When the Red River Rivalry game concluded at the Cotton Bowl on October 11, both Texas and Oklahoma appeared to be in significant trouble. The Longhorns had already lost two games to Ohio State and Florida. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s offense struggled significantly after falling to Texas, also succumbing to Ole Miss at home the following week.

However, in the larger picture of the expanded College Football Playoff, both teams can still bounce back. The latest College Football Playoff Rankings revealed Texas placed at No. 11 and Oklahoma at No. 12. If the season ended now, they would be just outside the playoff positions but poised to make an impactful push.

The trajectory for Texas shifted positively following a commanding performance against Vanderbilt, where they built a 21-point first-half lead to secure a 34-31 victory. This outcome restored confidence in a team that once held the preseason top spot.

Oklahoma, on the other hand, secured a notable victory against a now ranked No. 25 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, overcoming an early deficit with a defensive score and impressive long-distance kicks by Tate Sandell. This marked their first time scoring over 30 points against a Power Four opponent this season.

Both teams’ challenging paths ahead include major matchups against top-ranked opponents; Texas will face No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 5 Georgia, while Oklahoma prepares to face No. 4 Alabama.

Ultimately, both Texas and Oklahoma have the opportunity to redirect their season toward playoff contention, underscoring the central theme of this College Football Playoff era: endure and push forward, as victory is what matters most in the conference.