Unranked Oklahoma beat No. 1 Texas 27-24 in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday in Dallas. Tate Sandell kicked a 47-yard field goal on the final play. Texas led 17-7 at halftime, then punted on all three of its third-quarter drives. In the fourth quarter, quarterback Arch Manning threw two interceptions. Safety Peyton Bowen returned the first one 42 yards for a touchdown. Defensive back Courtland Guillory picked off the second with 19 seconds left. That set up the winning kick. Oklahoma's other two touchdowns came on a blocked punt and a 2-yard run by Lloyd Avant, its only touchdown on offense. Manning finished with 260 yards and three touchdowns. He came into the season as a favorite to go first in the NFL draft. It's Oklahoma's first win over a No. 1 team since 2007.

Manning Lost This Game

Critics say Texas's star quarterback handed Oklahoma the win.

Texas lost to the SEC's worst offense. The Sooners finished with 238 total yards. A USA Today column said Texas could only lose "if it handed the Sooners points on a platter." Then, it said, "Manning shoved the platter into Oklahoma's hands." It said he "repeatedly panicked" in the fourth quarter. Cedric Golden is a sports columnist at the Austin American-Statesman. He called the two picks "the two biggest boneheaded throws of his college career." He said those throws exposed Texas's offense "as more name than game."

He didn't look like a top pick. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk wrote that Manning's "fourth quarter performance is what will be remembered from this game." Robert Griffin III is a former NFL quarterback and a Fox Sports analyst. He posted on X that Manning "needs to come back for another year of college football." He said Manning "just needs more experience." One fan replied that another year won't help, because he "makes the exact same mistakes."

But The Play-Calling Did More Damage

Others blame head coach Steve Sarkisian, who calls the offense himself.

The offense stalled after halftime. Reporter Jeff Beachum noted on X that Texas settled for a field goal after reaching first-and-goal before halftime. He said Texas started the second half up 10, then punted four straight times. Beachum asked when Sarkisian would "realize he's the one holding this team back." Reporter CJ Vogel called it the worst loss of Sarkisian's tenure. He called the game "abysmally executed and coached the entire way through."

Play-calling is staying with the head coach. Sarkisian said "Not a chance" when asked if he'd consider handing off play-calling. He also said "No" to taking special teams away from coordinator Jeff Banks. Banks's unit gave up the blocked punt. Texas went three-and-out seven times and converted 3 of 14 third downs. Wescott Eberts of Burnt Orange Nation wrote that more and more people disagree with Sarkisian's choice to call plays himself. Heavy reported that firing him isn't realistic, because his buyout this year is $55 million.

Still, The Whole Team Beat Itself

Sarkisian and Manning say the loss came from mistakes all over the field.

More went wrong than two throws. Texas had eight penalties. One penalty erased a Texas interception. Five plays later, after a pass-interference call, Oklahoma scored its only offensive touchdown. Kicker Gianni Spetic missed a 53-yard field goal with 1:55 left and the game tied. Sarkisian said he's frustrated by the penalties because the team is "working at it." Manning said, "I think we beat ourselves a lot tonight." He said he had to stop "getting loose with the ball."

His coach is standing by him. Sarkisian said Manning "competed his tail off" and "made some tremendous plays." He said Texas has to run the ball better so it's "not all on his shoulders." He also credited Guillory for making a play on the final interception.

And Oklahoma Made Its Own Plays

Oklahoma's defense and special teams scored twice, and its coach says the doubters fueled the team.

Two touchdowns came without the offense. Oklahoma's defense and special teams scored them. Oklahoma had lost 41-13 at Georgia two weeks ago. Head coach Brent Venables said people were saying "the coaches can't coach and the players stink." He said "sometimes that fuels you." Quarterback John Mateer threw two big passes after the last interception. He said, "I knew 19 seconds left that this was the time."

Where This Lands

Golden and the USA Today column put the loss on Manning's two fourth-quarter throws. Griffin says Manning should stay in college another year. Beachum blames Sarkisian's second-half play-calling, and Vogel says Texas was badly coached the whole game. Sarkisian says he won't give up play-calling. He points to penalties and the run game. Manning says Texas beat itself, starting with him. Venables says the criticism fueled his team. Texas will learn Sunday how far it falls in the poll. It hosts Florida next Saturday.

Sources