The 2025 Red River Rivalry game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns was one of the most talked about matchups of the season. It was played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, which is the traditional location for this legendary rivalry that’s been going on for over a hundred years.
This year’s game felt even more important since both teams are now in the SEC, and everyone knew this game could shape their season. Oklahoma came in ranked number six in the country, while Texas was unranked after some tough losses earlier in the season. Still, rankings never seem to matter in this rivalry because anything can happen when these two teams meet.
Oklahoma started the game strong, showing off the defense that had been one of the best in the nation so far. They held Texas to very few yards and forced multiple punts early on. Their offense wasn’t amazing but managed to put up two field goals in the first half, giving them a 6-0 lead going into halftime.
It felt like Oklahoma had control, but everyone watching knew Texas wasn’t going to go down easy. Rivalry games have a way of flipping fast, and that’s exactly what happened.
In the second half, Texas came out looking like a completely different team. Quarterback Arch Manning, who had been under pressure to live up to his famous last name, led a strong drive and threw a touchdown to DeAndre Moore Jr. to give Texas the lead. From that point on, the Longhorns completely took over. Their defense locked in and shut down Oklahoma’s offense, holding them to less than 100 total yards after halftime.
The Oklahoma quarterback, John Mateer, threw three interceptions, which killed any momentum the Sooners had left.The biggest moment of the game came when Texas wide receiver Ryan Niblett returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. The crowd went absolutely crazy, and it felt like that play broke Oklahoma’s spirit.
Texas added another field goal later, and the final score ended up being 23-6. It was a massive win for the Longhorns and a rough loss for the Sooners, who had been looking like playoff contenders before this game.Even though the score might make it look like an easy win, this game was full of emotion and intensity. Every play mattered, and both teams left everything on the field.
The Red River Rivalry is always unpredictable, and this year proved that again. Oklahoma came in as the favorite, but Texas played with more heart, energy, and focus when it counted most.
This win gave Texas fans a reason to believe again and showed that rankings don’t mean much in a rivalry built on pride and tradition. The 2025 Red River Rivalry will definitely be remembered as one of those games where Texas reminded everyone that in Dallas, anything can happen.
