Will Arch Manning and the Longhorns wear the Golden Hat again after Saturday’s game vs. Oklahoma?
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
It’s Texas-OU in Dallas, but that’s not the only big game this weekend. Texas A&M is at Missouri and can’t afford a third loss in the SEC. Georgia is at Alabama and the winner could claim No. 1.
The Houston Chronicle’s Kirk Bohls and Austin American-Statesman’s Cedric Golden tackle the top 10 topics in college football this week:
Is there a chance Oklahoma catches top-ranked Texas napping in Dallas?
BOHLS: Not a chance. The Longhorns know better than to be overconfident in this rivalry game, but this promises to be a competitive first half before Texas’ superior offense takes charge in a 20-6 win and keeps the Sooners out of the end zone for the fourth time in five years.
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GOLDEN: The Horns would have to be in Rip Van Winkle REM sleep to lose this one, given what is ahead on the schedule. They must bank this win knowing a string of ranked opponents is coming up in Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Missouri. Oklahoma has one of the most inept offenses since coach Bob Stoops turned things around at the turn of the century so the Horns should be able to take full advantage despite some of its own offensive struggles. The Sooners will show a pulse, but Texas will pull away for a 31-17 win.
2. If the Sooners lose and OU decides to fire Brent Venables, who would the crimson look to hire?
BOHLS: I got two for new OU AD Roger Denny. He could strike a dagger into the heart of Oklahoma State fans everywhere and hire away first-year head coach Eric Morris or think out of the box and grab a proven Willie Fritz from Houston.
GOLDEN: Good question as we ponder why athletic director Roger Denny was so hellbent on giving him a six-year contract extension. If they’re looking to restore the offense to previous program standard, why not reach into the family tree and bring back Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, who tutored Sam Bradford to a Heisman Trophy in 2008? Heupel is having his own offensive issues in Knoxville — the Vols are last in passing offense among SEC teams — but a change of scenery might be the tonic to get both sides back to putting up some numbers.
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3. What will be the biggest stat in the Cotton Bowl game?
BOHLS: It has to be takeaways. The Sooners are a minus-6 while Texas is at zero with as many takeaways and giveaways.
GOLDEN: Turnover margin. Neither defense is taking the ball away at a record rate. Texas is at zero in turnover margin and OU is minus-6 — the third-worst among the 138 teams in FBS. The one that can give its struggling offense a shorter field will be standing tall at the end. This has the feel of a low-scoring affair — Vegas has the over/under hovering around 39 — but there will still be some opportunities for fireworks.
4. Name two Longhorn players who could become a legend Saturday?
BOHLS: I think it’s inevitable that Colin Simmons makes a name — OK, a bigger name — for himself by making the biggest plays of Saturday and can see linebacker Rasheem Biles do the same because he is always around the ball.
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GOLDEN: Colin Simmons and Cam Coleman. Simmons is already one of the most unblockable edge rushers in America, but he will ascend to even loftier status when he follows up 5½ sack performance at Tennessee with four more in his hometown. Coleman has been eerily quiet since catching just one pass for 30 yards in Knoxville. The high-priced wideout is poised for an explosion. He will get loose for six catches for 120 yards and a couple of touchdowns in front of a national audience.
Missouri wide receiver Donovan Olugbode (1) is congratulated by quarterback Austin Simmons (13) after scoring during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Columbia, Mo.
Jeff Roberson/AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
5. Does surging Missouri experience the same mental hangover over a big win as Florida and Mississippi State did or take care of business against Texas A&M?
BOHLS: I bet they do, but still survives a very tight game and wins 28-20 because the Tigers have the better quarterback in Austin Simmons, who has thrown 13 touchdown passes without a pick and is on fire.
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GOLDEN: The oddsmakers have installed the Tigers as a 4½-point favorite at home, which is a tighter point spread than I saw coming. The Aggies spanked the Tigers 38-17 in Columbia last season, but the 2026 Tigers have found a nice groove under lefty QB Austin Simmons, who has thrown 13 touchdowns with zero interceptions. In close games, I go with the better quarterback, and Simmons is playing lights out as opposed to A&M’s Marcel Reed, who has been up and down. I’ll take the Tigers 27-24.
6. Is the Georgia-Alabama game a preview of the SEC championship, and does the winner ascend to No. 1?
BOHLS: I would say it probably is because I think the whole country doesn’t believe in the Longhorns and is waiting for Texas to stumble. Those other two look like the two most balanced teams on both sides of the ball and there’s a great chance both could wind up in Atlanta in December.
GOLDEN: I would say yes, but the Bulldogs haven’t played anybody, and the Longhorns still haven’t played their most complete game despite a No. 1 overall ranking. Alabama QB Keelon Russell has roared up the Heisman Trophy oddsmakers’ charts and for good reason. The Duncanville product has 10 touchdowns and no interceptions over his last three games. The winner will get my No. 1 nod if the Longhorns lose or win a close one against Oklahoma. Give me Bama by six at the house.
7. Who is your lock of the week?
BOHLS: Give me rising UCLA plus 11½ to give a Dante Moore-less Oregon fits and maybe even pull the outright upset.
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GOLDEN: We’ve been doing these locks for three weeks now and I’m 0-3. Do yourself a favor and pick opposite of the horrible stuff I’m putting down but since you asked, I’ll take the Longhorns to cover that eight-point spread in Dallas. They own this rivalry right now.
8. Name a national pretender you just don’t believe in?
BOHLS: I just don’t see it in Texas Tech yet. Sure, the 11th-ranked Red Raiders are 5-0, but they have yet to wow me. Besides they have had one of the easiest Power 4 schedules of anybody, ranked between 65th and 71st.
GOLDEN: The No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders are 5-0 with one of the easiest remaining schedules in the country, but that defense just isn’t as scary without those elite linebackers David Bailey and Eric Rodriguez. The Raiders have a great path to win the Big 12 I don’t expect them to last in the College Football Playoff for long.
9. Because Group of 6 teams are 3-73 against Power 4 conference teams, should the highest-ranked G6 team be guaranteed a CFP berth?
BOHLS: Yes, they should. The playoff wouldn’t be the same without a representative from the G6 leagues. And once the field grows to 24, you can bet there will be two to three of the James Madisons of the world.
GOLDEN: It doesn’t hurt to throw a good G6 team a bone in an 12-team playoff even though the odds are stacked against pulling an upset in the postseason. The record doesn’t surprise me given the huge disparity in money, facilities and visibility when compared with these Power 4 football factories. Give the little guy a shot at it. No harm there.
10. What’s the one coachspeak quote you hate the most?
BOHLS: Boy, where to start? For me, it’s a tie between “We just need to be the best version of ourselves” and “(Fill in the blank team) is a great team. Big, fast, strong and well-coached.” Team X has just had some unlucky breaks in their 0-5 season.
GOLDEN: How about “No one gave us a chance to win this game” when the whole world knows you were favored to win. The self-manufactured us-against-the-world cliches always seem to roll out after a team rebounds from a loss. I try not to publish many because it can become redundant and in most cases, disingenuous.