Lessons learned from Oklahoma's disastrous loss to Texas in Red River Rivalry

For the first time in 2025, the Oklahoma Sooners lost a football game, and it came in the worst way possible.

The No. 6 Sooners lost to unranked Texas 23-6 on Saturday at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas to drop to 5-1 while the Longhorns bounced back from a loss to be 4-2. Simply, we learned the Sooners are not as good as we thought they were Saturday morning before kickoff, especially offensively. But there were even more lessons learned in the loss to Texas.

John Mateer wasn't ready

After 17 days of doubts and questions, it was confirmed just before kickoff that OU quarterback John Mateer would play after having surgery on his throwing hand during the Sooners' bye week and missing their last game. But maybe he shouldn't have.

Mateer had the worst performance of his career on the biggest stage he's been on yet. He completed just 53% of his passes for 202 yards and didn't score a touchdown while throwing three interceptions, and probably should have thrown more. He also wasn't as effective as a runner with a measly five yards on a team-high 14 carries. He was also sacked five times.

That surgically repaired thumb, at least from watching the first time, wasn't Mateer's biggest issue, though. He made bad decisions and wasn't always on the same page with his receivers. Those are both problems that were already there his first four outings with OU, but they were magnified on Saturday after not fully practicing or playing in a game for three weeks. Maybe timid because of the injury, Mateer's inability to make plays with his legs also washed out what's made him so great until now.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Red River Rivalry isn't the magnitude of game a quarterback should be rushed back for, and considering backup QB Michael Hawkins Jr. already had experience in the rivalry, it's hard to believe he wouldn't have given the Sooners their best chance.

But Mateer wasn't the only problem

As a Heisman Trophy contender, at least before Saturday, and QB1, Mateer will get the most fingers pointed at him, but even if Hawkins played and gave the Sooners more fight, they still wouldn't have landed enough punches.

At times, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle dialed up something beautiful, but overall, the 30-year-old play-caller was out-coached by Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski on the other sideline. Arbuckle and head coach Brent Venables also horribly mishandled the clock at the end of the first half, ultimately replacing a field goal with an interception and seeming to be the moment Texas gained all the momentum.

The Sooners' struggles to run the ball were also still there, and this time weren't able to be overcome. The lack of depth on the offensive line caused mistakes in the passing and running game. There were penalties that killed drives. And that elite OU defense still couldn't get a turnover to jolt some life into its team.

Replacing Mateer wouldn't make OU a better football team, even if fans do call for that after this disaster. Some of the Sooners' issues from last year have hung around, and now entering their toughest stretch of the season, there's less time than ever to figure things out when they'll have more consequences than ever.

It's time to panic about the offensive line

Even if the Sooners couldn't effectively run the ball the first five games, the offensive line was at least keeping Mateer upright. Until Saturday. It was the O-line's biggest test so far, and it failed. And it only gets more difficult from here.

Not all, but plenty of Mateer's mistakes were forced because of pressure as he was sacked a season-high five times. Prized recruit Michael Fasusi looked like a true freshman for the first time at left tackle. At right tackle, starter Derek Simmons left with an injury and never returned, leaving the Sooners with no healthy reserve tackles. OU had four offensive linemen listed as out on the injury report.

It's about to be like déjà vu for OU fans from last year and during the meat of the schedule when poor offensive line play will result in losses.

Arch Manning can play

Unfortunately for OU fans, they were the first fan base to finally learn that Texas quarterback Arch Manning really can ball. He's certainly not as good as all that preseason hype, but no one is.

Manning completed 21of his 27 passes for 166 yards and a TD with no turnovers. He also ran for 34 yards. And he did it against the best defense in college football heading into Week 7.

On the bright side, with Manning looking to have turned a corner and Texas' schedule being soft the rest of the way, this loss will not be nearly as bad it feels right now for the Sooners.