AP Top 25 Recap: Oklahoma Returns with a Thrilling Red River Victory; Alabama Ascends in the West

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Indeed, it’s Oklahoma that has made a resounding return, and their absence wasn’t for long.

The final edition of the Red River Rivalry within the Big 12, just before its transition to the Southeastern Conference, appeared to be a prime opportunity for the third-ranked Texas Longhorns to stake their claim as the nation’s top team.

However, on a Saturday at the Cotton Bowl, second-year Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables secured his inaugural signature win, propelling the 12th-ranked Sooners into the conversation as College Football Playoff contenders.

Notably, the Longhorns showcased their prowess as well, leaving no cause for concern among Texas fans. Given the current trajectory of the Big 12, a potential rematch between the Longhorns and the Sooners in the Big 12 championship game at Jerry World on December 2 seems plausible.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark might not want to miss that showdown. While he understandably skipped the Red River game, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey made an appearance at the Texas State Fair to enjoy a funnel cake and witness one of college football’s most storied rivalries at the Cotton Bowl, located just 22 miles east of the opulent stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play.

Sankey, who once held the position of Commissioner of the Southland Conference and resided not far from the fairgrounds in Allen, Texas, had never experienced the Red River rivalry firsthand. He remarked, “I would drive by with great admiration and wonder what’s going on in there. So it’s a fun chance to see it today.”

Both Texas and Oklahoma entered the game undefeated for the first time since 2008. Texas, under coach Steve Sarkisian in his third year, had drawn considerable attention in the early season, recording a victory over Alabama and impressive wins in three consecutive games.

In contrast, Oklahoma had been dominant, leading the nation in margin of victory at 36 points per game, yet had not faced another ranked opponent. Questions arose about the true strength of the Sooners; they had yet to face formidable competition.

This game served as a valuable lesson: the opponent’s strength doesn’t matter as much as your own performance. The Sooners had been a top-10 team all along, albeit somewhat overlooked.

Venables, who previously served as the defensive coordinator at Clemson, quickly alleviated concerns among Oklahoma fans after inheriting a team with tackling issues. He aggressively revamped the roster left behind by Lincoln Riley during the offseason, recruiting a top-10 class and bringing in 17 transfers to build around quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Venables praised Gabriel, saying, “He’s the calmest guy I’ve ever been around at the quarterback position,” a significant compliment from someone who coached teams with quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.

Dillon Gabriel, a transfer from UCF who missed the previous Red River game due to injury, made his presence felt in the Cotton Bowl. He threw for 285 yards and ran for 113, becoming the first player in Red River history to achieve at least 250 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a single game.

Texas might rue missed opportunities, including three turnovers and a first-and-goal at the 1 that yielded no points.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged, “We didn’t play our best football today. The promising thing is we know we can play better than we did today. And we will.”

The Longhorns still have a high ceiling, aiming to return to the nation’s elite programs after more than a decade of absence. During most of this period, Oklahoma has consistently claimed Big 12 titles and made playoff appearances.

Just when it seemed like Texas was poised to assert its dominance in the Big 12 one last time before joining the SEC, the Sooners demonstrated that they won’t remain down for long.

Rising Tide

While the future of the SEC took center stage in Dallas, the current members of the conference continued to follow a familiar tune.

Alabama, ranked 11th and with a 5-1 record, leads the West Division standings as the only team without a loss. Despite its imperfections—limited offensive capabilities, strong defense, and occasional mistakes—the Crimson Tide remains a formidable force. Notably, Alabama committed 14 penalties, including one that nullified a touchdown on a blocked field goal return in their victory over Texas A&M.

Tide coach Nick Saban commented, “This game might be a record for me, for mess-ups, and still winning.”

However, the more one observes the rest of the SEC West, the more apparent Alabama’s strength becomes. They’ve already defeated Texas A&M and Mississippi.

In contrast, LSU’s defense faces significant challenges, although their potent offense, led by Jayden Daniels, proved sufficient to defeat Missouri.

Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Auburn appear to be teams content with achieving six or seven wins.

In the East, while Georgia’s September performance was less than stellar, they have an opportunity to emerge as the only unbeaten team in the conference if they can overcome Kentucky on Saturday night. Another Alabama-Georgia SEC championship game looms as the most likely scenario, though it is not yet inevitable.

Around the Country

In other college football news, fourth-ranked Ohio State rallied against Maryland, with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. playing a pivotal role, securing eight catches for 163 yards as the Buckeyes scored 27 unanswered points.

The schedule doesn’t offer many marquee matchups, but keep an eye on North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye in the Heisman race. Maye amassed 442 passing yards and three touchdowns against Syracuse and is poised for a significant showdown against No. 17 Miami.

UTSA welcomed back quarterback Frank Harris, who had missed the last three games due to a foot injury. The sixth-year senior threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns against Temple, keeping UTSA in contention in the American Athletic Conference.

Lastly, UCLA has quietly built one of the best defenses in the country. They thwarted No. 13 Washington State’s offense, allowing only 216 total yards and one offensive touchdown.

For more college football updates, follow Ralph D. Russo on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen to his podcasts at http://www.appodcasts.com.

Stay informed about college football at https://bigbignews.net/college-football and check the latest AP Top 25 college football poll at https://bigbignews.net/ap-top-25-college-football-poll.

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