Oklahoma bracing for Texas' elite pass rusher Colin Simmons in Cotton Bowl clash

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Even before his viral in-game celebration against Tennessee, Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons was making a name for himself as one of the best defensive players in college football.

Simmons' vulgar antics drew a penalty and a loud rebuke online. And it ultimately prompted an apology from the Texas athletic director to the fanbase over the whole episode.

But the sack celebration was just one moment in a day when Simmons evolved into a bona fide game wrecker for the No. 1 Longhorns. Now the Oklahoma Sooners have to try to figure out how to stop him on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

It's a big ask. The Sooners' offensive line has struggled to protect quarterback John Mateer, who has already been battered and bruised this season.

“The Texas pass rush is special. Everybody knows No. 1,” Sooners offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said. “Unreal talent, plays his butt off. Extremely twitchy. Can definitely be a game changer if you let him be a game changer.”

A preseason All-American, Simmons started this season with 21 career sacks. At 6-foot-3, 246 pounds he's an elite edge rusher with a combination of speed and strength.

Supported by a strong defensive front in the middle, the defensive schemes under new coordinator Will Muschamp have unleashed Simmons to maximize his ability to get to opposing quarterbacks.

Simmons had a sack in Texas' come-from-behind win against Ohio State, then terrorized Tennessee with a school record 5 1/2 sacks.

That dominant effort was tarnished by his celebration after one of those, when he mimicked urinating on the field and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.

That set off a firestorm of critics online, a pledge from coach Steve Sarkisian that Texas would clean up “unacceptable” penalties, and the broad apology to Texas fans from athletic director Chris Del Conte.

Simmons apologized for the celebration in his postgame comments but hasn't addressed the media since.

In their postgame statements after Tennessee, Del Conte and Sarkisian both defended Collins as a player of good character who was caught up in the moment.

Off the field, Collins and his mother started the nonprofit Clay's Color Crew in 2024 to support families with someone on the autism spectrum disorder. The foundation was inspired by Simmons' younger brother Clayton, who was diagnosed with autism at age four.

But television cameras will be watching Simmons for his next post-sack celebration on Saturday. For the Sooners, the challenge is to try to prevent any celebrations in the first place.

Oklahoma's offensive line has allowed 13 sacks this year. A rushing attack that averages just 99 yards per game gives opposing defenses little reason to not send everything at Mateer.

Texas sacked Mateer five times last season. Simmons got to him twice.

Despite those struggles, Oklahoma offensive tackle Ryan Fodje said the Sooners can handle the Longhorns and Simmons' pass rush.

“We're gonna have to play really detailed and really viciously,” Fodje said. “This will probably be one of the better front sevens we've seen so far this season. We have to come out there and show who we are.”

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