Texas
3 keys on defense for the Oklahoma Sooners against the Texas Longhorns
The Oklahoma Sooners (5-0, 1-0) and the Texas Longhorns (3-2, 0-1) will face off in the 121st edition of the Red River Rivalry on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. With OU looking to stay unbeaten, and the ‘Horns ready to get back in the thick of things in the SEC, the 2025 matchup between the hated rivals has plenty of storylines heading in.
One of the big storylines that will unfold in Week 7 is the play of OU’s defense versus the Texas offense. While the Sooners have been brilliant so far defensively through five games this year, the Longhorns have struggled a bit when they’ve had the ball. Those struggles were on display last week in a loss at Florida.
With both teams done with the nonconference portion of their schedules this season, Saturday in South Dallas marks the beginning of a stretch run in the SEC, with the league looking more wide-open than normal this year. The winner in Red River can catapult itself into SEC contention, while the loser will have some regrouping to do.
The Sooners will lean on their defense against the ‘Horns, especially considering the uncertainty over which quarterback will be playing for OU. However, whether it’s John Mateer or Michael Hawkins Jr. under center this week, the OU defense has built a standard that they will once again be called upon to uphold.
Here are three defensive keys for Oklahoma against Texas.
1. Stop the run
The Longhorns did not run the ball well last week against Florida, and it was one of the keys to the Gators pulling the upset. If the Sooners can repeatedly stuff the run and make Texas one-dimensional, that’s a recipe for success, especially against a play-caller that’s as good as Steve Sarkisian is.
Texas has good running backs, and they’re players that can get loose for big gains if the Sooners blow an assignment. Oklahoma can’t let that happen, or it could be a long day when the Longhorns have the ball.
2. Hold up on the outside
In order to suffocate a run game, most defenses have to put extra defenders in the box to gain a numbers advantage inside. OU did that against Auburn earlier this year, but it resulted in the cornerbacks being left on islands one-on-one against wide receivers. Auburn’s run game didn’t hurt the Sooners, but there were some big opportunities through the air.
OU’s secondary will have to hold up against Texas’ talented wide receivers, or else it could open up so many things for Sarkisian and this offense.
3. Pressure, Pressure, Pressure
Arch Manning will probably end up having a fine college and professional football career. Right now, he isn’t playing well for Texas. After all of the offseason hype, he’s fallen flat, especially in the two games against Power Four teams that were both losses.
If Brent Venables and the Oklahoma defense can stop the run, hold up on the islands and get pressure in Manning’s face, they’ll have success defensively in this game. Manning isn’t yet the player he was projected to be at this stage of his career, and Venables needs to take advantage by turning up the heat.
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A day off at the pool — and a little sunburn — didn’t stop the Minnesota Twins’ momentum.
Brooks Lee hit a three-run homer as Minnesota scored multiple runs in the first inning for the third consecutive game, and the Twins went on to complete a series sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 9-3 win Thursday.
Minnesota has won four games in a row and scored 25 runs in the three-games series in Texas. The two teams had a rare, mid-series day off on Wednesday with the England-Croatia World Cup game being played in Arlington.
“We’re locked in every day,” Lee told Audra Martin on the team’s broadcast. “Yesterday, taking time off, lay out by the pool, get a little burnt and then right back to it. We did a good job getting focused. I feel like we do that with rain delays, too, just lock back in and we’re doing it.”
Lee’s 12th homer capped a four-run first off Jack Leiter (3-7). Trevor Larnach made it 6-0 in the fourth with a two-run shot to straightaway center that just cleared the extended glove of leaping Alejandro Osuna. Larnach’s third hit was an RBI single in the fifth, and Ryan Kriedler hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
Joe Ryan (5-3) struck out seven but needed 97 pitches to get through five scoreless innings while allowing three singles. Leiter was done after the fourth, and has given up 17 runs while losing three starts in a row.
The Twins never trailed in the sweep that extended their winning streak to four, matching their longest this season. Their 14-5 record at Globe Life Field is the best for any American League opponent since the ballpark opened in 2020.
Wyatt Langford, Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue hit solo homers for the Rangers, who have lost five of six games. They are 0-15 when giving up multiple runs in the first inning.
Twins DH Josh Bell, who was born in nearby Irving and grew up in the area, had an RBI single before Lee’s homer. Bell hit a three-run homer in the first inning of the series-opening 4-2 win Monday, and had an RBI single for a 2-0 lead in the first of a 12-2 win on Tuesday.
“We’re just passing the baton each time,” Lee said of the offensive output. “Our guys are hot. They feel good and they came out swinging today. It was awesome to see. We’ve done that for a while now.”
Up next
Twins rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-4, 5.26 ERA) starts Friday at Arizona. The Diamondbacks are scheduled to start right-hander Michael Soroka (8-3, 3.11).
Watch CBS News
A Texas state trooper was killed in a crash in the Panhandle, becoming the 244th Texas Department of Public Safety officer to die in the line of duty since 1823, according to the agency.
Sergio Romero, 27, died Wednesday after a semi-truck pulled in front of him as he attempted a traffic stop around 4 p.m. on U.S. 287 in Childress County, DPS said.
In a statement, Col. Freeman F. Martin praised Romero’s courage, integrity, and service.
“Today, we grieve the loss of one of our own,” Martin said. “… Our hearts break alongside his family, friends, fellow troopers, and all who loved him. We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice he made in service of his fellow Texans.”
Romero previously served with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office before joining DPS as part of Class B-2025 in Childress, the agency said.
He is survived by his wife, Francisca, and their two young sons.
Funeral arrangements are pending. The crash remains under investigation.
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