First and 10: Texas is charging ahead in the SEC while Oklahoma is struggling. What’s going on with Oregon?
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s more clear than ever: Texas football is making a comeback. This, along with Oregon’s challenges and a surprising development from Notre Dame, is the focus of this week’s First and 10.
1. Texas football lost its way but has now found it in the SEC
A reminder for those who might have forgotten just how off track Texas football was not too long ago.
The Texas Longhorns, previously the biggest names in college sports with unmatched resources and fame, actually lodged a complaint with the Big 12 because rival Oklahoma flipped their beloved Hook ‘Em sign upside down.
“Mommy, they’re being mean to us!”
This scenario could make any college football fan cringe.
It’s hard to determine what was more humiliating for the once-boisterous Texas: filing a complaint, or the Big 12 agreeing with them and penalizing that gesture.
Penalty: Team Soft.
Fast forward to today, and those memories — including the disappointing end of Mack Brown’s golden era and the false dawns under Charlie Strong and Tom Herman — seem like a distant memory.
Texas is now charging full steam into the SEC during its inaugural season in the premier conference of college football. Meanwhile, Oklahoma is trailing behind, desperately seeking solutions.
“We are capable of anything,” asserted Texas coach Steve Sarkisian on Monday during his weekly press briefing. “We are entitled to nothing.”
Welcome back, Texas.
It feels as though this program has been pulled into a unique football vortex since joining the SEC, a league that offers unmatched advantages. The once-demanding program is now seizing opportunities left and right.
In contrast, bitter rival Oklahoma, which seems to have entered the SEC scene thanks to Texas, is struggling — despite its historical dominance over Texas since the formation of the Big 12 in 1994.
Even with two losses to the Sooners in three matchups, Sarkisian is doing well in almost every aspect: top-tier recruiting, developing NFL prospects, and significantly changing the long-standing perception of Texas football.
Elite talent alongside elite coaching. It’s clear where this is heading.
2. What’s happening with Oklahoma football?
In every situation, there’s a reaction to the action. Unfortunately for Oklahoma, that reaction looks like bad football.
Last weekend’s game wrapped up with Oklahoma registering just 252 total yards, punting eight times, and averaging only 5.2 yards per pass attempt—winning by a mere four points against Houston.
This performance highlighted a growing sentiment, whether justified or not, that Texas has risen as the new darling of the SEC while the Sooners seem to be just along for the ride.
Despite Oklahoma and coach Brent Venables having bested Texas in two of their three matchups, and even with Texas suffering one of its losses last season to the Sooners, doubt lingers in and around Norman.
Despite the struggles in Venables’ first season, Oklahoma played competitively last year, losing two games by a total of just eight points. However, they faced heavy criticism after being outmatched by Arizona in the Alamo Bowl and facing boos from fans during the lackluster victory over a Houston team that had recently lost badly to UNLV.
If this is concerning, wait until you see what’s coming: After this weekend’s home match against Tulane, Oklahoma will face its first SEC opponent, the formidable Tennessee.
It was Tennessee’s coach Josh Heupel, an Oklahoma alum who played quarterback during their 2000 national championship season, who helped to launch Oklahoma’s two decades of dominance over Texas, ultimately leading to his dismissal as offensive coordinator in 2014 — something he still carries motivation from.
3. Texas is back, But what’s next?
Championships are often achieved by teams with elite players. This is why schools like Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia have ruled the first decade of the College Football Playoff.
And this trend is why Texas is genuinely making a comeback.
Sarkisian’s initial four recruiting classes at Texas have been ranked 15th, 5th, 3rd, and 6th nationally, according to 247Sports composite rankings.
“It’s all about acquiring talent,” Sarkisian remarked in July. “How many impact players can we bring in, and how well can we develop them to work as a cohesive unit?”
This is especially important for the key position on the field.
The current Texas quarterback, Quinn Ewers, was the top recruit of 2021 and is considered a first-round prospect for the 2025 NFL draft. His backup, Arch Manning, held the title of top recruit in 2023.
Since 2016, Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson have collectively secured six national championships and have produced four first-round quarterbacks during that time. Every quarterback from those triumphant teams is now playing in the NFL: Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence, and Stetson Bennett.
After Lincoln Riley’s departure to Southern California following the 2021 season, Oklahoma’s offense has struggled to maintain its previous success. Even during the past two seasons with Dillon Gabriel, the performance hasn’t reached the high standards set during the reigns of notable players like Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Baker Mayfield.
Meanwhile, Texas has embraced Oklahoma’s offensive style while adding a strong and confident defense, overtaking the Sooners in the process.
4. Notre Dame and the Lost Intangibles
In college football, the competition has shifted towards a balance of talent versus experience and chemistry. The recipe for success now often includes a mix of high school recruits and transfer portal additions meant to produce immediate wins.
However, this approach frequently misses the foundational elements of championship teams: the intangible aspects of leadership and team chemistry that develop organically. A prime example is the shocking loss of Notre Dame to Northern Illinois.
Notre Dame’s roster includes 12 players who are either true freshmen or are transfers from the portal, compared to just one true freshman on Northern Illinois’ roster, which boasts plenty of seasoned upperclassmen.
While talent remains crucial, once emotion and motivation come into play, a game expected to be a straightforward matchup can turn intense. This mirrors the experience in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, where teams loaded with one-and-done players can be upset by mid-major teams full of experienced players who have developed together over multiple years.
5. The Weekly Five: Southern California’s Strength
Here are five teams currently exceeding expectations … or not:
1. USC: New defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has allowed just 20 points in two games, while quarterback Miller Moss steps into the spotlight as the latest in a line of successful Riley quarterbacks.
2. Iowa State: Set up for success in the following six games against Arkansas State, Houston, Baylor, West Virginia, Central Florida, and Texas Tech.
3. Vanderbilt: With a victory over Georgia State, the Commodores will achieve a 3-0 record for the first time since 2017.
4. Syracuse: Ohio State cut ties with QB Kyle McCord, but he has revitalized his career with Syracuse.
5. San Jose State: New head coach Ken Niumatalolo is moving beyond a strict triple-option style offense.
6. An NFL Scout’s Analysis of Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan
This week, an anonymous NFL scout provides insights on Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, a draft-eligible player.
“He’s tall, long, and strong. While he may not be the fastest, he excels in every other aspect. We often focus too much on speed to stretch defenses and overlook the true essence of the position: creating separation and executing both tough and routine catches. McMillan stands at 6-feet-5, boasts a large catch radius, and exhibits excellent body control.”
7. Power Play: Tennessee on the Rise
This week’s College Football Playoff Poll (showing the 12-team ranking and the first four teams out) — with one key takeaway.
1. Georgia: After Kentucky’s lackluster performance against South Carolina, the Bulldogs are now set to face the reigning champions.
2. Ohio State: There’s a lot of talk about an offense that has faced two extremely weak defenses, Akron and Western Michigan.
3. Miami: The defense is performing impressively with eight sacks, five forced turnovers, and only allowing an 18.1% conversion rate on third downs.
4. Oklahoma State: Don’t ignore the potential of a struggling Tulsa team ahead of their Big 12 matchup with Utah.
5. Texas: The highly anticipated game against Georgia on October 19 can’t come soon enough.
6. Ole Miss: Quarterback Jaxson Dart is impressively averaging 14.7 yards per pass attempt.
7. USC: They have two weeks to get ready for their first Big Ten matchup at Michigan.
8. Tennessee: If you’re still skeptical about quarterback Nico Iamaleava and the Volunteers, maybe it’s time to reconsider.
9. Alabama: Consistency remains key: the Crimson Tide has recorded 14 pass breakups, 13 quarterback pressures, and five sacks.
10. Penn State: Is the struggle against Bowling Green just a fluke, or a concerning trend?
11. Missouri: After some easy wins, it’s finally time to see if Mizzou is legitimate against Boston College.
12. Oregon: The Ducks have racked up 17 penalties, with only five other Power Four conference teams having more infractions.
13. LSU: Consistency continues to be a concern, ranking 107th nationally in yards per play (6.18) and 95th in third-down conversion (40.9%).
14. Utah: Quarterback Cam Rising has seven touchdowns, no interceptions, and averages 11.9 yards per pass attempt.
15. Clemson: Was it premature to give up on quarterback Cade Klubnick and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley?
16. Kansas State: Time to unleash dynamic quarterback Avery Johnson.
8. Mailbag: Concerns About Oregon?
Matt: Please be gentle. Should I be worried about my Ducks? — Mindy Baker, Seattle.
Mindy: One bad game can be chalked up to luck, but two raises some serious concerns about a talented team struggling to play cohesively.
After facing Idaho and Boise State, Oregon ranks 84th in the nation for scoring defense (allowing 24 points per game) and 72nd for scoring offense (30.5 points per game). The major issue this season lies in the area where head coach Dan Lanning had the most success during his early tenure: the lines of scrimmage.
The Ducks are struggling to dominate at the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, with the offensive line performing particularly poorly. Challenges include missed assignments, penalties (like false starts and holding), bad snaps, poor technique from offensive tackles while passing, and a perceived lack of effort from the inner offensive line.
9. The Numbers Game: Meet Jahvaree Ritzie
5. NFL scouts refer to this year as a “money year” — a crucial final season where players aim to maximize their draft potential. College coaches see it as a chance for development, noting that some players take time to realize their full potential.
Enter North Carolina DT Jahvaree Ritzie, who, despite only eight career starts and 2.5 career sacks across three prior seasons, is making his mark.
Currently, he stands at the forefront of the nation’s defensive line, leading the pack with five sacks as a lineman. The wild and somewhat ludicrous prediction? Ritzie could be on track for a staggering 30 sacks this season.
The University of North Carolina’s record for sacks in a single season is held by Lawrence Taylor, who achieved 16 in 1980. If the UNC team manages to play 13 games this season (including a bowl game), Ritzie would need to secure one sack per game to match Taylor’s record.
10. Final Thoughts: Freshmen Stars Ryan Williams and Cam Coleman Shine in Receiving
In a sport dominated by quarterbacks, the focus often shifts heavily towards that key position, overshadowing other offensive players.
Here’s the spotlight on an incredibly gifted freshman receiving class.
After just two games, top recruits Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Cam Coleman (Auburn), Ryan Williams (Alabama), and Bryant Wesco Jr. (Clemson) have collectively made 25 receptions, scoring eight touchdowns.
Even more astonishing is their average of 26.7 yards per catch, with standout plays measuring 84, 76, 70, 55, and 51 yards. They’ve also combined for four plays that each exceed 41 yards.
As we enter the early stages of the season, this group is undeniably a highlight to watch.
Matt Hayes serves as the national college football writer for YSL News Sports Network. Follow him on X at MattHayesCFB.