Texas a two TD favorite over OU? That's something that hasn't happened in almost two decades
Texas is currently a 14.5-point favorite over the Oklahoma Sooners according to FanDuel Sportsbook. If that line holds, or even if it were to dip to Texas -8, it would be the largest spread in the Longhorns’ favor for the Red River Shootout since Mack Brown‘s Longhorns were a 14-point favorite in 2005 per OddsShark’s NCAA Football database.
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It would also be one of the largest point spreads for the Red River Shootout in over 25 years. Few other spreads for contests between the Longhorns and the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl have been as lopsided as the current line.
According to OddsShark, there have been eight Red River Shootouts since 1996 where either the Longhorns or the Sooners were double-digit favorites.
As mentioned, Texas was a two-touchdown favorite in 2005.
Texas easily cleared the spread during that game on its national championship run with a 45-12 win. The Longhorns outgained OU 444 to 171, forced two turnovers, and limited the Sooners to a meager 12 first downs. Vince Young was 14-for-27 for 241 yards and three touchdowns plus 45 yards on the ground. Selvin Young, Jamaal Charles, Billy Pittman, and Ramonce Taylor all scored touchdowns for the Longhorn offense. Rod Wright had a 67-yard fumble return to put the game at its final margin. David Pino added a field goal, too.
Current Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley scored the Sooners’ only touchdown on October 8, 2005 via a 15-yard pass from Rhett Bomar.
In every other instance of there being a double-digit spread since 1996, the Sooners have been the favorite.
OU was a 12-point favorite in 2007. The Sooners won 28-21.
Oklahoma was favored by 11 in 2011. Bob Stoops and company covered that spread easily with a 55-17 win.
In 2013, Oklahoma was favored by 13.5. Brown and company defied the odds and did enough to cover Texas -13.5 in a 36-20 win led by Case McCoy.
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In 2014, Oklahoma was favored by 16.5 and prevailed 31-26.
The line was once again 16.5 in favor of Oklahoma in 2015, but Jerrod Heard had something to say about that. Texas shocked Oklahoma with a 24-17 win, one of the few highlights of the Charlie Strong era.
In 2016, Stoops’ last year at the helm of OU, the Longhorns were a 13.5-point underdog and fought hard only to lose 45-40 to the Sooners. It would also be Strong’s last Red River Shootout.
The only double-digit spread for a Red River Shootout since 2016 came in 2019. Oklahoma was a 10.5 point favorite. The Sooners did not cover the spread but prevailed 34-27.
According to OddsShark, Texas is 15-11-1 against the spread in the Red River Shootout over the past 27 Red River Shootouts. More important to all involved, Texas is only 11-16.
For the 2018 Big 12 Championship played between the two longtime rivals in early December, Oklahoma was a 9.5 point-favorite. The Sooners won the rematch and covered with a 39-27 win.
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There are 12 days until the Red River Shootout. Texas will battle Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on October 12 at 2:30 p.m.
