The Daily Texan Double Coverage 2020-10-08 by The Daily Texan

raising the stakes

T H E D A I LY TEXAN PRESENTS

Double Coverage VOL. 15 ISSUE 4 | OCT. 8, 2020

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan file

FOR FOOTBALL FANATICS, PRE-GAME RITUALS ARE SACRED. Whether you’re catching the Forty Acres to the Co-op to grab the latest UT gear or hopping on the 10 to bag some brats from H-E-B, we all have our own way of preparing for Saturday night’s spectacle. But no matter where your Longhorn spirit guides you, you can safely let CapMetro take the wheel.

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DOUBLE COVERAGE

TEXAN Myah Taylor

overall standings

STAFF PICKS

Stephen Wagner

Nathan Han

Carter Yates

Brittany Archer

Matthew Boncosky

Daniela Perez

Brett Hintz

Jack Myer

No. 22 Texas @ Oklahoma

Texas

Oklahoma

Texas

No. 4 Florida @ No. 21 Texas A&M

Florida

Texas A&M

Florida

Texas A&M

No. 7 Miami @ No. 1 Clemson

Clemson

No. 14 Tennessee @ No. 3 Georgia

Georgia

Mississippi State @ Kentucky

Mississippi State

Kentucky

Mississippi State

Virginia Tech @ No. 8 North Carolina

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

Texas Tech @ No. 24 Iowa State

Iowa State

Kansas State @ TCU

Kansas State

TCU

Kansas State

TCU

Kansas State

North Carolina State @ Virginia

Virginia

NC State

Virginia

Duke @ Syracuse

Syracuse

Duke

Syracuse

Duke

Syracuse

Week 5 Results Overall Record

3-7 17-11

5-5 17-11

3-7 15-13

4-6 15-13

4-6 17-11

5-5 18-10

3-7 15-13

4-6 16-12

Daniela Perez

T-2. T-2. T-2. T-2.

Brittany Archer, Matthew Boncosky, Myah Taylor, Stephen Wagner

Jack Myer

T-7. Carter Yates, T-4. Nathan Han, T-4. Brett Hintz

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DOUBLE COVERAGE Double Coverage Editors Myah Taylor, Stephen Wagner Design Editor

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Photo Editor

Jack Myer

Copy Editor

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Writers Nathan Han

Matthew Boncosky

Carter Yates

EDITOR’S NOTE Texas’ loss to TCU last week gave Longhorn fans plenty of reason to point their fingers at head coach Tom Herman. But Herman isn’t panicking yet and reminded Longhorn fans of the team’s Big 12 Championship Game appearance just two short seasons ago. Nevertheless, a win against rival Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown can right the ship and potentially save the Longhorns’ College Football Playoff hopes.

Myah Taylor & Stephen Wagner

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Brittany Archer

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

By Brittany Archer

@brittanyarcher_

No. 22 texas at oklahoma

No. 4 florida at no. 21 texas a&m

Oct. 10, 11:00 a.m. CT, FOX

Oct. 10, 11:00 a.m. CT, ESPN

The Sooners and the Longhorns find themselves in different positions than they normally are in, both coming off hard-fought losses heading into the Red River Showdown. Oklahoma has been struggling with COVID-19 cases as well as upset losses to Kansas State and Iowa State. While redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler has been in the talks for Heisman consideration, neither he nor the Sooners were able to find their rhythm last weekend. Texas senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger is also in the Heisman conversation, but not even his heroics were a match for TCU in Texas’ 33-31 upset loss last week. The last time a ranked Texas team played an unranked Sooner squad was in 2005, when Vince Young was leading the Horns.

Because the SEC moved to a conference-only schedule, the two will meet for the first time since 2017. The Aggies return to Kyle Field after suffering a 52-24 loss to the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide. The Gators enter the matchup on a two-game winning streak after beating Ole Miss and South Carolina. After last week’s rout of South Carolina, junior tight end Kyle Pitts earned himself an early spot on the Heisman watch list. Last week, Pitts caught four passes for 57 yards and two touchdown passes after catching eight passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns against Ole Miss the previous week.

mississippi state at kentucky Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. CT, SEC Network After head coach Mike Leach proclaimed that Mississippi State should have been playing NFL teams after upsetting LSU in the season opener, the Bulldogs helped the Arkansas Razorbacks snap a 20-game SEC losing streak last week. While senior quarterback K.J. Costello continues to make waves and keep his name in Heisman contention, the Bulldogs fell out of the AP rankings after the 21-14 loss. The Wildcats are coming off a one-point overtime loss to Ole Miss last weekend. Will the Bulldogs climb back into the rankings, or will the Wildcats be able to hold Leach’s famed air raid offense?

No. 7 miami at no. 1 clemson Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC It’s the battle of the Heisman contenders as the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes and College GameDay head to Death Valley. The Tigers have held the No. 1 ranking since the start of the season, and both teams enter the game undefeated. Miami’s last win against Clemson was in 2010. Since then, Clemson has outscored Miami 96-3 in their last two meetings. The Hurricanes may have found their answer at quarterback with Houston transfer senior D’Eriq King, but the Miami defense needs to find answers on how to limit junior quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson offense.

no. 14 tennessee at no. 3 georgia Oct. 10, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS Although the Volunteers are riding an eight-game winning streak dating back to last season, the Bulldogs are the favorites going into this game. Tennessee may be riding a hot streak, but hasn’t beaten Georgia since 2016. The Bulldogs are also the first ranked team the Volunteers have played since they began their win streak last season, and Georgia is undoubtedly Tennessee’s biggest test so far this season. This also marks the first time that Tennessee junior offensive lineman Cade Mays returns to Sanford Stadium after a drama-fueled transfer this past offseason.

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DOUBLE COVERAGE

Dear Oklahoma,

By the Daily Texan senior sports staff

Dear Oklahoma, First off, congratulations! You won’t have to get blown out in the first round of the College Football Playoff this year. We can tell you’re still sore from having to play the SEC. Jalen Hurts could squat 600 pounds, but he still couldn’t carry chOklahoma in the postseason. The college football season was almost canceled. In hindsight, we know you wish it was. This was the season you’ve been waiting for. The Quarterback Whisperer would finally be able to mold a quarterback who went to Norman as his first choice, but Lincoln Riley should have just gone to the Cowboys with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. A 1–3 record in the NFC East is better than blowing a 21-point lead against Kansas State. Instead, you just helped Kansas State coach Chris Klieman get a six-year extension. Thanks, y’all. Maybe Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy will be the highest-paid public servant in the state next year.

Baker Mayfield isn’t suiting up this Saturday; he’s busy filming a Progressive commercial. Neither is Kyler Murray; he’s having his parents mark his height on the doorjamb. Jalen Hurts isn’t running out the tunnel; in fact, he never even really liked your school. Norman, the city for castaway quarterbacks who chose the Sooners as a Plan B, is in a frenzy realizing it can’t develop its own prospects. Texas versus OU weekend is a chance for all of your fans to experience civilization outside of the No. 133-ranked school in the country. The biggest loss you take this weekend won’t be on the field — it will be trekking back to Campus Corner after a weekend in Texas. Never has another university held so much space in a student body’s collective mind. While it’s just another week in Austin, Norman has descended into madness filled with #TexasHateWeek Instagram posts and signs throwing “Horns Down.” Your unofficial school hand sign is the inverse of our original one, and you flashed it to the cameras when you were losing to Kansas State. We might have to move

to Norman. Rent in Austin is expensive, and we already live in your headspace rent-free. You’re so desperate to get out of the state, you’ll come to Texas for a neutral-site game. Now that you’re winless in the conference you claim to own, your “little brother” in Oklahoma State is turning into the better athlete in the family. The wheels are falling off the bus faster than they fell off the Sooner Schooner. We understand it’s difficult when the only thing exciting in the state of Oklahoma is a 1–2 football team in a town with more tumbleweeds than people. And when your state is shaped like a character from any ‘80s movie wearing a backward baseball cap, it’s hard to be rooted in anything besides the phrase “Saturdays are for the boys.” But Saturdays are no longer for Oklahoma, Sooners. At least not for Norman. So welcome back, and of course, good luck. We are glad we have an opportunity to play each other after an offseason full of uncertainty. But once the final buzzer sounds, you will regret your decision to cross the Red River and challenge the Longhorns.

dan martinez

/ the daily texan staff

Dear Texas,

Even though the Sooners have a slow start, here’s to 20 more years of owning the Big 12. By the OU Daily staff

Alright, let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, Oklahoma has lost its last two games. Yes, one of those losses was at home. Yes, Oklahoma is no longer ranked in the AP Poll for the first time since 2016. We know. The Sooners didn’t deliver in making the matchup a bigger deal with two ranked opponents heading into the Cotton Bowl. But cut OU some slack. Twenty years of carrying the Big 12 and making the conference relevant is a long, long time. I mean, Texas usually sits in the AP Top 25 by the time this game comes around, right? You were ranked in 2019, 2018 and...well, in 2013–17 you guys were nowhere, but close enough. To be honest, despite the rough start, everyone at The OU Daily is really excited about Saturday. Even with COVID-19 canceling the Texas State Fair and fewer fans attending the game, it’s still a big game with a lot of history. We always love to see Sam Ehlinger cry every time he sees a horns-down hand sign. We love to see Texas recruits look in horror as they see the Sooners once again take the Golden Hat and realize they need to decommit soon after. It’s a tradition. Speaking of history, this season is the 20th anniversary of the 2000

national champion Sooners obliterating Texas, 63–14. Man, time flies huh? A lot has happened, with the Sooners winning the conference 13 times, Oklahoma beating Texas in the Red River Showdown 13 times, Oklahoma producing four Heisman Trophy winners and Vince Young landing a spot on the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice squad in 2017, to name a few. These past few decades have been fun. There’s also Mack Brown reviving North Carolina football and Colt McCoy — wait, what is he doing again? Is he a water boy? We lost track. Oklahoma has too many alumni actually starting in the NFL at the moment, so it’s kind of hard to keep up with what team’s bench McCoy and other former Texas players are warming up. Let us know when a Longhorn actually goes higher than the second round in the NFL Draft. We’ve also been wondering when Earl Thomas is going to find a team that’s willing to take

him. It’s a shame he wasn’t good enough to be on the Baltimore Ravens with former Sooner stars Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, Orlando Brown and Ben Powers. And has Jordan Hicks recovered from being dealt the 2020 pancake of the year by Trent Williams? Just checking. We wouldn’t be surprised if Kyler Murray wanted him off the team after that embarrassment. Oh, and congrats on the win over Utah in the Alamo Bowl last season. It’s not a game that has national title implications, but hey, you’ll get there when Texas recruits stop leaving the state for a chance to actually compete for one. And finally, congrats on Texas football being “back” this year. We also forgot to say congrats on being “back” in 2019 as well. And 2018. To be honest, we don’t really know what to say when you guys actually start competing for something that matters. See you guys in Dallas.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

NOTES FROM THE OPPONENT By Myah Taylor @t_myah

The Daily Texan spoke with Caleb McCourry, sports editor of The OU Daily, ahead of Saturday’s annual Red River Rivalry game between Texas and Oklahoma. What do you think the expectations were for Oklahoma going into the season? The Daily Texan:

One, you got Spencer Rattler, who was (a candidate) in the preseason Heisman voting. There were huge expectations for this guy to really be the next great OU quarterback with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts before him, so for one just with Spencer alone there were a ton of expectations. … Other than that, taking two early losses — no one expected that, especially against Kansas State and Iowa State. Caleb McCourry:

Speaking of those losses, what do you think went wrong? DT:

With Kansas State, for one, it was Spencer Rattler’s first start against a conference opponent, and he did not look comfortable at all. He threw three interceptions, two in the first half. And I think the big issue is just not being able to finish games, and it’s really a mystery as to why that’s happening because the defensive backs are one of the most experienced position groups on the team, and they were just failing to make tackles in the second half. It was very bizarre to watch. And then on the other side of the ball, you got the offensive line. … They really struggled to get Spencer Rattler comfortable. CM:

ryan lam

The past three seasons we’ve seen Baker, Kyler, Jalen — they were all transfers, so they had a little bit more experience. Do you think that has anything to do with it, just the fact that this is Rattler’s first time and he’s younger? DT:

It’s his first time starting games. It doesn’t matter how many stars you got next to your name when you come out of high school. There’s gonna be some growing pains. … I think a lot of OU fans are kind of needing to get used to the fact that he’s going to have to adjust unlike Jalen, Baker and Kyler. CM:

Texas lost on Saturday to TCU, and then with OU losing to Iowa State there are a lot of people saying, “Oh, this matchup doesn’t have high stakes like normal.” What do you think about that? DT:

I mean, Texas losing kind of opens up the discussion of who’s going to win the Big 12 because Texas going 2–0 in conference play into this game would’ve been a huge deal. But then losing CM:

/ the daily texan file

to TCU, that kind of opens everyone’s eyes a little bit, but I still think it’s a highstakes game. It always is. It kind of sucks that there’s no State Fair (of Texas) and there’s going to be less fans. The atmosphere is going to be a little dead, but I still think it’s the best week of the year for Big 12 football. There’s a lot of returning players for OU that know the magnitude of the game. I’m sure nothing’s changed with (senior quarterback) Sam Ehlinger’s mentality going into this. He’s been to what, three of these? I’m sure he knows that this is a big deal. You go to OU, but I’m wondering, who you got this weekend? DT:

I usually pick OU to win conference games, and it’s hard to pick against them. But after seeing these last two games, I tell you if the defensive backs don’t get their acts together with tackling, Texas is going to have a game against OU. But I think I’m still going to go with OU. I think it’ll be a close game.

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DOUBLE COVERAGE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

schooling on the football field Graduate transfer receiver Brenden Schooler is getting back to work at his third FBS program. By Stephen Wagner @stephenwag22

renden Schooler is new to the Red River Showdown, but he’s no stranger to intense rivalries. Texas’ graduate transfer slot receiver played in the annual rivalry between Oregon and Oregon State three times as a Duck. Schooler said playing in the matchup helped him understand the intensity of nationally known rivalry games, like the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl. Yet three months ago, Texas fans never would have imagined Schooler donning burnt orange and white and preparing for his first battle for the Golden Hat. Schooler announced his transfer from Oregon to Arizona in late December after spending four seasons with the Ducks, but missed most of the 2019 season with a foot injury. He anticipated playing for the Wildcats in 2020. But when the Pac-12 initially announced it would not play football in early August, Schooler looked elsewhere to play football. He landed

in Texas two weeks before the season started. “It was definitely nerve-wracking to say the least … because once the Pac-12 came out and said they’re not going to have a season, (I had) to find somewhere to play,” Schooler said. “(I didn’t) want to wait an extra year (to play), so once (I) hit the portal, it was a waiting game. Minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days. I’m just so thankful that Texas came in and gave me this opportunity.” Coaches and players challenged Schooler to learn the entire offensive playbook quickly and develop a reliable chemistry with his teammates. He met with one of the team’s graduate assistants to learn the offense and hand signals as quickly as he could and frequently went to senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger with questions. Schooler said he developed a confident on-field relationship with Ehlinger over the next two weeks as he was brought up to speed. He learned when Ehlinger expects him to break on his routes, how to adjust his route depending on the down and distance, and how Ehlinger expects him to read the

secondary’s coverage. Two weeks later, the coaching staff tasked Schooler with moving from “Z” receiver, his natural position, to “H” receiver when several Longhorns suffered injuries at the position.

“

Minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days. I’m just so thankful that Texas came in and gave me this opportunity.” BRENDEN SCHOOLER texas receiver

Ehlinger said Schooler’s effort in learning the playbook at two positions helped build trust between the quarterback and receiver and praised his ability to learn the position so fast.

“A lot of guys can’t even learn the whole offense down with extreme detail over a whole season, let alone in two weeks, and then switch (positions) and in a week you need to be ready for the game,” Ehlinger said. As impressed with Schooler’s football intelligence as Ehlinger is, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said the receiver’s experience helped him learn a new offense so quickly. “I think (for) guys that have been coached in different systems that are similar to ours, the learning curve changes, so I’m not too surprised,” Yurcich said. “He’s a very intelligent person.” Saturday’s matchup in the Cotton Bowl won’t be anything like what Schooler experienced in the rivalry between Oregon and Oregon State. However, if Texas plays to its potential, Schooler expects to leave his first Red River Rivalry with a victory. “This week, the team just needs to come out with that mindset that we know we’re capable of,” Schooler said. “We need to not let ourselves get in the way, and we need to take care of our business. And once we do that we’re going to be completely fine.”

DOUBLE COVERAGE

DANIELA’S DIGS

The stakes are anything but low for Texas heading into Red River weekend. By Daniela Perez @danielap3rez

he Red River Rivalry is the best in college football — it’s always a contested match, regardless of records and accolades. Whenever Texas and Oklahoma players have stepped into the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the successes or failures of either program have disappeared. Yet, this year feels different. Texas and Oklahoma both enter the Red River Rivalry in unchartered territory, neither leading the Big 12 standings. The Longhorns’ tendency to play down to opponents threatens their championship hopes. Last week against TCU, gaping holes in Texas’ secondary allowed sophomore quarterback Max Duggan to accumulate 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Iowa State held Duggan to 32 yards and zero rushing touchdowns the week before. Longhorns fans are losing hope in Herman, and senior quarterback Sam

joshua guenther

Ehlinger cannot continue to be the deciding factor between a win and a loss if a Big 12 Championship is the expectation. Oklahoma enters the matchup with an 0–2 conference record and is unranked for the first time since 2005. Although the Sooners have struggled with their offensive and defensive lines, redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler has still shown moments

of brilliance, including completing a 32-yard touchdown under extreme pressure from Kansas State’s defensive line. With Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State undefeated in conference play, the stakes seem low. This year’s Red River Rivalry won’t be a battle between ranked foes, but the game is still important for Texas, who is the 2.5-point underdog. If the Longhorns can pull out a win against the Sooners and get a much-needed confidence boost, their Big 12 Championship dreams are very much alive. It happened to the 2017 Sooners, who entered the Cotton Bowl coming off a 38-31 loss to Iowa State.

Their win catalyzed an undefeated run that landed them in the Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoffs.

This program has overcome much more difficult odds than losing its third ball game.” TOM HERMAN head coach

Texas head coach Tom Herman also saw this kind of situation play out in 2014 when he coached at Ohio State. “This program has overcome

much more difficult odds than losing its third ball game,” head coach Tom Herman said Monday. “I know I was a part of a team in Columbus, Ohio, that lost its second ball game, got blown out at home (and) won a national championship.” If Oklahoma and Ohio State have done it, Texas can do it too. Texas has the weapons this year to exploit Oklahoma’s weaknesses. The challenge will not be finding these issues on the field, but capitalizing on them instead of mimicking them. The Sooners will come out strong, as they have against other Big 12 opponents. If Texas’ defense can neutralize Rattler and take advantage of Oklahoma’s errors, then the

/ the daily texan file

Longhorns could take home the Golden Hat trophy. But if Texas cannot recover from its last two performances, then the program is doomed to finish with another mediocre record. “I mean the next day, we talked about (the TCU game) and got through it, and it’s on to the next,” redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Keondre Coburn said Tuesday. “We got a big opponent this week, and that’s what we’re focused on right now. It’s not about still being sad about the previous game. You got to move on, you got to be better, learn from your mistakes and make this week better than last week. That’s all we’re focused on right now.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

Head-to-head history By Nathan Han @NathanHan13

The Red River Showdown needs no introduction. Since 1900, the year of the first matchup between Texas and Oklahoma, the Longhorns and Sooners have met 115 times. In 1929, the teams agreed to play their annual matchup at Fair Park in Dallas. While the State Fair of Texas won’t backdrop this year’s matchup, the storied rivalry will go on. Texas leads the all-time series 62–48–5, but the Longhorns are 7–13 in the last 20 matchups and 1–4 in the last five matchups against the Sooners. It’s a troubling trend that’s coincided with Oklahoma’s success over the last decade and Texas’ turmoil. GAME TO REMEMBER: The rivalry is full of classics, including the famous 2018 Dicker the Kicker game, but for this week’s game to remember, we’ll take a look

at the first time head coach Tom Herman and then-freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger faced the Sooners in 2017. The Longhorns were heading into the Cotton Bowl after a disappointing opening-day loss to Maryland and a “moral victory” against No. 4 USC in a double-overtime loss. Against a 5–1 Sooners team with College Football Playoff aspirations and Baker Mayfield at quarterback, Herman, Ehlinger and the Texas team were set up for “the perfect coming out story,” The Daily Texan’s Trenton Daeschner wrote in 2017. Instead, Oklahoma jumped out to an early lead, continuing a hot start after scoring a touchdown on the first possession of the game. The Sooners took a 20-0 lead with 4:22 left in the second quarter. But Texas clawed back with a late second-quarter interception and an Ehlinger drive that led to 10 crucial points before halftime. With 8:18 left in the fourth quarter, Ehlinger showed off his scrambling skills and

evaded defenders on an 8-yard touchdown run to give the Longhorns their first lead of the afternoon at 24-23. However, on the next possession, Oklahoma didn’t waste any time snatching back that lead. Mayfield threw a 59yard touchdown to then-redshirt junior tight end Mark Andrews on a busted coverage. With one more chance and a missed Oklahoma 2-point conversion, Texas had its shot to close the game out, down 29-24. After driving down the field but stalling at Oklahoma’s 34-yard line, the Longhorns faced a fourth-and-13. Ehlinger took the snap and scrambled out of the pocket after pressure. The freshman couldn’t work his magic this time around, throwing the ball and Texas’ chance at the upset away in the turnover on downs. The underdog Longhorn team had a chance to ruin a Sooner season where Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy and Oklahoma would go on to win the Big 12 championship and end as the No. 3 team in the nation. Instead, they dropped to 3–3 on the season. “Oh, we’re so close,” then-junior linebacker

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan file

Malik Jefferson said to the Texan. “Everybody sees it, and they know it.” HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Oct. 12, 2019: UT vs. OU, Cotton Bowl Stadium, 27-34 Dec. 1, 2018: UT vs. OU, AT&T Stadium, 27-39 Oct. 6, 2018: UT vs. OU, Cotton Bowl Stadium, 48-45 Oct. 14, 2017: UT vs. OU, Cotton Bowl Stadium, 24-29 Oct. 8, 2016: UT vs. OU, Cotton Bowl Stadium, 40-45

DOUBLE COVERAGE

BIG 12

By Matthew Boncosky

@mboncosky

POWER RANKINGS

1. Oklahoma state cowboys

2. Iowa state cyclones

Conferences are often judged by who is at the top. For the Big 12 right now, that’s Oklahoma State. The Cowboys moved to 3–0 after manhandling Kansas and sit alone as the only undefeated team in the Big 12. The Cowboys put up nearly 600 yards of offense and will look to carry their momentum into a matchup with Baylor this week.

Iowa State pulled off an impressive win over Oklahoma last week for the Cyclones’ first win over the Sooners in Ames since 1960. Sophomore running back Breece Hall scored the go-ahead touchdown before the Cyclone defense secured a game-ending interception on the Sooners’ final drive. Iowa State hosts Texas Tech this week.

3. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

4. TCU HORNED FROGS

Kansas State pulled away to secure a 31-21 victory over Texas Tech last week. Freshman running back Deuce Vaughn ran for over 100 yards and caught a 70-yard third down touchdown pass to seal the victory for the Wildcats. Kansas State is 2–0 in Big 12 play and travels to TCU this week.

Sophomore quarterback Max Duggan led TCU to an upset win over No. 9 Texas last week in Austin. The dual-threat quarterback put up nearly 80 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in addition to his 231 passing yards. The Horned Frogs sit at 1–1 on the season and host Kansas State this week.

5. TEXAS LONGHORNS

6. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

The Longhorns were abound with missed opportunities and penalties last week when they dropped a close one to TCU. The victory marked the seventh win over Texas for head coach Gary Patterson since TCU joined the Big 12 eight years ago. The Longhorns will look to stop the bleeding as they head into their Red River Rivalry matchup against a struggling Oklahoma team.

Junior running back Leddie Brown scored the winning touchdown in the second overtime to put West Virginia over Baylor 27-21 last week. The Mountaineer defense was all over Baylor for most of the game, holding the Bears to just 256 total yards on offense and coming up with an overtime interception to set up the game-ending score. West Virginia hosts Kansas this week and will look to improve to 3–1.

7. Oklahoma Sooners

8. baylor bears

Oklahoma went down again last week, losing to Iowa State 37-30. The Sooners have lost back-to-back games for the first time since 1999. It’s becoming clear that this Oklahoma team doesn’t resemble those of the recent past. The upcoming matchup with No. 22 Texas at the Cotton Bowl will provide an intriguing challenge for redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler.

The Bears struggled to get any sort of run game going in their overtime loss to West Virginia last week. Their offensive line was poor at best against the Mountaineers’ front seven, and the Bears gained just 27 yards on 33 carries. Another tough matchup lies ahead as Baylor hosts No. 10 Oklahoma State this week.

9. texas tech red raiders

10. kansas jayhawks

Texas Tech put up a decent fight against Kansas State last week but couldn’t finish the job, losing 31-21. The Red Raiders put up more yards of offense than the Wildcats, but a late score from Kansas State proved too much to overcome. Texas Tech travels to No. 24 Iowa State this week.

Kansas had no answer for the Oklahoma State offense that put up 47 points against the Jayhawks last week. It managed just 193 yards and seven points of their own in the loss. The Jayhawks fell to 0–3 on the season and travel to face a stout West Virginia defense this week.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

NOTES ON THE

COACH AUSTIN’S BEST HOUSING FOR STUDENTS

By Brett Hintz @BHintzUT

Lincoln Riley’s rapid ascension into superstardom has been impossible to miss if you’ve spent any time following college football over the last five years. Since Riley took over play-calling duties for Oklahoma in 2015, his innovative approach to running an offense has turned the Sooners into an offensive juggernaut and led them to almost unparalleled regular season success across college football. In the 2015 and 2016 seasons, when Riley served as offensive coordinator under head coach Bob Stoops, the Sooners posted two consecutive 11-win seasons off the strength of an offense that ranked fourth and third in points per game, respectively. Despite Riley’s lack of prior head coaching experience and only having two years under his belt with the Sooners, the powers that be in Norman felt confident enough in his leadership and play-calling abilities to name him Oklahoma football’s 22nd head coach following Stoops’ retirement in 2017. The hiring made Riley the youngest head coach across all of FBS at the time, and the West Texas play-caller hit the ground running.

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In his first three seasons as head coach, Riley has been the mastermind behind Oklahoma offenses that have powered the Sooners to three consecutive Big 12 titles and three consecutive appearances in the College Football Playoff. In the five years that Riley has been responsible for calling plays, the Sooners rank first nationally in scoring at 44.6 points per game, total offense with 554.9 yards per game, touchdowns from scrimmage with 382, pass efficiency rating at 189 and yards per attempt at 10.7. These statistics, combined with the success of Riley’s teams, have turned Oklahoma into a haven for quarterbacks. In his first two seasons as head coach, Riley developed quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray — both transfers who weren’t able to get on the field at other programs — into Heisman Award winners who went on to be the No. 1 picks in the 2018 and 2019 NFL Drafts. Riley also played a vital role in the turnaround of quarterback Jalen Hurts. After losing his starting job at Alabama, Hurts transferred to Oklahoma. Following his lone season with the Sooners, he finished second in the Heisman voting in 2019 and was later chosen in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

After he experienced such immediate success in the win column and in player development, rumors of a potential jump to the NFL began to swirl around Riley. Oklahoma quickly responded by signing its head coach to a six-year, $45.2 million dollar extension this past summer to keep the young play-caller in Norman. Although Riley is now financially secure and has shown he is one of the nation’s best head coaches, the 37-year-old still has a lot to prove. The Sooners have made it to the College Football Playoff in three consecutive seasons but have yet to advance to the national championship game under Riley. This inability to win the big game has sparked criticism that Lincoln’s offensive genius is perhaps due to the notoriously bad defense across the Big 12. Those rumblings haven’t been quelled by Oklahoma’s performance thus far in 2020. The Sooners have stumbled out to a 1–2 start and don’t look quite as powerful now that a transfer quarterback isn’t leading the charge. With that in mind, expect Riley and the Sooners to give the Texas defense everything they have this weekend when the two teams face off at the Cotton Bowl.

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Texas and Oklahoma are both stumbling into this weekend’s Red River Rivalry after losses to unranked opponents. Oklahoma, standing at 1–2 on the season, has lost consecutive games for the first time since 1999 and is unranked for the first time in four years. However, the preseason Big 12 championship favorites have a depth chart chock-full of four- and five-star talent and one of the nation’s best coaches in Lincoln Riley. This weekend’s matchup will have huge implications for who will contend for a title in the train wreck that is the Big 12. Here are four Sooners to watch for Saturday: No. 7 Spencer Rattler — Quarterback Redshirt freshman Spencer Rattler has shown flashes of brilliance in his first three starts for the Sooners. The No. 1-rated quarterback in the class of 2019 has thrown for 977 yards and 10 touchdowns in three games, but lategame interceptions that have cost his team. In Oklahoma’s game against Kansas State, Rattler overthrew his receiver and had his pass intercepted with

34 seconds left in the fourth quarter to seal the Sooners’ loss. Rattler, a native of Phoenix, also threw an interception in the end zone last weekend against Iowa State with just over a minute left in the game. The preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year pick entered 2020 with enormous hype surrounding him, and now he must cut back on late-game turnovers to avoid a lost season for the Sooners.

No. 56 Creed Humphrey — Center A first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2019, redshirt junior Creed Humphrey did not allow a sack in just under 800 snaps last season. Now, the 6’5” center out of Shawnee, Oklahoma, is the anchor of an offensive line that is giving up three sacks per game. A team captain for the 2020 season, Humphrey will be tasked with silencing a Texas defensive line that has given up 126.3 yards rushing per game and allowed TCU to gash it last weekend for 226 rushing yards. In last year’s Red River Rivalry game, Humphrey and his teammates didn’t allow a single sack on former quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the Sooners carved the Longhorns’ defense for 511 total yards. If Texas wants to have a chance to win this year, it needs to find a way

around Humphrey and into the Sooner backfield.

No. 10 Pat Fields — Safety An honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2019, junior safety Pat Fields has started fast once again this season by leading the Sooners’ defense in pass breakups with four. Fields will be tasked with limiting a Texas passing attack that has averaged just over 300 yards per game. The Sooners have given up 616 yards passing total in their first two Big 12 matchups. Fields was a huge factor in the Sooners’ win over the Longhorns last season, as he recorded seven tackles, with one of them coming in the backfield. If Oklahoma is going to win this game, it will need a similar effort from Fields and less missed tackles on defense than in the games so far this season.

No. 24 Brian Asamoah — Linebacker Linebacker Brian Asamoah is making the most of his first full season as a starter in his redshirt sophomore campaign. The Columbus, Ohio, product is the team’s leading tackler through the first three games of the season with 18 tackles. The defense as a whole, however, must be better. The Sooners have allowed over 30 points in consecutive weeks, and their job will not get any easier when they line up against the Longhorns this Saturday. A threestar prospect in the class of 2018, Asamoah has shocked many by getting a starting job on Oklahoma’s defense so early in his career. The 6’1” 230-pounder will look to build off his impressive start to the season by trying to slow down a Texas offense that has averaged 51 points per game in 2020. copyright trey young | ou daily, and reproduced with permission

| ou daily, and reproduced with permission