Nobody who plays for, works for or roots for Oklahoma football will forget the Sooners’ thrilling 34-30 victory over archrival Texas in Saturday’s latest “Red River Showdown” any time soon. And two Oklahoma linebackers are making sure they never forget what they accomplished against the then-No. 3 ranked Longhorns.
Danny Stutsman and Jaren Kanak debuted new matching tattoos of the Texas logo upside down on Sunday. The iconic longhorn is featured on each player’s left thigh — upside down, evoking the famous “Horns Down” troll sign.
[Update 10/10: Stutsman told reporters Tuesday that the tattoos are “fake” and not permanent, which Kanak later confirmed on social media.]
Stutsman also went viral during Oklahoma’s postgame celebration, smoking a cigar while wearing the rivalry’s golden hat trophy in the locker room.
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Kanak and Stutsman both have a lot to celebrate, as both played major roles for head coach Brent Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, one year after Oklahoma lost 49-0 to Texas in the 2022 edition of the game.
Kanak had 13 total tackles, the most of anyone on either team, including seven solo tackles and one sack on star Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. Stutsman was tied for third-most on the Sooners with nine total tackles, including six solo and 1.5 sacks of his own. Both played a part in Oklahoma’s dramatic goal-line stand early in the fourth quarter, where the Sooners stopped the Longhorns on four straight plays from within the one-yard line.
The Sooners are now ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and suddenly look like a very strong candidate to return to the College Football playoff in Venables’ second season back in Norman. Venables, the former Oklahoma and Clemson defensive coordinator, returned to Oklahoma as the Sooners’ head coach in 2021 after Lincoln Riley’s stunning departure for USC. Oklahoma has been to the College Football Playoff four times under Riley and predecessor Bob Stoops but has yet to win a game there.
No. 12 Oklahoma Upsets No. 3 Texas in Red River Rivalry
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The Sooners moved up eight spots to No. 4 in the latest AP Poll after their win, while Texas dropped six spots to No. 9.
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