Though it hasn’t been the start many expected for Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns, the team in burnt orange capped off Saturday with a signature win over the sixth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
In what was a dominating performance, only a few expected from Texas football, the Longhorns took a 23-6 victory at the Cotton Bowl in the 121st edition of the Red River Rivalry. After the win, in which Manning outperformed OU quarterback and Heisman candidate John Mateer, Texas took the time to troll their long-time rival on social media.
The victory was a bounce-back for Texas, who were upset against Florida the week prior. Oklahoma had been on a strong start to the season, but the loss is the team’s first of the year. The Longhorns finished with less than 50 more yards of offense than the Sooners, but Mateer’s three interceptions were a big reason for their downfall.
Texas Football, Arch Manning Shine In Comeback Win
Before the game, expectations for Manning had reached a boiling point. After beginning the season as a Heisman hopeful, the first-year full-time starter had yet to live up to those high hopes. While the start to 2025 wasn’t what many, including Manning, hoped, he had a bounce-back performance against one of Texas’s top opponents of the season.
In the win, Manning completed 21 of his 27 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t the Heisman-level performance many are still hoping for, but it was enough for Texas to outscore Oklahoma 20-0 in the second half.
Reacting to the win, Texas basketball alum Kevin Durant also chimed in on the game, sending a shot at his school’s top rival.
“We learned how to fight today,” Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian said after the game. “We saw the true character of the men in that locker room.”
After a few disappointing performances, the Longhorns got back into the win column thanks to a dominant second-half performance. While many Texas fans would have been happier with an ever more lopsided score, the win comes at a crucial point in the team’s season.
After the rivalry win, Texas now has three of its final six games against ranked SEC opponents: Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Texas A&M. The Longhorns are 1-1 in ranked games so far this season, but with the two losses, they face an uphill battle to make the College Football Playoff.
Mateer Returns, Oklahoma Disappoints
With their highest ranking of the season entering the game, the Sooners expected a win on Saturday. However, the top storyline surrounding the team was Mateer’s return from surgery just 17 days prior. After being injured against Auburn, the star quarterback had hand surgery a few weeks ago before sitting out to prepare for the rivalry game.
In the matchup, the Hiesman hopeful disappointed. His three interceptions thrown were the most of his career, and Oklahoma’s six total points were their lowest of the season by far. Mateer threw for more yards than Manning, but the lack of scoring was the team’s biggest downfall.
“I just didn’t play good enough,” Mateer said postgame.
After scoring no less than 24 points through their first five games, the Sooners couldn’t put anything together against Texas’ top-tier defense. The turnovers were the nail in the coffin, as Mateer’s fourth-quarter interception just about closed out the game, and capped off the team’s first scoreless half of the year.
“Today was a bad day but we still have a good football team,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said to reporters. “Couldn’t get any rhythm in the second half. They flipped the script. … This one hurts for all the reasons we had opportunities.”
After two ranked wins and a 1-0 start to SEC play, Oklahoma’s CFP hopes are now in question. Five of OU’s final six opponents are ranked SEC teams, and after the loss to rival Texas, along with the question marks surrounding Mateer, the Sooners have an uphill battle to finish the season out strong.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Texas Football Trolls Oklahoma As Arch Manning Leads Upset Win appeared first on Heavy Sports.