Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables has taken on a lot of criticism due to the Sooners ' slow start. Oklahoma began the year ranked No. 10 and had College Football Playoff aspirations after making the CFP last season.
However, after a 2-2 start, the Sooners had fallen out of the rankings, and many were writing them off. But Oklahoma and Venables didn't listen to the outside noise; instead, they put their heads down and went to work. That work paid off as the Sooners upset the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, 27-24, ending a two-game losing streak to the Longhorns.
After that big win, ESPN's Paul Finebaum, a major critic of Venables, praised him for how well he prepared his team.
"I'll credit Brent Venables," Finebaum said on 'The Matt Barrie Show.'
"He took the heat, most of it from me, by the way. He prepared his team, and I got tired of hearing the cliché, especially from you, by the way, that anything could happen in Red River. But guess what? Anything can happen in Red River, and does."
Finebaum's praise marks a notable shift in the conversation surrounding Venables, but the Oklahoma coach's focus will remain on what comes next. The win over Texas showed that the Sooners can respond to adversity, prepare for a high-stakes matchup, and deliver under the highest pressure. Now, Venables can use that performance as a foundation for the rest of the season.
One rivalry win won't erase Oklahoma's early struggles, but it gives the Sooners renewed belief and a chance to regain momentum in the SEC. If Venables can keep his team focused and build on the defensive execution and timely plays that fueled the upset, Oklahoma can put itself back in the conversation for bigger goals. The challenge now is turning a memorable Saturday in Dallas into the start of something more consistent.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Paul Finebaum credits Brent Venables after the upset win over Texas
