There’s no point trying to predict how a Red River Rivalry match will go. Texas and Oklahoma have aligned themselves on this eternal vendetta, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid bullshit. It doesn’t matter what the records say next to their names or what each team’s expectations are, because this game will almost certainly go the opposite of what you expect and end in a knife fight in the mud. On Saturday, Oklahoma came out of that fight as the last man standing.
The Sooners defeated the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns 27-24. With the game tied for much of the fourth quarter, Arch Manning threw his second interception with about 19 seconds left in regulation. After some incredible passes from John Mateer to get within range, Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell had a chance to kick a 47-yard field goal at the end of regulation to put the Sooners on top.
Technically, the statistics tell a different story. Texas outscored Oklahoma on the ground 122-83 and in the air 260-155. The Longhorns more or less controlled much of the game. But thanks to a special teams miscue in which Oklahoma blocked a punt for a score — as well as Manning’s two interceptions, one of which turned into a pick-six — the Sooners came away victors and spoilers.
There will be a lot of blame assigned and finger pointing. Neither team was good at running the ball all afternoon. Manning had a solid game, accounting for three touchdowns, until the aforementioned grueling turnovers. As fun as it is to complain about Steve Sarkisian and his strange conservatism at the worst of times, nothing happened on Saturday to make you feel like you’ve been out-maneuvered or out-maneuvered by Brent Venables. It was every bit the random and confusing victory it seems on paper. While there are certainly conversations to be had about Manning and his development, or lack thereof, and how many fouls he deserves for each interception, it seems like an act of the rivalry gods has taken control of this one.
This is what makes Red River more and more unique, in an era where college rivalry and rivalry games are being devalued and losing their power. The Red River Showdown or Shootout, or whatever it’s called these days, is the one game that refuses to bow to analysis, common sense or the talent of the teams involved. Sure, every once in a while you can get a goofy ending to the Iron Bowl. Pittsburgh and West Virginia love having a hootenanny every year. The Iowa and Iowa State legend is well known at this point. But there’s no other rivalry where you know for sure and have no idea what’s going to happen, other than this one.
Mateer was about to bench lift weights a week ago, and now he can run with the Sooner flag up and down the Cotton Bowl. Sandell donned the gold cowboy hat after scoring a field goal, and Venables’ red-faced maniac ass can walk around like he’s the big dog in charge and not the coach of a team barely above .500. It was the first time the Sooners beat a No. 1 ranked team since 2007, and it was the first time they beat a No. 1 ranked Texas team. Very few people saw a result like this coming, but Oklahoma could.
“I thought about this match for 365 days,” Mateer said after the match. “I think it was the fourth longest quarter I’ve ever been a part of. It was awesome and I’ll never forget it. But I knew with 19 seconds left that it was time.”
There’s very little to take away from a game like this. Texas will almost certainly look dominant again next week, and Oklahoma won’t be given the same opportunity by its next opponent. It’s a blip on the radar and a glitch in the matrix — in other words, the ideal type of rivalry game in college football.
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