The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 7/7 Football preview: Big 12 Championship vs. No. 19/19 Oklahoma State
11.27.2023 | Football
The Longhorns will play the Cowboys for the 2023 Big 12 Conference Championship.
Texas (11-1, 8-1) vs. Oklahoma State (9-3, 7-2)
December 2, 2023
Where: Arlington, Texas
Stadium: AT&T Stadium
Time: 11:00 a.m. CT
TV: ABC (Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath)
Radio: Longhorn Radio Network (Craig Way, Roger Wallace, Will Matthews)
Spanish Radio: Longhorn Radio Network (Dr. Rubén Pizarro-Silva, Arturo Mata, Jesus Mendoza, Daniel Trejo)
National Radio: ESPN Radio (Sean Kelley, Max Starks, Mike Peasley)
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• The University of Texas continues its 131st season of football on Saturday when the Longhorns face Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Football Championship.
• The Longhorns are making their seventh all-time appearance in the Big 12 Championship, with a record of 3-3. UT's last appearance in the game was in 2018. Texas' seven appearances are the second-most in conference history.
• Texas will be the home team for the game, but has chosen to wear its traditional all-white uniforms.
• The Cowboy's will be playing the conference title game for the second time in program history and first time since 2021, a 21-16 defeat to Baylor.
• Saturday's championship game will be the 22nd Big 12 Championship Game, as there was no game played following the 2011-16 seasons.
• Texas (No. 7/7) is ranked in the AP Top-10 for the 12th consecutive week and the Coaches poll Top-10 for the seventh-straight week, the longest streak for UT in both polls since the 2009-10 seasons.
• Last time out, Texas (11-1, 8-1) clinched the stop seed in the Big 12 Championship Game after defeating Texas Tech at home, 57-7. The moved Texas to 6-0 at Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on the season, the first time UT finished undefeated at home since 2009.
• Oklahoma State (9-3, 7-2) earned the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 title game with a double-overtime victory at home against BYU, 40-34.
• The Longhorns' 11-1 start is the best for the program since 2009.
• Texas finished Big 12 Conference play with an 8-1 record, the best for the program since 2009 (9-0).
• UT has won six consecutive games, the longest winning streak for Texas since 2018.
• The Longhorns will be playing in the program's Big 12 Conference game.
• Texas finished with an all-time Big 12 regular-season record of 157-79.
• Texas currently boasts 947 all-time wins, tied for the fourth-most in college football history. UT holds an all-time record of 947-391-33 (.703).
SERIES HISTORY VS. OKLAHOMA STATE
• Texas is set to face off with Oklahoma State for the 38th time in program history this Saturday, and for the third time ever at a neutral site.
• UT holds a 26-11 advantage in the series over OSU, including a 2-0 mark in neutral site games.
• The first-ever meeting between the Texas Longhorns and the then-Oklahoma A&M Aggies took place in 1916, with the Horns defeating the Aggies, 14-7, in a Southwest Conference game played in front of 5,000 fans at League Park in San Antonio. The Longhorns and Aggies met at Fair Park Stadium in Dallas in 1920 with the Horns coming out on top, 21-0, in front of 8,000 spectators.
• Oklahoma State won last year's contest in Stillwater with the 11th-ranked Cowboys topping No. 20 Texas, 41-34, despite Bijan Robinson rushing for 140 yards and scoring both a rushing and receiving touchdown.
• Saturday's game will marked the 28th game between the two programs as Big 12 opponents with the Longhorns holding a 17-10 advantage in such games.
• UT's 57-point victory over Oklahoma State (71-14) in 1996 - the first season of Big 12 Football - still stands as the largest margin of victory by either side in the series' history.
• After Texas won 12-straight meetings from 1998-2009, the Cowboys have won nine of the last 13 contests between the schools since 2010.
Oklahoma State Cowboys Scouting Report
• Mike Gundy is in his 19th season leading the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
• Gundy is a two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2010, '21), was the 2011 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, and a member of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2021).
• He is an OSU alum who played quarterback for the Cowboys from 1986-89.
• Oklahoma State ranks eighth in the Big 12 in scoring offense (30.2 ppg) and scoring defense (27.3 ppg), while ranking eighth in total offense (432.8 ypg) and sixth in total defense (390.3 ypg).
• The Cowboys lead the nation in fourth-down defense, allowing opponents to convert on just 17.4 percent (4-of-23) of their attempts.
• RB Ollie Gordon leads the nation in rushing with 1,580 yards, while ranking second in rushing touchdowns (20), third in all-purpose yards (154.33 ypg) and ninth in yards per carry (6.45).
• QB Alan Bowman has completed 248-of-414 passes (59.9%) for 2,808 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He has thrown for over 300 yards in each of the last two games and four of the last seven.
• LB Nickolas Martin leads the Big 12 and is 15th nationally with 120 tackles (69 solo), while ranking second in the conference in tackles for loss (16.0) and sixth in sacks (6).
• DB Kendal Daniels is eighth in the Big 12 with 90 tackles, fourth with 14.5 tackles for loss and tied for sixth in sacks (6).
• Oklahoma State has won seven of their last eight games.
A Texas Win Would ...
• Be Texas' 948th all-time victory, the fourth-winningest program in college football history.
• Give the Longhorns the fourth Big 12 Conference Championship in program history and first since 2009.
• Mark Texas' 29th conference championship in program history (25 SWC, 4 Big 12).
• Give Steve Sarkisian his 71st victory as a head coach and 25th at Texas in his 119th career game as a head coach.
• Mark the first 12-1 start for a Steve Sarkisian led team and the best for the Longhorns since 2009 (13-0).
• Be the Longhorns' first 12-win season since 2009.
• Extend Texas' winning streak to seven-straight games, the longest since 2008-09 (17 games).
• Snap a two-game losing streak in neutral site games.
• Give the Longhorns their fourth Big 12 Conference title and 29th conference crown overall.
• Bookmark the Longhorns' Big 12 Conference era (1996-2023) with conference titles.
Third Season of Sarkisian Era
• Texas Football Head Coach Steve Sarkisian is in his third season at the helm of the Longhorns and his 10th season as a head coach overall.
• Last season, the Texas offense ranked 24th in the nation and third in the Big 12 Conference with 34.5 points per game, the fourth-straight top-25 scoring output for a Sarkisian-led offense.
• The offensive showing also marked the eighth top-25 scoring offense in Sarkisian's career.
• Marked the seventh time a Sarkisian offense averaged at least 34 points per game.
• Jonathon Brooks surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season in the victory over Kansas State, marking the 12th consecutive year a Sarkisian offense (as head coach or offensive coordinator) has had a 1,000-yard rusher.
• Texas has had both a 1,000-yard rusher and 500-yard rusher in all three of his seasons at UT. Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson rushed for over 1,000 and 500 yards, respectively, in 2021 and 2022, while Jonathon Brooks topped 1,000 yards this season and CJ Baxter has surpassed 500 yards on the ground this year.
Big 12 Conference Championship Game
• Saturday's game marks the 22nd Big 12 Championship Game all-time. The game was played from 1996-2010 and then resumed last season.
• UT will make its seventh appearance in the game, the second-most conference history.
• The Longhorns are 3-3 in championship games. They were victorious in 1996 (Texas 37, Nebraska 27), 2005 (Texas 70, Colorado 3) and 2009 (Texas 13, Nebraska 12). They were defeated in 1999 (Nebraska 22, Texas 6), 2001 (Colorado 39, Texas 37) and 2018 (Oklahoma 39, Texas 27)
• Oklahoma making second championship game appearance all-time. The Cowboys are 0-1, with their loss coming in 2021 at the hands of the Baylor Bears.
100th season of Texas Football at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
• 2023 marked the 100th season in which Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium at Campbell-Williams served as the home for Texas Football.
• The first game at Texas Memorial Stadium took place on Nov. 8, 1924, as the Longhorns welcomed 13,500 fans for a Southwest Conference matchup against Baylor.
• The stadium was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1924, after the UT student body decided to name the stadium in honor of the 198,520 Texans who fought in World War I and the 5,280 who lost their lives doing so.
• In 1977, the stadium was rededicated to veterans of all wars.
• The stadium was renamed in honor of College Football Hall of Fame Darrell K Royal in 1996.
• In 2020, the field, previously named for Joe Jamail, was renamed in honor of Heisman Trophy winners Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams.
• The Longhorns have an all-time record at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium of 399-122-10 (.761).
Home Sweet Home
• The Horns hosted capacity crowds in each of the final five home contests of the season.
• In the regular-season finale against Texas Tech, Texas played in front of 102,452 fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, the eighth-largest crowd in stadium history.
• The Longhorns drew over 100,000 fans to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium for the 39th time.
• Texas welcomed 102,846 fans to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the victory against Kansas State.
• The Longhorns played in a packed house at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in the victory over BYU, drawing the then-10th-largest crowd in stadium history with 101,670 in attendance.
• In UT's previous home game against Kansas, the Longhorns had 102,986 fans witness the victory over the Jayhawks, the fourth-largest crowd in stadium history.
• Two weeks prior, Texas drew 101,777 fans for the game against Wyoming.
• UT has drawn over 100,000 fans to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in 10 of the last 12 home games.
• In 2023, the Longhorns drew five of the top-12 crowds in stadium history.
• In the 13 home games since the start of the 2022 season, the Longhorns have hosted eight of the 12 largest home crowds in program history.
• UT averaged over 100,000 fans per home game for the sixth time in program history.
Drawing a Crowd
• Texas has played in front of capacity crowds in each of the last 11 games.
• At Alabama, 100,077 fans filled Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
• The following week, 101,777 Longhorns fans packed Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
• In the Big 12 opener in Waco, Baylor announced a capacity crowd of 49,165, the eighth-largest attendance figure in McClane Stadium history.
• The Longhorns drew 102,986 fans for the Big 12 home opener against Kansas, the fourth-largest crowd in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium history.
• The 2023 Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma had a capacity crowd of 92,100 fans inside the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
• In Texas' first game at Houston since 2001, the Longhorns and Cougars drew 42,812 fans to TDECU Stadium.
• The Horns welcomed 101,670 fans back to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium for the game against BYU.
• The Texas-Kansas State game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial stadium drew the fifth-largest crowd in stadium history: 102,846.
• Back on the road, Texas played in front of 50,812 fans at TCU inside Amon G. Carter Stadium.
• In the final road game of the season, 61,500 fans packed Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa for the Longhorns' game against the Cyclones.
• Texas hosted 102,452 fans at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in the regular-season finale against Texas Tech.
Raiding Texas Tech
• Texas scored in a variety of fashions in the 57-7 victory over Texas Tech in the regular-season finale.
• In the win, Texas had three rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a 43-yard interception return for a score and five field goals.
• It marked the first time since the 2022 season-opener against ULM in which UT had a special teams and defensive touchdown in the same game.
• Texas had a passing touchdown, rushing touchdown, kick return for a touchdown and a pick-6 in the same game for the first time since 2003.
• The Longhorns became the first Big 12 team in 20 years to record a blocked punt, return a kickoff for a touchdown and have a defensive touchdown in the same game.
• The 50-point margin of victory was the largest in Big 12 play for Texas since defeating Iowa State 56-3 in 2007.
• The Horns registered 302 rushing yards in the game, the second time this season UT surpassed 300 rushing yards in a game and had a trio of running back rush for at least 60 yards - Jaydon Blue (121), Savion Red (72) and Quintrevion Wisner (60).
Heisman Candidate: T'Vondre's Sweat
• Super senior DL T'Vondre Sweat has become a force in the middle of the Texas line and the way to being named a semifinalist for both the Outland Trophy and Bednarik Award.
• This season, he has established career highs with 40 total tackles, 16 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups and one blocked kick.
• Sweat has registered four or more tackles in six of 12 games this season, including a career-high seven against BYU, while collecting at least half a tackle for lost in nine games.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
"Sweat can really move at 6-4, 362 pounds. He can run, he's got great hands and strength. He will certainly be one of the top 15 picks next spring (NFL Draft)." — Joel Klatt, FOX
• Sweat has been at the forefront of Texas' stellar defensive line, helping the Longhorns hold seven opponents to fewer the 100 yards rushing this season, including a stretch of five consecutive games – the longest streak for Texas since 2009. Sweat and the Texas defense lead the nation in third-down defense (26.3%) and red zone defense (68.8%), while ranking fourth in rushing defense (85.0 ypg). The Longhorns are also 12th in scoring defense (17.2 ppg) and 27th in first downs defense (210).
• In the regular-season finale against Texas Tech, he helped lead a Longhorn defense that limited the Red Raiders to 198 yards of offense and nine punts, collecting four tackles, half a tackle for loss, one QB hurry and a pass breakup.
• At Iowa State, he led a Longhorn defense that limited the Cyclones to just nine rushing yards and also blocked a point after try that led to the first defensive two-point conversion since 2019.
• In the win at TCU, he collected four tackles (two solo) and had a sack for a loss of nine yards.
• The super senior was a force against Kansas State, collecting four tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hurry and one pass breakup.
• He had a career day in the victory over BYU, establishing a career best with seven tackles (three solo), including 1.5 tackles for loss.
• Sweat has tallied one tackle for loss in three of the first seven games and is tied for fourth on the team with four TFLs on the year.
• He recorded four tackles (three solo) with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup against Baylor after posting three tackles with one tackle for loss in the victory over Wyoming.
• At Alabama, Sweat registered one sack of the Longhorns' five sacks on the game: the most the Crimson Tide had surrendered at home since 2015.
• Against Rice in the 2023 season opener, he matched his career high with five tackles (two solo) with half a tackle for loss.
• For his career, he has totaled 123 tackles (45 solo) with 17.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 60 career games played.
X-Factor
• Junior WR/PR Xavier Worthy is one of the premier wide receivers in the Big 12 and the nation.
• On the year, he has totaled a career-high 67 receptions for 883 yards and five touchdowns. He is second in the conference in receiving yards, third in receptions, and is tied for 10th in touchdowns, while also ranking second in receiving yards per game (73.6) and third in receptions per game (5.6).
• Eleven of his 67 receptions are for at least 20 yards, including a pair of 44-yard touchdown catches, a 42-yard touchdown reception, a 44-yard reception and two 39-yard receptions.
• Worthy now has three seasons of 60-plus receptions, the second Longhorn to accomplish the feat (Roy Williams).
• He has had five receptions or more in seven of 12 games this season.
• Worthy has become one of the top return specialists in the nation and currently leads the Big 12 and is second in the FBS averaging 17.9 yards per return, which is also currently the second-best average in program history (Bobby Dillon, 22.3 ypr - 1950).
• He has had a punt return of at least 21 yards in seven of 12 games this season, including a 74-yard return for a touchdown against BYU.
• For his career, Worthy has hauled in 185 receptions for 2,575 yards and 25 touchdowns.
• The Fresno, Calif. native has caught a pass in all 37 games he has played, the third-longest streak in program history, and his 189 career receptions are the sixth-most for a Longhorn, 11 behind Mike Davis (2010-13).
• His 2,624 receiving yards are tied for fifth all-time in program history with Collin Johnson, trailing Mike Davis by 129 yards.
• He ranks third in UT history in touchdown receptions and is just one of four Longhorns to haul in at least 20 touchdown catches.
• He ranks fourth among active Power 5 players at 70.9 receiving yards per game for his career (Malik Nabers, LSU - 80.5; Rome Odunze, Washington - 79.9; Jacob Cowing, Arizona - 75.9).
• Worthy's 14.5 career punt return average ranks fourth among active FBS players and second in program history.
• His 26 career receiving touchdowns are third-most among active FBS players.
• He has eight career touchdowns of 40-plus yards (three in 2023) and 12 career receptions of 40-or-more yards.
• Worthy leads all active Big 12 players in career touchdowns (26) and receiving yards (2,624) and second in receptions (189).
• He tallied four receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown against Texas Tech, adding three punt returns for an additional 48 yards.
Quinn in Command
• Sophomore Quinn Ewers has led Texas to 15 wins in 20 starts during his first two seasons on the Forty Acres. • Ewers currently leads the Big 12 in completion percentage (69.8%), is second in passing yards per game (270.9) and third in passing efficiency (159.6), while ranking fourth in passing yards (2,709) despite missing two games due to injury. Nationally, he is eighth in completion percentage, 16th in passing efficiency, 22nd in passing yards per game and 27th in completions per game (21.3).
• In the regular-season finale against Texas Tech, he was successful on 17-of-26 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown.
• He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 10 games he has played this season.
• Ewers brought his season total to 2,709 passing yards, the 11th-most in a season in program history for a UT quarterback and 291 yards shy of becoming the sixth Longhorn QB to pass for 3,000 yards in a season.
• At Iowa State, he connected on 22-of-33 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns.
• After missing two games due to a shoulder injury, he returned to lead Texas to victory over TCU, completing 22-of-33 passes for 317 yards and one touchdown.
• It marked his sixth career 300-yard game and fourth this season.
Jahdae All Day
• Senior DB Jahdae Barron is a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist whose impact in the defensive backfield can be felt throughout the team.
• He tallied five tackles (four solo) in the victory at TCU, then collected a trio of tackles in victories at Iowa State and versus Texas Tech, adding a pass breakup against the Red Raiders.
• Barron made plays all over the field against BYU, collecting six tackles (two solo) with two tackles for loss, one pass breakup and a pass deflection that led resulted in a Terrance Brooks interception to set up Texas' second touchdown of the game.
• He was a difference-maker for the Longhorns against Houston, providing a spark with three timely tackles (two solo) and a pass breakup on the Cougars' final offensive play of the game that halted the drive at the Texas 10-yard line.
• The Austin native registered 11 tackles (five solo) with one tackle for loss in the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma.
• Barron tallied three solo tackles, including a tackle for loss, and recovered a fumble that led to a Texas touchdown.
• Against Wyoming, Barron had a then-season-high 11 tackles (six solo), 0.5 TFL and one pass breakup in the win, including four third-down plays to force fourth down - three tackles and one pass breakup.
• At Alabama, Barron set the tone for the day, intercepting a pass to shut down the Crimson Tide's first drive and returning it 16 yards to set up Texas' first score.
• Barron added four tackles (three solo) in the win in Tuscaloosa, including a third-down tackle that forced an Alabama field goal.
• In 2022, Barron tallied a career-high 78 tackles (43 solo) including a team-leading 11.5 tackles for loss while adding two interceptions, one quarterback hurry, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns (INT, FR).
• He became the first FBS defensive back since 2000 to register double-digit tackles for loss, one fumble return for a touchdown and one interception return for a touchdown in the same season.
• Posted at least five tackles in eight games last season, including three double-digit performances.
• The pair of non-offensive touchdowns gave him three for his career, two shy of Michael Huff's UT record.
