Texas is currently a 14.5-point favorite to beat Oklahoma. I just heard Joel Klatt and Colin Cowherd comment, “This game could get ugly,” meaning that Texas could win by more than 14.5 points. This does not reassure me.

This week on Inside Texas, Paul Wadlington wrote that since 2000, the Sooners have been 17-8 against Texas, despite a considerable portion of that record overlapping a terrific run under Mack Brown when Texas went 158-48. Texas was arguably the premier college football program between 2000 and 2009, a span during which Texas went 108-19. Brown was 7-9 versus Oklahoma.

Since 2014, under Charlie Strong, Tom Herman, and Steve Sarkisian, Texas has been 3-8 versus Oklahoma. This includes the 2018 Big 12 Championship game.

“Culture” is a candidate for the most overused word in sports in the last several years. Steve Sarkisian has talked frequently and continually about the program “Culture” he has been building at Texas. Since Texas went to the National Championship playoff last season, it’s 5-0, and it is currently #1 this season. I’ll concede that Sarkisian’s “culture” has something to do with their success.

For Texas, the Oklahoma game is a culture aside from the overall program culture Sarkisian has been talking about. Sarkisian must still transform Texas’ Oklahoma game culture from losing to consistently beating Oklahoma. Sarkisian is 1-2 versus Oklahoma, and his approach to those games hasn’t changed from what it had been under Mack Brown, Charlie Strong, and Tom Herman. That approach (culture) is nervous, cautious, and timid. Playing not to lose. Oklahoma, on the other hand, approaches the game confidently, aggressively, and without fear. Approaching this game that way will often make up for a talent deficiency. In contrast, Texas’ approach negates, to some degree, talent superiority.

The ending of last season’s game is a perfect example of Texas’ cautious and timid approach. With the game tied 27-27, with 4:49 left, Texas got the ball off an Oklahoma punt on its 13-yard line. They drove expertly to the Oklahoma 35 with a first down. Things are looking good. They’d burned the clock down to under two minutes. Then, on first down, Ewers was sacked for a three-yard loss. Timidity kicks in. On second down, Ewers completes a Greg Davis special to Worthy for three yards. Oklahoma calls a timeout with 1:29 left on the clock. When play resumes, it’s third and 10 at Oklahoma’s 35. Does Texas try to make a first down and effectively ice the game, assuming that Burt Auburn can make a relatively short field goal? No. Texas’ OU Culture of cautiousness kicks in, and Sarkisian calls a running play that gains six yards, not enough for a first down. Auburn kicks the field goal, giving Texas a 30-27 lead with 1:17 remaining. After Texas kicked the field goal, I got a text from Mike Frank saying that that field goal could have been the last play of the game, but Sarkisian had mismanaged the clock.

Mike was right, but let’s move on to Oklahoma’s infamous 1:02 drive for a touchdown to win the game. Knowing Oklahoma would have to pass, Texas decided to rush only three and drop eight into coverage (cautious and timid), allowing Dillon Gabriel all day to pick apart Texas’ secondary, which he did quickly and easily as Texas defenders covered swaths of field turf instead of Oklahoma receivers (cautious and timid). Oklahoma had two timeouts remaining when they got the ball but didn’t have to use either one of them.

Consider the contrast between Sarkisian’s approach to the Alabama game last season and the Michigan game this season and his approach to the Oklahoma game. Against Alabama and Michigan on the road, Sarkisian’s game plan was confident and aggressive. What happens to him and his predecessors in the Cotton Bowl versus Oklahoma?  Having attended 44 Texas-OU games in the Cotton Bowl, I can tell you It’s the best atmosphere and the most fun you can have at a football game. Having half the stadium filled with raucous, rowdy Oklahoma fans is exhilarating.  If you’re a Texas fan and have attended a few of these games, you know that Oklahoma fans are always louder than Texas Fans, which only adds to the satisfaction when Texas wins.

Sarkisian and his staff need to embrace the fun embrace the exhilaration. I’m sure that’s what the players want from their coaches. Not timid and cautious.

According to the analysts, Texas is a far superior team to Oklahoma. In short, Oklahoma has an anemic offense and a pretty good defense. Texas should dominate this game. If you want more in-depth analysis, you know where to find it.

As I’m writing this column and thinking about its theme, the words come to mind of a hard-hitting all-Southwest conference safety on my favorite Texas team—the 1977 Longhorns. Ricky Churchman said, “When I get a dog down, I like to keep on kicking it.”

Come on Horns, kick the dog out of Oklahoma!

Hook “em,

W.E.

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