The Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns are just days away from renewing one of the greatest rivalry games sports has to offer. The [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] pits the undefeated Longhorns against the 4-1 Sooners in Dallas.
Oklahoma head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has chosen six captains to represent his team in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Tight end [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] and offensive lineman [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] represent the offense, while defensive linemen [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and defensive back [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] represent the defense.
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Sharp, a transfer from Southeastern Louisiana, is making his first appearance in this rivalry. He’s been OU’s leading receiving tight end so far this season. While he’s struggled a bit with blocking, he’s been a reliable target over the middle in the passing game.
Nwaiwu is also a newcomer to this game, after transferring in from North Texas. He’s been a constant at right guard for OU this season, and has had his fair share of good and bad up front. Still, he’s been healthy and good enough to hold down the starting gig.
Williams is another new face in this matchup after arriving in Oklahoma from TCU via the portal. A big NIL and recruiting win for Venables, he’s been a strong starter on OU’s nasty defensive front. Sooner Nation is still waiting for Williams’ true breakout game, but he’s been very good in his first five games in Norman.
Downs is a Red River veteran, playing in his fourth game against Texas. He was one of the stars of this matchup a season ago, pressuring QB Quinn Ewers again and again. Downs is one of many players that OU rotates in and out at defensive end, but his veteran leadership and his technique are huge for the coaching staff.
Stutsman continues to serve as the leader of OU’s defense and is responsible for so much from play to play. His now-iconic quote before last year’s game is indicative of what he brings to the table for this team. He’s playing in his fourth Red River game and leads the Sooners in tackles so far this season.
Bowman is another veteran on this defense, also playing in his fourth matchup against the “Horns. He was another one of Oklahoma’s many defensive stars in this game last year, forcing an interception in the first quarter with a huge hit, and coming up with the defining fourth-down stop of OU’s legendary goal-line stand. He’s the leader of an excellent safety trio for the Sooners that will have to come up big once again in this game.
Oklahoma and Texas will kick things off on ABC on Saturday, and the game will begin at 2:30 p.m.
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