The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
2-3 , 0-2
Oklahoma
3-2 , 2-0
Football falls to Oklahoma, 45-40, in Red River Showdown
10.08.2016 | Football
The Longhorns drop to 2-3 on the season with the loss.
Texas postgame notes | Photo gallery | Longhorns Gameweek
DALLAS, Texas – Despite scoring four second-half touchdowns, the University of Texas football team (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) fell to Oklahoma (3-2, 2-0) by a 45-40 final score in the AT&T Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday afternoon in Dallas.
After the Sooners missed on a field goal attempt on the opening drive, turnovers that played a major role in the first half scoring.
Neither team managed much offense through the first eight minutes of the game, but senior safety Dylan Haines stepped up for his second interception of the game with just under seven to go to set the Longhorns up for a score. The ensuing Texas possession provided a Trent Domingue field goal opportunity and the kicker delivered, putting the Longhorns up 3-0.
The Sooners responded minutes later, however, when OU's Steven Parker recovered a fumble on the Longhorns' 16-yard line. Oklahoma punched it in three plays later to take a 7-3 lead with just over two minutes to play in the quarter.
Armanti Foreman's 33-yard kick return preceded two receptions—a 14-yarder by Collin Johnson and a four-yarder by Lorenzo Joe—to advance the Longhorns on their own 47. On the next play, the Sooners were flagged for a pair of penalties totaling 30 yards and the Longhorns found themselves driving heading into the second quarter.
At the start of the quarter, three rushing attempts from D'Onta Foreman led to the first Texas touchdown of the afternoon and, following a successful extra point from Domingue, the Longhorns took a 10-7 advantage.
Despite a Poona Ford forced fumble and subsequent recovery, the Longhorns could not muster another touchdown in the half. With just under five minutes to play, Oklahoma once again regained the lead—this time, thanks to a 71-yard completion from Baker Mayfield to Dede Westbrook, the longest Oklahoma TD reception in Red River Rivalry history.
The Longhorns answered with another Domingue field goal to run out the clock, sending Texas to the break trailing 14-13.
The second half proved to be a back-and-forth affair as the two teams traded touchdowns on each of their first two possessions.
On the opening drive, Buechele completed a 63-yard touchdown pass to Devin Duvernay to put the Longhorns back out in front. The touchdown was the first of Duvernay's career. The Domingue extra point gave the Horns a 20-14 advantage over the Sooners with just over a minute gone by in the quarter.
Once again, OU wasted little time responding. Just three plays into their ensuing drive, the Sooners broke free for a 42-yard touchdown reception to go back on top 21-20.
Not to be outdone, Texas followed with a six-play, 75-yard drive that concluded with a 45-yard touchdown reception by Dorian Leonard, his third touchdown reception of at least 45 yards this season.
On the next Sooners' possession, OU did not complete a pass but rushed for 85 yards. Quarterback Baker Mayfield closed out the drive with a four-yard run to make it 28-27 in favor of Oklahoma.
After a Texas three-and-out, Oklahoma's Westbrook again hauled in another long reception from Mayfield and the Sooners went up 35-27 with just under six to play in the third.
In their first drive of the fourth, the Sooners then added another rushing touchdown with to go ahead 42-27 on the Longhorns with just under 12 to play in regulation.
It was the Foreman twins that put together the score on the next Texas possession. D'Onta Foreman rushed twice for 35 yards before Armanti made two receptions totaling 12 yards. D'Onta added another 10-yard run and Armanti followed with a 10-yard reception from Buechele and after the extra point, the Longhorns were back within eight points at 42-34.
Oklahoma squeaked a field goal through to make it 45-34 with 2:36 to play, but the Longhorns weren't done yet.
D'Onta Foreman plowed through the Sooner defense on the subsequent drive to pull the Longhorns to within five at 45-40. The touchdown, his second of the game, gave him 159 yards on the day.
After the onside kick was recovered by Oklahoma, the Longhorns forced a three-and-out to give themselves one final opportunity.
In the final 17 seconds of the game, Texas was unable to move the ball forward and the Sooners took the win in the Red River Rivalry.
Team Stats
UT 3, OU 0
UT - Domingue, Trent 33 yd field goal 4 plays, -3 yards, TOP 1:22
UT 3, OU 7
OU - Perine, Samaje 2 yd run (Seibert, Austin kick), 3 plays, 16 yards, TOP 1:11
UT 10, OU 7
UT - Foreman, D'Onta 1 yd run (Domingue, Trent kick), 8 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:22
UT 10, OU 14
OU - Westbrook, Dede 71 yd pass from Mayfield, Baker (Seibert, Austin kick) 4 plays, 85 yards, TOP 1:09
UT 13, OU 14
UT - Domingue, Trent 28 yd field goal 18 plays, 64 yards, TOP 4:02
UT 20, OU 14
UT - Duvernay, Devin 63 yd pass from Buechele, Shane (Domingue, Trent kick) 5 plays, 79 yards, TOP 1:13
UT 20, OU 21
OU - Westbrook, Dede 42 yd pass from Mayfield, Baker (Seibert, Austin kick) 3 plays, 79 yards, TOP 0:58
UT 27, OU 21
UT - Leonard, Dorian 45 yd pass from Buechele, Shane (Domingue, Trent kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:06
UT 27, OU 28
OU - Mayfield, Baker 4 yd run (Seibert, Austin kick), 7 plays, 85 yards, TOP 2:30
UT 27, OU 35
OU - Westbrook, Dede 47 yd pass from Mayfield, Baker (Seibert, Austin kick) 4 plays, 76 yards, TOP 1:14
UT 27, OU 42
OU - Perine, Samaje 3 yd run (Seibert, Austin kick), 13 plays, 93 yards, TOP 6:27
UT 34, OU 42
UT - Foreman, Armant 10 yd pass from Buechele, Shane (Domingue, Trent kick) 6 plays, 67 yards, TOP 1:19
UT 34, OU 45
OU - Seibert, Austin 39 yd field goal 15 plays, 60 yards, TOP 7:58
UT 40, OU 45
UT - Foreman, D'Onta 22 yd run (Buechele, Shane passfailed), 5 plays, 69 yards, TOP 0:51
