Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas likely to be battle of unbeatens
Crawford looked at each of the 16 teams in the Southeastern Conference and predicted when each would be handed its first loss in league play. For Oklahoma, it comes in the second SEC game, though by that point, OU will already have been, at least, 4-1, in Crawford's predictions.
That second SEC game, by the way? It's the Red River Rivalry.
Imagine the hype for Red River if both teams come in unbeaten and inside the top 10? It's possible. If the Sooners take out Michigan and Auburn during the opening month of the campaign, Brent Venables' new-look team will have a perfect record going to Dallas. - Crawford, CBS Sports
It wasn't that long ago when OU and Texas both met as undefeateds in the regular season. Back in 2023, the 12th-ranked Sooners and No. 5 Longhorns played to a 34-30 Oklahoma win at the Cotton Bowl. Brent Venables' team would stumble over the next month with losses against Kansas and Oklahoma State to stifle a potentially massive season, but that was then.
Texas may enter 2025 as the No. 1 team in the nation, and Oklahoma appears likely to be ranked in the top-25. Another year of each entering Dallas unbeaten may provide a mutual top-10 matchup. The Sooners, and Venables specifically, could really use it, and with John Mateer and Jadyn Ott on offense, it's definitely possible.
Crawford believes that Venables needs a strong start to the 2025 season more than just about any other coach. With games against Michigan and Auburn in the first four weeks, Venables and the Sooners have an early opportunity to make a statement heading even before they get to the Red River Showdown.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
Oklahoma Sooners 5-star defensive end target sets commitment date
The Oklahoma Sooners are in the running for one of the top edge rushers in the nation in ESPN five-star prospect Jake Kreul. Oklahoma, along with Texas and Ole Miss, is in the running for the elite pass rushers' services, and Kreul has set a decision date ahead of his senior season. Kreul told ESPN's Eli Lederman that he plans to commit on August 12. Kreul is the No. 22 player in the class according to ESPN and No. 61 according to 247Sports. He's one of the most polished pass rushers in the class, and with his size and strength, would have an opportunity to play early in his career. Oklahoma has made a strong play for Kreul. Defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis has built a strong relationship with the IMG Academy product, and Kreul is a former teammate of Sooners defensive linemen David Stone and Jayden Jackson. While predictions have favored the Sooners in this recruitment, it's one of those national recruiting battles that could go in any direction. Texas is a major player, and Ole Miss shouldn't be counted out due to their recent success developing defensive end prospects. He's an elite player with the ability to be a difference maker against the run and as a pass rusher. He has 36 Power Four offers. Any team would be thrilled to land a player with his skill set. Can the Oklahoma Sooners hold off the Longhorns and Rebels to land the elite prospect? We'll find out on August 12. Jake Kreul Recruiting Profile Watch Jake Kreul highlights on Hudl Kreul is one of the elite prospects in the 2026 cycle, demonstrating technical refinement in his game. Locked On's recruiting analyst Brian Smith called Kreul "the most technically advanced high school edge rusher" he's ever seen. Vitals Ratings Offers Per 247Sports Social Media Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Texas football schedule: Every Longhorns opponent ranked in first US LBM Coaches Poll
Four opponents ranked in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll highlight Texas schedule For the first time in school history, the Texas Longhorns are the preseason No. 1 team in America in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The hype surrounding new starting quarterback Arch Manning and the newly minted top-ranked team continues to swell as the historic season opener with Ohio State draws closer. Texas' schedule should set up very well for a run at the National Title. At least the regular season portion. While UT doesn't have the easiest schedule in the nation, it isn't the toughest either. Texas schedule ranks middle of the pack in the SEC. The Longhorns only play four preseason ranked opponents in 2025. The bad news is, three of the four are on the road. Texas plays at Ohio State, Florida and Georgia. UT gets rival Texas A&M at home in Austin at DKR. As we saw last year, the margin of error to get into the SEC Championship Game is small. But there should be two to three automatic bids that go to SEC teams if needed. Here's a look at the Longhorns ranked opponents: No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes | Columbus, OH | Aug. 30 This will be the first time in college football history the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation will face off in the opening game of the season. Of course, it was Ohio State, on its way to the national title, that knocked Texas out of the college football playoffs last year in the semifinal at the Cotton Bowl. This year the stakes are smaller but the hype is probably bigger. No. 17 Florida Gators | Gainesville, FL | Oct. 4 Don't overlook this trip to the Swamp the week before the Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry Game in early October. The Swamp is a tough road environment. If the game is at night, it will be tougher than the Noon kickoff at Ohio State. The Gators also have a possible Heisman Trophy Candidate at QB in DJ Lagway. Lagway missed the game last season in Austin due to an injury. No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs | Athens, GA | Nov. 15 Texas lost to the Bulldogs twice last season, once in Austin and once in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. The Horns struggled on offense in both games. This will be the last of the three ranked road tests of the year, so Texas should be battle hardened by the mid-November. No. 21 Texas A&M Aggies | Austin, TX | Nov. 28 A year's worth of bragging rights are on the line when the Aggies face the Austin end of the rivalry renewal. Last year, freshly reunited in the SEC, UT and A&M played for the first time in over a decade. The Longhorns came out on top 17-7 in front of a raucous turned quiet Kyle Field crowd. That game ended up being for a spot in the SEC title game. No doubt 2025 will be the same. Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma 221; Missouri 142; Louisville 126; USC 116; Utah 86; Baylor 76; Auburn 50; Iowa 49; Memphis 34; Army 33; Tulane 31; Georgia Tech 27; TCU 24; Nebraska 19; Syracuse 16; Washington 15; Navy 14; Arkansas 14; Duke 12; Colorado 12; Minnesota 11; UNLV 8; Florida State 8; Vanderbilt 3; Buffalo 1 Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ex-NFLer convicted of running dog fighting breeding operation
Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A federal jury in Oklahoma on Monday convicted a former NFL player on a half dozen animal abuse charges for breeding and selling fighting dogs. LeShon Eugene Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., was found guilty on six counts of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act by a jury following a trial in which they heard evidence that he bred and trafficked so-called champion and grand champion fighting dogs and their offspring. "This criminal profited off of the misery of innocent animals and he will face severe consequences for his vile crimes," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. The grand jury indictment was unsealed in March, accusing him of possessing 190 bull-type dogs for use in animal fighting operations. Federal prosecutors accused him of operating Mal Kant Kennels, which had two locations, one in Broken Arrow and the other in Haskell, which is also in Oklahoma. They said he selectively bred champion and grand champion fighting dogs, defined as those that have won three and five fights, respectively. He marketed and sold stud rights and puppies from winning dogs to other dog fighters who wanted the Mal Kan Kennels "bloodline," according to prosecutors who said his operation contributed to the growth of dog fighting across the country. The 190 dogs in his possession were seized by law enforcement in October and are now in U.S. Marshal custody following the verdict on Monday. This is the largest seizure from a single person in a federal dog fighting case, the Justice Department said. Johnson faces up to a maximum of five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $25,000 for each of the six counts. The conviction is also at least the second dog fighting case brought against Johnson, who pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004 for running Krazside Kennels. Johnson played five seasons in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants in the 1990s, for a total of 62 games played. There have been several dog fighting cases. In February, a Florida man was sentenced to seven years for a dog fighting conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a gun. In December, a former Defense Department official received 18 months for participating in a multi-state dog fighting conspiracy, and a Virginia man became the final of seven defendants in July of 2023 to be sentenced to 46 months for dog fighting charges.
