It's the second week of October!
The Sooners and Longhorns meet at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday for the 122nd edition of the Red River Rivalry, college football's greatest rivalry.
The rivals have been going in opposite directions so far to reach this same point. Texas is undefeated and throned as the No. 1 team in the country, while Oklahoma's offense has been an embarrassment and has the Sooners at 2-2 and unranked heading into Week 6.
It's worth noting, though, that this time last year, the Longhorns had two losses and were unranked before upsetting OU, which was just outside the top 5 of national rankings. Anything can happen inside the Cotton Bowl, which is why not even Vegas oddsmakers are predicting a blowout, no matter how much better Texas has looked than OU.
From how to watch to watch, to odds, to key storylines, here's everything you need to know before the Cotton Bowl is split down the middle Saturday afternoon.
How to watch Oklahoma vs. Texas in Red River Rivalry
When: 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday
Where: Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas
Watch: ABC (watch using fuboTV free trial)
OU radio: 107.7 FM KRXO in Oklahoma City and 97.5 FM KMOD in Tulsa or stream anywhere on Varsity Network App
Announcers for Oklahoma vs. Texas
Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), and Katie George (sideline) will be on the call in Dallas.
Odds for Oklahoma vs. Texas in Red River Rivalry
Spread: Texas -7.5
Moneyline: Texas -335, Oklahoma +265
Total: 39.5 points
The Sooners are 2-2 against the spread in 2026, while the Longhorns are still a perfect 4-0.
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Weather forecast in Dallas, Texas
It's finally starting to feel more like Fall, even south of the Red River. The low for Saturday in Dallas is 66 degrees, with a high of 85 degrees. Make the most of the cooler temps early to enjoy the State Fair of Texas before the afternoon kickoff.
All-time series between Oklahoma and Texas
Texas holds a 65-51-5 all-time lead in this historic rivalry. OU at least had bragging rights for dominating the Longhorns during the modern era of college football, but not so much here lately. Brent Venables is 1-3 in the Red River Rivalry, with the Sooners losing the last two and failing to even reach the end zone.
Injury report snapshot
Will be updated after the initial availability report on Wednesday night.
Oklahoma vs. Texas key storylines
1. Did OU's offense figure anything out?
The Sooners have been lifeless on offense while ranking last in the SEC for total offense. They also constantly turn the ball over, mostly because of quarterback John Mateer, which has resulted in OU having the No. 136 turnover margin in the country.
Basically, the Sooners haven't been able to win because of their offense. There are no ifs or buts about it.
The bye week came at a perfect time to bring hope that offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle was able to put some life into his unit, but considering nothing changed over an entire offseason, I wouldn't hold your breath.
2. Will John Mateer have a short leash?
OU head coach Brent Venables has made it clear that he still has confidence in John Mateer, and he's still OU's starting quarterback. That could also just be because of the lack of options behind Mateer, with two inexperienced players in Mercer transfer Whitt Newbauer and freshman Bowe Bentley.
Regardless, there's no denying Mateer has been a liability while being responsible for six of OU's 10 turnovers this season. Nothing around Mateer is working either, so that also influences some of his mistakes and would make life even harder for an inexperienced player thrown to the wolves.
The timing would be bad in a rivalry game against the No. 1 team in the country (and neither of these backups is Caleb Williams), but Venables and OC Ben Arbuckle might eventually be forced to make a change at QB. Since it's do-or-die time for the Sooners, could it come at some point Saturday if desperate times call for desperate measures?
3. Is a 3rd straight Texas loss enough to put Venables on the hot seat?
Right before the season started, Brent Venables signed a two-year contract extension that goes through 2031. The extension obviously came with a raise, which also bumped his unknown buyout and makes him appear unfireable right now. But no coach's job should ever be safe at a blue blood like Oklahoma.
A loss Saturday would knock the Sooners below .500 at 2-3 and essentially erase any chances of returning to the College Football Playoff. That already stings, but the fact that it will come at the hands of Texas for the third season in a row, that's more like a shot to the heart.
Losing three consecutive times to the biggest rival and heading for a third losing season in five years should be enough to put heat on Venables, no matter what the buyout is.
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