The Stand: A detailed recap of Oklahoma's 4th quarter goal line stop against Texas

DALLAS – It will be remembered as The Stand.

During the 2023 Red River Rivalry game between Oklahoma and Texas, there were multiple spectacular plays and moments. There were interceptions, fake punts, punt blocks for touchdowns, fumble recoveries, and a game-winning drive as the Sooners came away with a 34-30 win in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. But one that most fans and players will probably never forget is the four-play goal-line stand that Oklahoma was able to hold in the second half of the matchup.

For a team that’s been outstanding on the defensive side of the ball all season, the one-stand was validation for everything the team has done and epitomized a complete defensive turnaround from last year when the Sooners gave up 49 points in the game. Against the odds, against a good team, back against the wall, Oklahoma was able to come away with not one but four stops in front of a national audience.

“We were definitely confident in our ability to make a stand like that,” Oklahoma linebacker Jaren Kanak said. “It’s something we pride ourselves on as a defense, being able to buckle down. Don’t bend and to hold off on that. That’s something we’re very excited to do.”

The situation was a dire one for the Sooners whenever it came about. Oklahoma was up just one touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Texas’ quarterback Quinn Ewers completed a 28-yard pass to Jordan Whittington. That set the Longhorns up with a first and goal on OU’s 1-yard line.

In a short yardage situation, Texas gave the ball to the Big 12's leading rusher Jonathon Brooks. But on the first effort, Kip Lewis stopped the try. On the second Brooks run, Lewis and Dasan McCullough again kept him out of the endzone. Then it was Danny Stutsman and McCullough stopping Brooks for the third time. Failing on the ground, the Longhorns went to the air on 4th and goal from two yards out. Ewers threw a screen pass to Texas’ top receiver Xavier Worthy, and as the junior turned upfield, Billy Bowman Jr. and McCullough dove in and made a hit and contorted Worthy’s body just inches away from the goal line to force a turnover on downs.

“First off, Coach did a tremendous job game planning that exact scenario,” Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman said. “We put together a perfect package for that situation. We had young guys like Kip Lewis who came in and were ready to play. He was locked in, dialed in. At the end of the day, in a situation like that, it comes down to heart and how bad someone wants it. How bad a team can really come together and generate a push. I think the guys up front did a tremendous job all four snaps of just giving it all they've got one snap at a time. Guys like Kip Lewis, Jaren (Kanak), Dasan (McCullough), Billy (Bowman) and all those guys did a tremendous job of trusting their job, trusting their fit. When they came back down, explode through it. And I think at the end of the day that was the outcome that happened.”

With the scheme and everything set for the Sooners in their practice leading up to the game, it all became about execution and willpower. And that’s something the defense has not lacked this year.

“It’s called lining up and trying to whoop the man in front of you,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Ted Roof said, “then getting off blocks and tackling the ball, get some hats to the ball so they don’t fall forward. That was a big deal, because we had some guys getting off blocks, gang-tackling that kept him from falling forward that allowed us to have a great goal-line stand…

“I saw a lot of physicality,” Roof continued. “I saw a lot of fight. I saw a lot of strain. Billy’s a great player for us. Those situations come up, and great players seem to find a way to make a play, and he sure did, and what a big play in the ballgame that was.”

Down in the trenches, the Sooners were battling against a good Texas offensive line along with Texas’ 6-foot-1, 308-pound defensive lineman Byron Murphy II, who checked into the game as a lead blocker/fullback for Brooks.

“We practiced that,” Ethan Downs said. “We were ready for it. That was just our guts and our hearts pouring out playing the game. Kudos to Texas. They’re a great team, awesome, very talented. We just kept pushing. Opportunity to get a goal line stop like that was very rewarding for us as a defense. It proved a lot. We’re just buying in closer and closer as a family.”

With everything they’ve accomplished this season, Oklahoma heads into the bye week with a top-10 red-zone defense nationally and the top-rated unit in the Big 12. And now, doing it against a good opponent, no one can take that away from them so far this season.

“We’ve been proving it all year,” Peyton Bowen said, “our defense has gotten 10 times better and we proved it against a great offensive team who has won big games already this year. And we came out there with the mentality that we’re not gone give up like that. Like they get to the goal line but we not gone let you win. Shut that door right away. So, it was a great feeling to get that goal line stand, just make all those plays defensively, it was great.”