-73, but already avenged that loss.
After a win against Texas in their regular-season finale, the Sooners are now just a win away against Georgia from going dancing for the first time under Moser.
Lunardi noted, though, that Texas isn't entirely out of luck but would need a miracle. A Cinderella run for a 13 seed would mean a string of Quad 1 wins, which could be just enough of a last-minute push to get the Longhorns into the NCAA Tournament if everything else falls right.
Selection Sunday will be 5 p.m. CT March 16 on CBS.