Death, taxes and the Red River Rivalry being absolutely wild. The No. 1 Texas Longhorns were upset by the 2-2 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday afternoon, despite Brent Venables’ team entering as 7.5-point underdogs.
Early on, it looked as though Texas wouldn’t have too many problems against the Sooners. The Longhorns went to the locker room with a 17-7 lead. But Oklahoma stormed back and tied it at 24-all, and Sooners kicker Tate Sandell made the game-winning kick as time expired.
It didn’t have to be this way for the Longhorns, however, as Texas made several mistakes that kept Oklahoma in the contest long enough to eventually steal the victory.
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Texas mistakes vs. Oklahoma
Texas had several miscues that ended up costing the Longhorns this game. The Longhorns had a punt that was blocked for a touchdown, costly penalties and turnovers that kept a Sooners victory within reach.
Blocked punt results in OU touchdown
Early in the second quarter, Oklahoma scored its first points of the game thanks to a Texas blocked punt that was recovered in the end zone. The score came as the OU offense struggled to move the ball. In fact, the Sooners did not have a first down at the time of the score.
OKLAHOMA BLOCKS THE PUNT 😮😮
THE SOONERS TIE IT UP IN THE COTTON BOWL pic.twitter.com/GyPcLPfymX
— ClutchWire (@ClutchWireHQ) October 10, 2026
Costly penalties
Texas had eight penalties for 61 yards on the day, and a couple of them kept a key Oklahoma drive going. On Oklahoma’s game-tying touchdown drive that made it 17-all early in the fourth quarter, Texas’ defense committed a pair of costly penalties.
First, Texas was called for roughing quarterback John Mateer, giving the Sooners 15 yards to reach the Texas 21-yard line. Following what looked like a Mateer incompletion on third-and-goal, the Longhorns were flagged for pass interference, giving the Sooners an automatic first down.
Was this pass interference on Texas CB Kade Phillips? pic.twitter.com/uoPnQrqzw6
— Zach Dimmitt (@ZachDimmitt7) October 10, 2026
Arch Manning interception No. 1
This will be a game Manning will want back. He threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter. His first was returned for a pick-six, tying the game at 24. The interception was a harbinger of worse things to come.
Arch Manning with one of the costliest interceptions of the college football season.
What was he thinking 😭 pic.twitter.com/6YsPjqzep6
— Covers.com (@Covers) October 10, 2026
Missed 4th quarter field goal
Texas had a chance to win this in a walk-off field goal, just as Oklahoma did. The Longhorns attempted a 53-yard field goal with 1:54 left. Kicker Gianni Septic actually had the distance with the kick, but it turned just to the right of the upright at the end:
HUGE FIELD GOAL MISSED BY THE HORNS 👀
All OU needs to do is score and they win. pic.twitter.com/dDyaPbAUQy https://t.co/BhzdqvmLfC
— Random SEC (@therandomsec) October 10, 2026
Arch Manning interception No. 2
After Texas’ missed field goal, Oklahoma went three-and-out, giving Texas and Manning the ball back with 54 seconds left. His interception on 2nd-and-10 sealed a Sooner victory:
ARCH MANNING THROWS A COSTLY INTERCEPTION WITH 20 SECONDS LEFT!! pic.twitter.com/Hq9o38IUzf
— ESPN (@espn) October 10, 2026
The good news for Texas is that this is the Longhorns’s first loss of the season, and it is still very much in the CFP hunt. But with games remaining Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU, losing a game against an unranked Oklahoma team makes the margin for error that much slimmer. Not to mention losing to your biggest rival is never fun.
MORE: Texas A&M coach Mike Elko attacks fans after loss to Mizzou


