How OU football can do something against Texas it hasn't since 1982 in Red River Rivalry
Ryan AberColton SulleyThe Oklahoman
NORMAN — When OU and Texas square off Saturday in the Red River Rivalry, the Longhorns figure to be ranked in the top two while the Sooners, after the loss to Tennessee and a close call against Auburn, will be well behind.
But despite Texas being favored in the contest, there’s still plenty of hope for the Sooners.
The rivalry has featured plenty of upsets in its history, but this OU team has a chance to do something that only one other Sooners’ team has done.
In 1982, OU came into the showdown 2-2. The Sooners lost at home to West Virginia and USC.
But then Marcus Dupree’s talent flashed for the first time in college, breaking off a 63-yard touchdown on a fake reverse late in the first quarter.
Texas tied it a few minutes later, and Dupree was mostly held in check the rest of the way, but unranked OU dominated the game on the ground and pulled out a 28-22 upset over No. 13 Texas.
It is the only time in the storied history of the rivalry that the Sooners won when ranked at least 10 spots behind the Longhorns.
Texas has pulled off seven such upsets.
Here’s a look at the eight upsets in the rivalry’s history where the winning team was ranked 10 spots or more below the losing team heading into the contest:
2019: No. 19 Texas 48, No. 7 OU 45
- Records entering game: OU 5-0, Texas 4-1
- Star of the game: Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 72 yards and three touchdowns.
- How it happened: The Longhorns led from early in the second quarter, building a 21-point lead entering the fourth. But the Sooners weren’t going down without a fight. Kyler Murray hit Lee Morris for a touchdown, broke off a 67-yard run for a touchdown, then tied the game with 2:38 remaining on a quick three-play, 57-yard drive. But then Ehlinger led the Longhorns down the field, helping set up Cameron Dicker’s 40-yard field goal with nine seconds left to put the game away.
2015: Texas 24, No. 10 OU 17
- Records entering game: OU 4-0, Texas 1-4
- Star of the game: Texas running back D’Onta Foreman rushed nine times for 117 yards, including an 81-yard rush that set up a touchdown to give the Longhorns a 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
- How it happened: A week after being blown out 50-7 by TCU, Texas physically pounded the ball down the field for 313 rushing yards on OU’s defense. The Longhorns also held Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield to only one touchdown pass. At the time this was a win that was thought to have possibly gotten coach Charlie Strong’s program headed in the right direction. He was fired after the conclusion of the next season.
2013: Texas 36, No. 12 OU 20
- Records entering game: OU 5-0, Texas 3-2
- Star of the game: The numbers weren’t overwhelming for Case McCoy but the performance was worthy. Stepping in for the injured David Ash, McCoy was 13 of 21 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception that was returned for a touchdown but by that time, the Longhorns were well ahead.
- How it happened: Late in the first quarter, Chris Whaley picked off Blake Bell and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown to put the Longhorns up 10-3. It was a lead they would never relinquish. McCoy hit Marcus Johnson for a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put the Longhorns up 17-3 and Mike Davis for a 38-yard score late in the third. Texas’ Jonathan Gray and Malcolm Brown each rushed for 120 or more yards.
1991: Texas 10, No. 6 OU 7
- Records entering game: OU 4-0, Texas 1-2
- Star of the game: Texas’ Bubba Jacques converted a 30-yard scoop-and-score in the fourth quarter to upset OU.
- How it happened: Tied 7-7 entering the fourth quarter, OU coach Gary Gibbs said the game ultimately came down to Jacques’ one play. The Sooners’ offensive line struggled to block Texas’ pass rushers. The loss was Gibbs’ third consecutive to the Longhorns in as many years as head coach. He would go on to lose to Texas in 1992 and 1994 as well and ultimately resigned after the ’94 season.
1990: Texas 14, No. 4 OU 13
- Records entering game: OU 5-0, Texas 2-1
- Star of the game: Keith Cash caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Peter Gardere on fourth down with two minutes to play to put the Longhorns ahead by a point. Cash’s twin brother, Kerry, scored Texas’ other touchdown.
- How it happened: The Sooners’ defense had been swarming, forcing three second-half turnovers, but OU’s offense couldn’t do much to take advantage. The Longhorns got the ball back on their own 9 midway through the fourth quarter and Gardere helped engineer a 91-yard touchdown drive. Freshman Butch Hadnot broke off a 21-yard run and OU was called for pass interference shortly thereafter, helping Texas get within striking distance before Gardere hit Keith Cash at at the goal line for the touchdown. The Sooners had a chance to win it at the end, but R.D. Lashar’s 46-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left to give the Longhorns the victory.
1989: Texas 28, No. 15 OU 24
- Records entering game: OU 4-1, Texas 2-2
- Star of the game: Texas freshman quarterback Peter Gardere threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including a 25-yard touchdown to Johnny Walker with 1:33 remaining.
- How it happened: Gardere starred against OU and his late-game heroics to upset the 17-point favorite Sooners are still remembered. This was Gibbs’ first of four consecutive losses to Texas as OU’s coach.
1982: OU 28, No. 13 Texas 22
- Records entering game: OU 2-2, Texas 3-0
- Star of the game: Senior fullback Weldon Ledbetter ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries to lift the Sooners to the upset. Ledbetter had just two career touchdowns coming into the game, Ledbetter broke off a 59-yard touchdown run early in the second half that put OU up 21-10, then added a 6-yard score early in the fourth after the Longhorns had cut the Sooners’ lead to five.
- How it happened: Marcus Dupree started with a bang, busting off a 63-yard touchdown late in the first. The Sooners dominated on the ground, outrushing the Longhorns 384-163. OU attempted just two passes in the game.
1958: No. 16 Texas 15, No. 2 OU 14
- Records entering game: OU 2-0, Texas 3-0
- Star of the game: Texas coach Darrell Royal defeated his mentor and former coach Bud Wilkinson.
- How it happened: Entering this contest, OU had dominated the rivalry in the 1950s, winning seven of the previous eight games against Texas. A decade after serving as the Sooners’ quarterback, Royal defeated his former team. This game began a new trend in the series as OU coach Bud Wilksinson went on to lose his next five games against the Longhorns before retiring.
