Each year around this time, a certain college football game takes on important symbolic significance here in Texas and on the other side of the Red River, as well.
That is, of course, the game between Texas and Oklahoma. It’s almost always one to watch, but this year the stakes are much higher and much different than one might have imagined at the start of this college football season.
Just a few weeks ago, Texas was ranked at or near the top in all the preseason polls and the buzz was all about a certain Longhorn quarterback who just might land the Heisman Trophy, predictions for SEC dominance, playoffs, a possible championship, and more.
Fast forward to now, after a disappointing loss against the Florida Gators last weekend and some underwhelming Longhorns games, many dejected fans are fearing what’s next. As the days have passed, the stakes for UT seem to have only grown.
Bobby Burton, host of the On Texas Football YouTube channel, joined the Standard to talk about the stakes heading into the Red River Rivalry game. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Texas Standard: So much talk now after that Gators game. Some people saying this is a kind of midterm test for, not just the Longhorns, but maybe Steve Sarkisian, the head coach. How do you see this?
Bobby Burton: Oh, I don’t think it’s so much an ultimatum or referendum on Steve Sarkisian. He’s been to back-to-back national college football semifinals.
I do think it is a referendum on this year’s football team. They are 3-2 right now. And to your point earlier, they haven’t looked particularly good in those losses against highly ranked teams – or not even highly ranked teams in the case of Florida. Just a solid SEC opponent.
I think that the referendum is actually on the 2025 team because this team right now is not moving the football on offense and their defense has been good, but they broke down a little bit against Florida last weekend.
What went wrong? What’s gone wrong this season as you see it?
Well, I think that there’s been two issues.
One is the offensive line for Texas has leaked like a sieve. I mean, they gave up six sacks to Florida, 25 quarterback pressures. Arch Manning is running for his life back there and doesn’t have a lot of time to throw the football. And when he does, he’s not exactly been perfect or ideal.
He’s been taking a lot of time back there, it seems to me.
Yeah, he has, but he’s also been moving around in the pocket to give himself more time because he’s been pushed out of it so often.
He’s averaging 3.2 seconds per release from the football, which is high, but a lot of that’s because he is scrambling. It’s not just that he’s back there looking around. He is back there trying to find more time because he’s getting moved off his spot.
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After the Florida Gators game, I was trying to pick up on what the fans were saying and there was a lot of doom and gloom as I’m sure you remember. But it seemed like there was real concern that this might be a season with just seven or eight wins.
You seem to be approaching this from a much more measured perspective. How do you see this season shaping up?
Well, I thought they would go 10-two this year. Well, they’re already 3-2, so that would mean they have to roll off seven consecutive victories, including one this weekend.
I don’t think it’s likely that they end up with 10 wins at this point in time. At the same time, I’m not ready to throw in the towel. Texas is a very talented team on defense. They have some talent on offense.
I do believe that this game in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl will be kind of the tell-tale sign of where this season goes. If Texas beats Oklahoma, they’re gonna be favored in every game remaining except for against Georgia and possibly Texas A&M.
Possibly Texas A&M, huh?
Oh, absolutely. The Aggies are undefeated and playing well right now. And I think that, you know, Texas, if they go on a bender here and lose three or four more games, A&M will definitely be favored over them in November.
Let’s talk about the game coming up on Saturday with Oklahoma. Oklahoma’s got a really strong defense. What’s Texas got to do?
They got to move the football. They got to find a way to do it.
Oklahoma’s the statistical leader across the country in a number of defensive categories – from total defense to one that I think is particularly telling for this game, and that is third down defense. Oklahoma is number one in the country, allowing just 17% of third down conversions.
Well, guess what? That’s Texas’ weakness on offense. The Longhorns have been in the 20% range on third down all season. That’s one of the 100 worst in college football right now.
They’ve got to move the football and their defense has to stop John Mateer and/or Michael Hawkins, who will be at quarterback for the Sooners.
