Red River Rivalry in Week Five

OU-Texas. Not much needs to be said about this one. Fans on both sides of the Red River have this annual early October game circled months and months in advance, as it pits two of the nation's great programs going head to head on the natural grass of Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. The Longhorns are the only Big 12 program with a winning all-time record against the Sooners at 61-44-5. Since 1971, however, OU leads the series 23-19-3. In the Big 12 era, OU is 11-9 against the Longhorns.

Game 5: OU-Texas

On Oct. 8, the Sooners will try to avenge last year's 24-17 defeat in which they fell behind 14-0 and never caught up. OU was outgained 368 yards to 278 and surrendered six sacks.

"That's one I have marked on my schedule after not playing the way we should have against them last year," said OU quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was 20 for 28 for 211 yards against UT last year. "The Red River game is always exciting and it's got a little more on it this year."

Stoops Against Texas

No coach in Sooners history has had more success against Texas than Bob Stoops. With Stoops at the helm, Oklahoma has defeated the Longhorns 10 times, giving OU's head ball coach the most wins over Texas in program history (Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer each topped UT nine times in their careers).

Stoops' record includes a five-game winning streak from 2000 through 2004 and a three-game streak from 2010 through 2012. Stoops has also guided OU to four wins of at least 35 points over Texas. In the 98-year history of the rivalry before Stoops arrived in Norman, OU accomplished the feat four times (1956, '73, '86 and '87).

About the Longhorns

The Longhorns went 5-7 a year ago and posted a 4-5 mark in Big 12 play to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place. Head coach Charlie Strong, entering his third year at UT, made some big changes on his coaching staff for 2016. Texas is welcoming five new assistant coaches to its staff, including offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who arrived from Tulsa. The Longhorns will be looking for improved production on offense in 2016 as they implement Gilbert's up-tempo system.

Texas returns 15 starters from its 2015 squad, including quarterbacks Jerrod Heard and Tyrone Swoopes, who both saw extensive action. Heard was the team's second-leading rusher, picking up 556 yards while Swoopes racked up 12 rushing touchdowns. Heard led UT in passing with 1,214 yards and five touchdowns with a 58 percent completion percentage. The Horns also return three offensive linemen.

Sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson headlines the Texas defense. He was named a freshman All-American in 2015 after finishing second on the team with 61 total tackles.

Great Recent Moments

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2012: MILLARD RUN
The 2012 Red River Rivalry saw a more than a handful of spectacular plays. The Sooners routed Texas 63-21 with a combination of great offense and defense. Ironically, the play that likely sticks out in the minds of fans wasn't even a scoring play.

On first and 10 from the OU 23, quarterback Landry Jones threw a quick out to fullback Trey Millard, who promptly turned up field and turned on the jets. As he neared midfield, Millard simultaneously hurled and stiff-armed a pair of Texas defenders. Millard was pushed out of bounds at the Texas 5-yard line and OU punched it in with a 1-yard run from Blake Bell out of the "Belldozer" formation to go up 27-3.

2011: FLEMING STRIP-6
In 2011, Oklahoma routed the Horns yet again, thanks in large part to a suffocating defense. OU's defensive unit gave up just three points in the first 57 minutes of the game and held Texas to just 259 yards of total offense while recording eight sacks and four turnovers. To put the icing on the cake, the Sooners' defense scored three touchdowns.

One play in particular encapsulated OU's strength that day. Trailing 48-10, Longhorn quarterback David Ash completed a comeback pass to a Texas receiver, but OU's Jamell Fleming immediately ripped the ball free and headed for pay dirt. Fleming outraced Ash to the end zone, capping a 55-17 win.

2010: MURRAY FLIP
Oklahoma began a three-year winning streak in 2010. Running back and 2014 NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray led the Sooners to a 28-20 win with 120 yards and a pair of scores on 25 carries.

The most memorable of Murray's touchdowns wound up icing OU's victory. Leading 21-10 in the fourth quarter, Murray took a handoff in the I-formation and cut to his left. It looked like Texas would push him out of bounds, but Murray turned the corner, tight roped the sideline and somersaulted into the end zone to give OU a 28-10 lead it would not give up.

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