Oklahoma appeared on its way to another Red River rout, but Texas fought back to make a game of it. The Sooners lead 20-10 at the break.
Baker Mayfield has absolutely dazzled so far in his Red River finale, hitting nine of his fist 10 throws. After forcing a punt to open the game, Trey Sermon ran for 31 yards on three carries to open the Sooners’ first drive, and then Mayfield found Jeff Badet over the top for a perfectly-placed 54-yard touchdown strike.
Oklahoma’s defense, which couldn’t stop a cold against Baylor and Iowa State, forced two straight three-and-outs on the Longhorns’ next two drives, and Oklahoma capitalized with a field goal and another touchdown, a 15-yard Rodney Anderson dash. Anderson carried seven times for 35 yards in the half, while Sermon led all rushers with 46 yards on eight carries.
After Texas turned the ball over on downs near midfield, Sermon put the Sooners in business with a 42-yard pass to Marquise Brown, but the drive ended in Austin Seibert‘s second field goal of the half.
Kyle Porter finally got the Longhorns on the board with a 41-yard kickoff return (with a 15-yard late hit added on) and then a 16-yard screen reception, cutting the lead to 20-7 with 3:23 left in the half. Playing without three opening day starters on the offensive line, Sam Ehlinger spent most of the first half under duress. He completed 10-of-19 passes for 113 yards and Texas’s ground efforts with eight carries for 13 yards.
The Sooners appeared primed to push the lead back to 20 after rushes of 16 and 21 yards by Mayfield and Anderson to open the following drive, but John Bonney intercepted Mayfield (his first in 202 throws) on 4th-and-3 at the Texas 31-yard line with 1:07 left. Mayfield closed the half 11-of-16 for 197 yards with a score and a pick.
Texas converted the turnover into a 34-yard Joshua Rowland field goal as time expired.
Oklahoma will receive to open the second half.