Brent Venables defends team after Oklahoma stuns Texas
Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables fiercely defended his program after securing a dramatic 27-24 upset victory over the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry. Tate Sandell’s 47-yard field goal as time expired at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, October 11, 2026, sealed a historic win for the Sooners, who entered the game with a 2-2 record.
The victory was a moment of profound vindication for Venables, whose team had faced intense scrutiny following early-season losses. Speaking to ABC’s Katie George after the game, the coach took direct aim at the negative commentary surrounding his players and staff, calling it “incredibly repulsive” and noting that it helped unify his locker room.
Brent Venables leads Sooners to dramatic Cotton Bowl finish
In front of a packed house of 92,100 fans, the 122nd edition of the Allstate Red River Rivalry delivered a classic contest that came down to the final seconds. Texas had a chance to take the lead late, but missed a 53-yard field goal attempt that would have given them the lead.
The Longhorns’ defense then forced another punt, but Arch Manning threw an interception with 19 seconds left in the game.
Sooners quarterback John Mateer, who had struggled at times, engineered a swift drive, connecting on crucial passes to Isaiah Sategna III to move into field goal range. That set the stage for kicker Tate Sandell, who calmly drilled the 47-yarder as the clock hit zero, sparking a wild celebration among the crimson-and-cream faithful.
The win marked the first time in program history that Oklahoma has defeated a Texas team ranked No. 1 in the nation. It was also the Sooners’ first victory over any top-ranked opponent since they beat Missouri back in 2007, a significant milestone for a program navigating the challenges of the competitive Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Venables fires back at ‘repulsive’ criticism
The emotional victory provided a platform for Venables to release weeks of pent-up frustration. His team entered the storied rivalry having lost two of their first four games, leading to a barrage of criticism aimed at the coaching staff and player performance. The offense, in particular, had been a target of fan and media discontent.
“People questioning the commitment and ‘the coaches can’t coach’ and ‘the players stink’ and all this stuff,” Venables said post-game. “Just spewing all kinds of incredibly repulsive things about people, coaches, players, all that. It comes with the arena, but at the same time, sometimes that fuels you.
I don’t think you look for that to fuel you, but I do think it brought us closer inside our building.”
Venables was adamant that the belief within the program never wavered despite the outside noise. “It doesn’t matter what everybody else says and what everybody else thinks. It only matters what we believe and what we do,” he stated emphatically. He credited his players for refusing to break and continuing to improve, even while playing without several key contributors due to injury.
A season of seesaw performance
The criticism Venables referenced stemmed from a period of notable inconsistency. After finishing a disappointing 6-7 in his first season in 2022, the Sooners rebounded to a 10-3 record in 2023.
The pendulum swung back to a 6-7 finish in 2024 before another 10-3 campaign in 2025 that included a trip to the College Football Playoff. This up-and-down performance has been a source of angst for a fanbase accustomed to perennial championship contention.
The start of the 2026 season brought those concerns to a head. After a dominant season-opening win, the offense sputtered in losses to Michigan and Georgia, falling out of the AP Top 25. The offensive line has been a particular point of concern, with Venables himself publicly expressing disappointment in the unit’s development prior to the Texas matchup.
How the Sooners pulled off the historic upset
Oklahoma’s victory was a complete team effort, with game-changing plays coming from all three phases. While Sandell’s kick provided the final heroics, the Sooners wouldn’t have been in that position without a tenacious performance that saw them overcome a 10-point halftime deficit.
The defense and special teams provided critical sparks. In the second quarter, Dakoda Fields blocked a Texas punt and recovered it in the end zone for Oklahoma’s first touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.
Later, with the game hanging in the balance, safety Peyton Bowen intercepted an Arch Manning pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown—a pick-six that gave Oklahoma its first lead of the game.
On offense, junior running back Lloyd Avant found the end zone on a 2-yard rush in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the defense held a potent Texas offense to just seven points in the entire second half. Manning finished the day 19-of-31 for 260 yards and three touchdowns, but his two interceptions proved fatal.
His top target, Cam Coleman, had a strong performance with five catches for 110 yards and a score, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Sooners’ relentless pressure and timely big plays.
The Red River Rivalry’s storied history
The result adds another unforgettable chapter to one of college football’s most celebrated and bitter rivalries. First played in 1900 and held annually since 1929, the game is a unique spectacle, played on a neutral field at the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas, with the stadium famously divided 50-50. Prior to this game, Texas held a 65-51-5 lead in the all-time series.
Recent history has been incredibly tight, with nine of the last ten meetings being decided by a single score, highlighting the fierce competition between the two programs. For Oklahoma, this win was not just about bragging rights or the coveted Golden Hat Trophy; it was a statement.
For Venables, it marked his second win against Texas, improving his record to 2-3 in the rivalry. It was a stark contrast to the 2024 and 2025 matchups, where his offense failed to score a single offensive touchdown in lopsided losses. He insisted the shocking outcome was no accident, telling reporters, “It didn’t always go our way, but it went right according to script.”
What this win means for Oklahoma and Venables
This single victory has the potential to dramatically reshape the narrative for the Sooners’ 2026 season. Now 3-2, the team gains massive momentum and a signature win that will resonate on the national stage and, perhaps more importantly, on the recruiting trail. The victory validates the new six-year contract extension Venables signed just months ago, quieting speculation about his long-term future in Norman.
The win demonstrates that Venables’ team can rise to the occasion against elite competition, a crucial proof point as the program continues to establish its footing in the SEC. It provides a jolt of confidence and belief for a team that desperately needed it.
The Sooners will look to build on this stunning performance when they return home to host Kentucky in another challenging college football game.