Brent Venables praises Peyton Bowen's leadership after Texas upset

The Oklahoma Sooners hope the win over the then-No. 1 Texas Longhorns will fuel a resurgence after a rough 3-2 start. However, the last time Oklahoma defeated Texas, its season collapsed.

That was in 2023, when Oklahoma beat Texas 34-30 on a last-minute drive by quarterback Dillon Gabriel. However, the team didn't handle that success well. After that game, the Sooners narrowly escaped the UCF Knights, 31-29. They would then lose their next two games to the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the final Bedlam matchup for the foreseeable future.

Safety Peyton Bowen was on that team and reportedly spoke to the team after this win to make sure that kind of collapse doesn't happen again. Head coach Brent Venables praised that leadership.

"When your players are leading from the front, it just hits different," Venables said. "Again, I've been promoting and applauding Peyton for his leadership for some time now; just his growth and maturation- that was as good a moment as I've seen from him."

Bowen's leadership could prove valuable as Oklahoma looks to avoid repeating 2023's mistakes. The win over Texas gave the Sooners a much-needed boost, but keeping that momentum will require the same focus and accountability that helped them pull off the upset. Experienced players who understand how quickly a promising season can shift give Venables another way to keep the team grounded.

With the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats next on the schedule, Oklahoma has an immediate opportunity to show it has learned from the past. If the Sooners can channel the energy from the rivalry win into another disciplined performance, they can begin building the consistency needed to climb back into the rankings and strengthen their postseason hopes. Bowen's message has set the tone; now the team must carry it onto the field.