NORMAN — Oklahoma has already faced a couple of great offenses through five weeks.

But this Saturday (2:30 p.m. ABC), No. 1 Texas is poised to present the Sooners their biggest challenge of the season.

The Longhorns rank fifth nationally in points per game (45.0), fifth in total offense (513.4 yards per game) and ninth in yards per play (7.2) — all better marks than any opponent the Sooners have faced yet. High-powered attacks have been a staple of Steve Sarkisian's offenses, and that's what they've showed through five games. But they haven't faced a defense like Oklahoma, which ranks 12th in points per game (16.0) and 25th in total defense (324.2 yards per game).

However, the Longhorns are also positioned to attack one of the lone weaknesses of OU's defense — surrendering big passing plays.

The Longhorns have been one of the more explosive aerial attacks in the country. They rank 19th in yards per completion (14.0) and ninth in yards per attempt (10.0). They've completed 25 passes of 20 yards or more, which ranks eighth nationally.

As good as OU's defense has been, that's where they've been vulnerable. Over the last three games, the Sooners are surrendering 14.4 yards per completion, which ranks 120th nationally during that span. Last week against Auburn, the Sooners surrendered eight passing plays of 15 yards or more, including touchdowns plays of 31 and 48 yards. The week prior, Tennessee connected on four plays of at least 38 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown.

OU coach Brent Venables knows that's an area they've gotta get cleaned up.

"It usually starts with fundamentals, and we've got to make a play on the ball," Venables said. "Just go play the ball. I think one time we speed turned and we squatted instead of speed turning, keeping our depth, and they ran by us again. You gotta take the guessing out of it. Then another time, we got help underneath, inside post, and we lost leverage to the outside, the only place that you can't lose leverage.

"Good players, a veteran quarterback, you will find yourself in a learning opportunity. Maybe miss a tackle or two on some underneath stuff that could be better. We had another adjustment early on a drive... I take nothing away (from those teams). Takes execution. A guy throwing, a guy, catching, a guy protecting it, things of that nature. But just got to do better. And I addressed the things after both games, but nothing changed after we had an opportunity to go back and watch it again."

One positive for the Sooners is they're very familiar with Texas QB Quinn Ewers, who'll be making his third start in the Red River Rivalry. In his last two starts against Oklahoma, he's averaged 317.5 yards per game, thrown five touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 76% of his passes. Ewers averaged 230 passing yards per game while throwing eight touchdowns and two interceptions the first three weeks, though missed the last two games with an injury.

But this year, he has an abundant of weapons at his disposal. Isaiah Bond has been used all over the field, leading the team with 20 receptions for 364 yards (18 per reception) and three touchdowns. Ryan Wingo, listed at 6-foot-2, leads the team with 22.5 yards per reception and gives the Longhorns size on the perimeter.

One way the Sooners have countered explosive passing plays has been forcing turnovers. They've picked off five passes and have 13 takeaways on the year, which ranks fifth nationally.

"It's gonna be a challenge," OU safety Billy Bowman said. "(They have) some great receivers, got depth, got good young guys, got experience. But it's gonna be a challenge. And we're not backing down from nobody, so we're ready."

The vertical passing attack will put the Sooners' secondary rotation into focus. Gentry Williams will miss his fourth straight game with a shoulder injury. Woodi Washington, Kani Walker and Dez Malone have taken the bulk of the cornerback reps, though all have had ups and downs this season. True freshman Eli Bowen has been the Sooners' highest-graded cornerback and played a season-high 29 snaps against Auburn, and it'll be interesting to see if the Sooners throw him into the fire against Texas.

One thing the Sooners could do to mess up Texas' rhythm is putting pressure on Ewers. The Sooners rank fifth in sacks per game (3.6) — led by R Mason Thomas' 5.5 sacks — and Ewers has only been pressured on 17 of his 84 drop backs. It could be tough sledding against a Texas offensive line that has the highest-graded pass blocking this season, per Pro Football Focus, but Venables knows the Sooners can't afford to let Ewers sit back in the pocket.

“They got quarterbacks who can push the ball down the field," Venables said. "They have aggressive play design. They’ve always been an explosive offense… Wherever Sarkisian’s been, he’s trying to take the top off the defense from the jump. You put a lot of stress on people and it’s not just taking chunk shots. He’s got good play designs. Other outlets within those schemes. It’s not an all-or-none approach.They do a nice job with how they’re protecting and things of that nature to buy them time to do that too.

"We’ve been a much more disciplined team on defense through the first half of the season in regards to giving up explosive plays. We don’t want to give up any. And we’ve got to do a better job. We’re only going to continue to get challenged, starting with this week as we move forward.”

Given OU's offensive struggles — and the likelihood that the Sooners could again be without their top five wideouts — the defense is going to have to step up. The biggest part of that will be not allowing the Longhorns to push the ball downfield.

The Sooners are confident they're up to the challenge.

"They haven't played a defense like (us) this year," OU DE Trace Ford said. "I'm just excited to play against them and see what we do against a high-powered offense like they are."

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