Oklahoma overcomes 21-point deficit to defeat Texas in the Red River Rivalry (2024)

There was only one way for the wild 117th edition of the Red River Rivalry to end and, it was a last-second touchdown.

With 10 seconds left and Oklahoma looking to improve its spot for a game-winning field goal attempt in the game’s final ticks, Sooners running back Kennedy Brooks took a direct snap, saw a hole and took it, bringing it 33 yards to the house and giving Oklahoma the 55-48 win in one of this year’s craziest and most exciting games.

The Sooners played catch-up all afternoon. Their greatest deficit was 21 points at the end of the first quarter. But after replacing Spencer Rattler with backup freshman Caleb Williams to begin the third quarter, Oklahoma spent the back half of the game chipping away at the Texas lead.

MARVIN MIMS. UNREAL.

(via @CBSSports)
pic.twitter.com/OKfWEfqL60

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 9, 2021

Williams finished the day 15-for-24 with 211 yards and two touchdowns. His top receiver was Marvin Mims who finished with 136 yards and a wild pair of touchdowns. Brooks put up impressive numbers rushing, running for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

Texas put up a day to be proud of on offense, too. Quarterback Casey Thompson chucked the ball all over the field, going 20-for-34 with 388 yards and five touchdowns. Xavier Worthy put up a whopping 261 yards receiving with two touchdowns. Joshua Moore added two receiving touchdowns as well. On the rushing end of things, Bijan Robinson posted 137 yards and a touchdown.

Oklahoma continues to slightly edge out teams and improves its win streak to 14 dating back to last year, while Thompson’s unbeaten streak as Texas' starting QB ends at three.

Both teams leave the Cotton Bowl Saturday with big questions. For the Longhorns, it’s how far do they fall in the top 25? For the Sooners, the future of Spencer Rattler remains very much up in the air.

KENNEDY BROOKS WINS IT FOR THE SOONERS.

Instant classic. pic.twitter.com/X1leBrk6D4

See Also

Oklahoma vs. Texas final score, results: Sooners use last-minute rally to down Longhorns in Red River Showdown | Sporting NewsOklahoma vs. Texas: Series history, scores, all-time gamesOU football vs. Texas: Four takeaways from Sooners' comeback win in Red River Rivalry

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 9, 2021

Kennedy Brooks came as close as one could to a walk off touchdown.

With just 10 seconds left and Oklahoma looking for better field position for a last-second kick, Kennedy Brooks took a direct snap straight to the house to give the Sooners the lead and, eventually, the win.

Two touchdowns for Brooks on the day. Hard to find a better time for one than this.

CASEY THOMPSON TO XAVIER WORTHY! TIE BALL GAME!

*whispers* too much time on the clock pic.twitter.com/h5AyxSzYNd

— Hudson Standish (@247Hudson) October 9, 2021

With under three minutes to play, Texas QB Casey Thompson led the Longhorns all the way down the field and capped it off with a 31-yard toss to Xavier Worthy for a touchdown. It was Worthy's second TD on the day.

The game is tied, 48-48.

What is going on… Oklahoma now has the lead. Kennedy Brooks goes 18 yards for the TD. Great blocking by the offensive line.

OKLAHOMA 48
TEXAS 41

https://t.co/xJbsZFi3Zm

— Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) October 9, 2021

Oh. My. Goodness.

After an incredible 52-yard touchdown by Marvin Mims, Oklahoma forced Xavier Worthy to fumble the ensuing kick off and recovered the ball at the Texas 18 yard line.

All it took was one play and Kennedy Brooks took it into the end zone for the touchdown, putting Oklahoma in the lead for the first time all afternoon.

Oklahoma leads, 48-41.

CALEB WILLIAMS JUST MADE ONE OF THE GREATEST THROWS EVER TO MARVIN MIMS! pic.twitter.com/9yh8pO8EA7

— Zak (@CaramelPhd) October 9, 2021

Oklahoma did it.

Down 18 heading into the second half, the comeback was completed when Caleb Williams reared back and tossed a 52-yard bomb to Marvin Mims who fell back into the end zone to make it 41-39.

Then Spencer Rattler came back in for the two-point conversion and successfully completed it to make it 41-41.

Buckle up for the rest of this fourth quarter.

Oklahoma gets the game to within a score on Gabe Brkic's 26-yard field goal.

Texas leads, 41-33.

Caleb Williams drops the snap, shows great poise & then delivers a nice pass to Marvin Mims for the TD. What a turn of events. Oklahoma is only down 11 late in the 3rd quarter. Still plenty of game left.

OKLAHOMA 30
TEXAS 41

https://t.co/VGB6wJyNeF

— Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) October 9, 2021

After fumbling the snap, Oklahoma QB Caleb Williams stepped forward and fired a bullet to receiver Marvin Mims for a 14-yard touchdown, cutting the Texas lead to 41-30.

It's a huge play for Williams who took over for Spencer Rattler to start the second half.

Texas kicker Cameron Dicker nailed a 41-yard field goal in the final minutes of the third quarter.

The Longhorns lead, 41-23.

Oklahoma QB Caleb Williams got his squad all the way to the Texas 12 yard line, but couldn't get any further, forcing Gabe Brkic to come out and kick a 29-yard field goal.

Texas leads, 38-23.

If you enjoy action-packed football, the first half of this year’s Red River Rivalry would be right in your wheelhouse. Especially if you’re a Longhorns fan.

Texas leads 38-20 after the first two quarters. The Longhorns were powered by a very fast start, scoring a 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the game, blocking a punt a minute later and then Bijan Robinson running in a TD to make it 14-0 all within the first two minutes of the game.

Longhorns QB Casey Thompson passed for four touchdowns and 244 yards in the first half. His top rusher was Robinson who sits at 102 yards and a touchdown so far on the day. Xavier Worthy has been the top receiver, catching three passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Joshua Moore has two TDs.

Oklahoma hasn’t been as effective. QB Spencer Rattler is 8-for-15 with 111 yards and an interception. Backup Caleb Williams came in for Rattler twice in the second quarter. Williams is 2-for-5 with 32 yards passing. His highlight came rushing for a 66-yard touchdown on a 4th and 1 in the second quarter.

The story to watch in the second half will be if the Sooners decide to go with Williams over Rattler. If they do, then it’ll be whether or not Williams can overcome the 18-point deficit.

After not being able to convert on third down, Oklahoma elected to kick a field goal, which kicker Gabe Brkic drilled from 35 yards out.

Spencer Rattler was replaced by Caleb Williams for the drive.

Texas leads, 35-20.

My word, what a run by Bijan Robinson pic.twitter.com/KQge80cET9

— Joey Hayden (@_joeyhayden) October 9, 2021

Bijan Robinson is one of the best running backs in the nation. He put that on full display in an incredible 50-yard run Saturday afternoon.

Robinson took it down to the Oklahoma 2 yard line, setting the stage for Casey Thompson's TD pass to Jared Wiley.

Texas leads, 35-17.

After failing to convert on third down, Oklahoma elected to send out kicker Gabe Brkic for a 40-yard field goal, which he made.

Texas still leads 28-17.

Caleb Williams ➡️🏠. pic.twitter.com/xqHEwzbqRe

— 𝕺𝖐𝖑𝖆𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖆 𝖛𝖘. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖑𝖉 (@soonergridiron) October 9, 2021

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley made the switch to begin the second quarter, inserting backup quarterback Caleb Williams in for Spencer Rattler on a 4th and 1.

On Williams's first play under center, he rushed it 66 yards to the end zone to cut the Texas lead to 28-14.

Texas couldn’t have drawn up a better start if it tried.

First play of the game: a 75-yard touchdown from Casey Thompson to Xavier Worthy to make it 7-0 Longhorns.

Next: an Oklahoma three-and-out.

Then: Texas blocked the ensuing punt, starting its drive from the 2 yard line. Bijan Robinson finished it off by rushing in a touchdown. 14-0 Texas.

Oklahoma responded with a successful drive of its own, ending with Spencer Rattler rushing for a score to cut the Texas lead to 14-7. But then just a couple of minutes later, B.J. Foster intercepted Rattler and the Longhorns scored on the next drive when Thompson connected with Joshua Moore for a 10-yard score.

That wouldn’t be the last time Thompson found Moore for a touchdown in the first quarter.

With 1:02 left in the quarter, Moore broke past the Oklahoma secondary and Thompson let a pass fly for a 48-yard touchdown.

Texas ended the first quarter up 28-7.