There's no better time than now for the Oklahoma Sooners. Everything that happened in the past is over. It's a new day and a new week. Oklahoma's next chance to get things right comes when they travel to Dallas to take on the No. 1 Texas Longhorns.
As a big league ballplayer or an NBA shooter mired in a slump, the Oklahoma Sooners simply need to take a next-strike, next-shot approach.
Ask any Sooners fan, and the most important game of the year is the Red River Showdown. Whatever happens in any given year, beat Texas, and that can absolve a coaching staff.
One game doesn't make a season, but in 2026, the Red River Showdown will have huge implications for this year and beyond.
So what has to go right for the Oklahoma Sooners to pull off the upset
over the No. 1 team in the nation? Here are this week's three keys to the game.
1. Push the ball down the field
The Oklahoma Sooners are playing offense in tight spaces right now because teams aren't afraid of OU's passing attack. Defenses can stack the box against the run because they don't believe that John Mateer and the Sooners receivers can win down the field. At some point, Mateer and the OU offense have to prove them wrong.
No time like the present.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle needs to dial up some six- and seven-man protections against the aggressive Texas defense, and the Sooners have to attack their corners on some deep shots. That's the only way they'll open up what they want in the running game or the quick passing game.
The Sooners have the speed and playmaking ability in Isaiah Sategna, Elijah Thomas, and Rocky Beers. Arbuckle and Mateer have to trust them to go make a play for the offense. If they can hit on a throw of more than 15 yards down the field early in the game, that could set the tone for a resurgent day for the Sooners offense.
2. Run the ball
The Oklahoma Sooners' rushing attack hasn't been great in 2026. In fact, it's been one of the worst in college football. So why would we want them to run the football? Well, it's more about keeping the Texas defensive line, in particular Colin Simmons, from having a field day rushing the passer.
The Sooners' pass protection has been solid overall, but you don't want to put John Mateer under siege by dropping him back to pass 40 times in this game. Arbuckle needs to lean on the running backs for balance and try to wear down that Texas defensive line. It'll be tough sledding, but the Sooners need to find some dirty yardage to keep Mateer and the passing attack in favorable downs and distances.
Lloyd Avant, Tory Blaylock, and Jonathan Hatton need the ball in their hands a combined 30 times for the Sooners to have a chance to win.
3. John Mateer rises to the occassion
If pressure is privilege, then John Mateer is in a privileged position heading into the Red River Showdown. He hasn't played great this season, but none of that matters. All that matters is what he does next.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer needs to find his next-pitch mentality. Everything that's transpired this season on offense this season doesn't matter. All that matters is the next snap, the next read, and the next throw. 2025 showed us that this offense is just one play away from a big play. With a guy like Isaiah Sategna, a touchdown is always one throw away.
Mateer doesn't need to have a Herculean effort. It's unlikely that he would against the Texas Longhorns defense. He just needs to make the throws that are there to make and take care of the football. He proved he could move the ball against the Georgia defense. The Sooners just need to put the ball in the end zone.
We've seen Mateer play good football before at Oklahoma. That quarterback is still in there. He needs to remember what he's capable of, find some confidence, and execute when his time arrives.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: 3 Keys for the Oklahoma Sooners offense vs. No. 1 Texas Longhorns
