Red River Special Teams: Spetic's 7-for-7 Start and a Texas Coverage Warning
Texas beat Tennessee 20-17 with two field goals from Gianni Spetic. The Longhorns also gave up a 57-yard punt-return touchdown in that game. Those plays make special teams a concrete Red River talking point: the kicking has been reliable through four games, while return coverage has already cost Texas seven points in a close contest.
Texas and Oklahoma meet on October 10 at 2:30 p.m. CT at the Cotton Bowl. Spetic and punter Mac Chiumento transferred to Austin in the offseason. Their September results now give us a clearer picture of Texas’ kicking and punting than the original transfer announcement did.
Spetic has converted every Texas attempt
Texas’ official player profile lists Spetic as its first-string kicker in all four games. He made one field goal each against Texas State and Ohio State, three against UTSA, and two at Tennessee: seven makes in seven attempts. The attempts include a 52-yarder against UTSA and kicks from 22 and 44 yards against Tennessee.
That is a strong four-game start, not a guarantee of the next kick. The Tennessee result gives the stat a useful setting. Spetic’s 44-yarder put Texas ahead 13-10 in the third quarter; Texas eventually won by three. A field goal can have a large effect on a tight score even when the offense struggles to finish a drive.
Oklahoma has an accomplished kicker of its own. Tate Sandell won the 2025 Lou Groza Award and remains on OU’s 2026 roster. He missed a 54-yard attempt at Georgia on September 26. One long miss should not define his current form; his award-winning 2025 season and 2026 game log are both relevant context.
Punting distance did not prevent a return score
Chiumento’s Texas profile records seven punts for 323 yards at Tennessee, an average of 46.1 yards, with two downed inside the 20. He had punted three times in each of Texas’ previous two games. That workload reflects how often the Longhorns had to give the ball back in Knoxville.
The Tennessee box score also records Qua Moss’ 57-yard punt return for a touchdown, which tied the game 10-10. Gross punting distance does not describe the full play. Coverage, hang time, placement and the returner’s decisions all affect the result, and the box score alone cannot assign the failure to one player.
The Dallas questions
Watch where each team starts after punts and kickoffs, whether return lanes open, and how the coaches handle field-goal range. Spetic’s seven makes make him a credible option if Texas stalls. Oklahoma’s Sandell has a proven kicking résumé. The Tennessee return is a reason to watch Texas’ coverage rather than assume every punt will end cleanly.
None of these numbers predicts a decisive special-teams play on October 10. They identify situations that already affected Texas’ last game and could matter again if Red River stays close. For the teams’ broader form, see the September matchup checkpoint; for confirmed game details, use the 2026 game guide.
