Oklahoma vs. Texas provides watershed moment for both teams in Red River Rivalry

Winning in Red River can help salvage seasons getting away from both Oklahoma and Texas.

While Red River is one of the best rivalries in college football, this year’s matchup between Oklahoma and Texas leaves a lot to be desired.

It might only be the second week of October, but the Sooners and Longhorns are already eliminated from any serious College Football Playoff conversations. Although Texas is in the latter stages of its rebuilding process under second-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, Brent Venables’ first year on the job in Norman is getting tougher by the week. A win a Red River will help either.

Here is what is at stake from a program-building perspective when it comes to Red River this year.

Red River Rivalry: A watershed moment for Oklahoma and Texas this season

For the Sooners, a win in Red River would make it five in a row for OU. Not since Cameron Dicker the Kicker stunned everyone in Dallas, resulting in Gus Johnson giving us one of his greatest calls of all time, has Texas messed with Oklahoma. It would be such a shame if OU fell to 3-3 on the year, and an even more disastrous 0-3 in conference play under Venables. They have to win this.

For the Longhorns, a win in Red River will get them one step closer to, dare I say it, being back. Of course, being back requires Texas to either make the College Football Playoff, or at the very least, win the Big 12. Unfortunately, neither of these middling Big 12 teams look to be ready for the brutal gauntlet that is SEC football. Their athletic directors decided that they need to go up a level.

Perhaps that is what is most important here. Are these teams doing enough to make that big leap up into SEC play? Neither team is sniffing the playoff this year, but building up enough positive momentum over the next few years will inevitably serve them when they have to take on the likes of Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M in a few years. If they don’t, then they are about to be Dawg food.

Overall, this is a game where it will impact the perception of both head coaches, as well as their programs. For Texas, a win will be undeniably massive for Sarkisian. The Longhorns would seize control in the rivalry for the time being. It would give Texas the momentum to get to around 8-4 and finish in the top four in the Big 12 this year. That would put them right on track to being back!

As unfair as it sounds, all the pressure is on Venables in this game. If OU loses in the Cotton Bowl, Boomer Sooner Nation will turn on him faster than it did on Lincoln Riley. This is one of the three best programs historically in the pantheon of college football. You cannot start your Oklahoma campaign 0-3 in Big 12 play, especially when you are about to leave for the SEC in a few years.

This game might be a turning point in the rivalry, with Texas on the come-up and Oklahoma fading.

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