Steve Sarkisian on Texas vs. Oklahoma in Red River Rivalry: 'Records don't matter in games like this'

Texas is a comfortable favorite to get a rivalry win in the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma on Saturday. But Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian isn’t paying much mind to what Vegas thinks might happen.

Because in matchups like this, Sarkisian said, records and rankings can more or less be thrown out the window. Big favorites lose, blowouts have happened, and one thing seems constant for Red River: Expect the unexpected.

“It’s a rivalry game. Forget whatever we’re favored or we’re not, it doesn’t matter. The records and things don’t matter in games like this,” Sarkisian said on Monday.

The Sooners will also be rolling out true freshman Michael Hawkins at quarterback for the contest, making just his second start and third extended appearance.

But having a quarterback without much historical attachment to the game can be an advantage, Sarkisian explained.

“I think one of the advantages of being a true freshman starter in games like this, you have no scars,” Sarkisian said. “You have no wounds. You have no — you’re playing with a clean slate, a blank slate. He’s a blank canvas that’s just starting to start his career. And so he doesn’t have any of those things in the back of his head to worry about and I’m sure he’s going to go in there and let it rip and go play.”

The job for the Texas defense, then, is to make life uncomfortable for Hawkins snap in and snap out. And that, more than whatever Vegas thinks, could be a deciding factor in Texas making good on being favored.

“And our job is to try to confuse him,” Sarkisian said. “Our job is to try to make it difficult on him. How we do that, we have to do that a variety of ways that all hopefully can add up to making it a tough day for him. But, again, that’s easier said than done on a Monday at 11:45 or whatever time it is. It’s going to be a big task for all parties involved, coaches and players included.”