#6 Oklahoma vs #11 Texas
When: Saturday, October 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX
TV: FOX
The Red River Showdown is back with high stakes in 2019. The Oklahoma Sooners are on the verge of representing the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff and Texas is hot since losing to LSU early in the season. The two high-powered offenses face off this weekend with the Big 12 on the line.
Last season, Texas knocked off Oklahoma with a last-second field goal by freshman kicker Cameron Dicker. The two met again in the last year’s conference title game and Oklahoma was able to bounce back with a win. Will this season’s matchup bring the same excitement?
Oklahoma
Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts has been one of the most exciting players in college football this season. Hurts has completed over 75 percent of his passes, which is by far the best number of his career. He has thrown for 1,523 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. Hurts also has 499 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, both leading the team.
Running back Trey Sermon adds his own 345 yards and four touchdowns for the Sooners. Kennedy Brooks, another running back, is averaging 8.2 yards per carry this season. Both running backs should be in the NFL sooner or later as they both have eligibility beyond 2019.
Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is a first-round pick in waiting. Lamb leads the team with 18 catches for 439 yards and seven touchdowns. His 24.4 yards-per-reception average is unfair. Lamb is likely a top-five talent for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Grant Calcaterra is a wide receiver for the Sooners, but he projects as a tight end in the NFL. His size, speed, and hands combination makes him a nightmare for defenses.
Texas
Sam Ehlinger has put the Longhorns on his back this season. The quarterback has 1,448 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. His ability to take care of the ball has allowed Texas to put up a ton of points this year.
Wide receiver Collin Johnson is one of my favorites for the 2020 draft, but his production has been down this season. The 6-foot-6 receiver can jump out of the building, but he only has seven catches this year thanks to injuries keeping him off the field.
Senior breakout receiver Devin Duvernay has filled in nicely. Duvernay, Johnson’s counterpart, has a whopping 45 catches for 463 yards and four touchdowns already this season. His 45 catches have him tied for the second-most in the NCAA through six weeks.
Texas has arguably the best safety tandem in college football. Caden Sterns and Brandon Jones are vital to the Longhorn defense. They have combined for 59 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, and 1.0 sacks. They also have four pass deflections.
Their presence will be crucial in limiting big plays by the Sooner offense. Sterns is still just a sophomore, but Jones is a potential top-50 prospect in 2020. The two will need to step up big if Texas wants to come away with back-to-back wins over Oklahoma in Dallas.