Texas · SECTexas brings unbeaten start to Red River Shootout
The No. 1 Longhorns visit 2-2 Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 10, with the SEC rivals moving in opposite directions.
OCT 10, 2026
On3 previewed the Saturday, Oct. 10, Red River Shootout as a test of unbeaten No. 1 Texas, which visits 2-2 Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Texas entered 4-0 after wins over Texas State, Ohio State, UTSA and Tennessee. Oklahoma opened 2-2, with losses to Michigan and Georgia. Both SEC programs finished 10-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play in 2025, but their 2026 starts sent them in opposite directions.
On3 described Texas as holding major advantages and Oklahoma as desperate enough to use every available tactic to win. Texas risked its unbeaten record and No. 1 standing, while another Oklahoma loss could push the Sooners further out of the SEC race before the season reached its midpoint. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket placed Texas No. 5 in the playoff field, making the road rivalry a direct test of that projection.
The preview did not identify the specific matchups, a predicted winner or any player-availability issue. Both teams were scheduled to play again Saturday, Oct. 17, with Texas hosting Florida and Oklahoma hosting Kentucky. For Oklahoma, the rivalry was a chance to keep a 2-2 start from becoming an early SEC hole.
01 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The records conceal two different kinds of pressure. Texas’ 4-0 start includes a 24-23 win over Ohio State and a 20-17 win at Tennessee, a combined margin of four points in its two closest games. Oklahoma’s defeats at Michigan and Georgia came by a combined 35 points. The Longhorns have protected their preseason No. 1 position without dominating every Saturday; the Sooners followed a seven-point loss with a 28-point loss.
Red River also opens four consecutive Saturdays of games for both teams. Texas follows Oklahoma with Florida, Ole Miss and Mississippi State from Oct. 17-31. Oklahoma gets Kentucky, visits Mississippi State and hosts South Carolina over the same span. A 2-3 Oklahoma team would enter that run needing to repair its season without a break on the schedule.
02 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Can Oklahoma score enough to force Texas into another one-possession finish?
Oklahoma scored 10 at Michigan and 13 at Georgia, and those losses came by seven and 28 points. Texas has already won 24-23 against Ohio State and 20-17 at Tennessee. Oklahoma’s scoring total and the final margin on Oct. 10 will show whether the Sooners can recreate the kind of game Texas has already had to survive, or whether the Longhorns’ advantages control the rivalry.