The University of Texas put the belt to the University of Oklahoma’s behind on Saturday during their Red Rivalry game played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. UT came into the game ranked as the No.1 football program in the country, and they looked liked it as they defeated OU in dominating fashion 34-3.
In the opening quarter, the Sooners seemed poised to give the Longhorns a run for their money. They managed to shut down UT’s offense, holding them to zero points and securing a 3-0 lead. Unfortunately, that was all she wrote for OU. After the first quarter, Oklahoma’s offense and defense struggled. During the second quarter, the Longhorns scored 21 points and continued to score a total of 34 unanswered points, ultimately securing a victory in the Red River Rivalry.
“Getting the Golden Hat (trophy) back is a tremendous honor for these guys to have as part of their legacy here,” Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said after the win. “We’re going to enjoy it, but the journey is far from over. We got more work to do.”
UT’s star quarterback Quinn Ewers returned to the starting lineup after a four-week absence due to an abdomen strain. He put on a show, passing for 199 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown, and adding a rushing touchdown to his impressive comeback performance.
Ewers attributes the slow start to missing games because of injury, but after that first quarter, he got back on track to finish 20-of-29 passing. On the very first play of the game, he was sacked, and to make matters worse, he threw his first interception on his first pass.
“A rough start, but overall I think we did a good job of overcoming some adversity early,” Ewers said.
Even though he had a tough beginning, Ewers takes pride in winning most of his Red River Rivalry games. In his most recent showdown against Oklahoma, he led Texas to an incredible shutout victory after missing the previous three games.
“It’s been fun the past three years, and I’m super glad to be 2-1, and over .500 in the game,” said Ewers, who threw four touchdowns in a 49-0 win two years ago against OU. “The overall experience and atmosphere is, it’s unbeatable.”
The Oklahoma Sooners’ offensive struggles continued in the game, as they managed just 236 yards on 69 plays. Despite starting with a field goal on their second possession, they didn’t score for the rest of the game. On the other hand, Texas’ offense performed exceptionally well, amassing 406 total yards against Oklahoma’s typically strong defense.
In addition to Ewers’ stellar play, the Longhorns rushing attack was on full display as well. Collectively, the Texas offense rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries as a team on Saturday. Running back Quintrevion Wisner had an impressive game, rushing for 118 yards and scoring a touchdown for the Longhorns. During another long run, Wisner unfortunately fumbled the ball, but luckily his teammate Silas Bolden recovered it in the end zone for another touchdown. These crucial scores occurred just before halftime, giving the Longhorns a commanding 21-3 lead.
Oklahoma’s Michael Hawkins Jr. made his debut as the first true freshman quarterback to start for Oklahoma. He completed 16 out of 24 passes for 120 yards and showcased his running abilities by carrying the ball 20 times for 27 yards, despite being sacked five times. The Sooners struggled, managing only 225 total yards.
A pivotal moment occurred when Bolden made a heads-up recovery in the back corner of the end zone with just 2:21 remaining in the first half. This came after Wisner’s impressive 36-yard run, during which the ball was knocked out by Robert Spears-Jennings inside the 5-yard line.
Hawkins’ unfortunate fumble on the first play following a 2-minute timeout, stripped by Anthony Hill Jr., led to a quick turnaround as Wisner capitalized with a 43-yard touchdown on the subsequent play.
“What I was most disappointed in was the defensive side of the ball,” said Sooners coach Brent Venables, whose Sooners gave up 406 yards. “We’re capable of playing in a more consistent, precise way.”
After the opening quarter, Texas pilled up the points. The Longhorns executed an impressive trick play with a double pass immediately following a turnover they forced. This strategic move set up an exciting 1-yard touchdown run by Ewers.
In the first quarter, the Sooners held a 3-0 lead, but the Longhorns staged an impressive drive, ignited by a series of well-executed plays. During this drive, Ewers connected with Gunnar Helm on a tight end screen, resulting in a 7-yard touchdown pass, giving the Longhorns a 7-3 lead. Notably, Helm also made a remarkable 21-yard catch during this drive, showcasing his agility by evading an Oklahoma tackler and gaining significant yardage. Ewers’ performance was particularly noteworthy, completing 6 of 7 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown during this series, following a challenging start with three unsuccessful possessions for Texas.
Then, the Longhorns made an impressive offensive move with a series of long plays. Quarterback Ewers connected with Ryan Wingo for an incredible 44-yard gain, setting the stage for an electrifying play. Running back Wisner then dashed through the defense, covering an impressive 20 yards to score a touchdown. However, just as Wisner was about to reach the end zone, he fumbled the ball. Fortunately, the Longhorns’ luck didn’t run out, as Silas Bolden swooped in to recover the fumble and secure a touchdown for the team.
Texas continued to roll. They extended their lead to 21-3 on a 35-yard touchdown run by Tre Wisner. Texas needed just one play after forcing a turnover to go up 18 points with 1:40 until halftime.
At the end of the half, the Longhorns did miss a field goal, but in the third quarter, they got the three points back on a 41-yard field goal to take a 24-3 lead.
The Longhorns increased their lead to 27-3 after Bert Auburn made a 27-yard field goal. Oklahoma regained possession with over 7:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Matthew Golden, UT’s receiver, made a catch just behind the line of scrimmage and then launched a pass forward to tight end Gunnar Helm. As Helm went up high in the air, he outreached Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings to make the reception.
After Texas’ convincing victory, Texas players Anthony Hill and Barryn Sorrell took mid-field to plant a Texas flag through former OU quarterback Baker Mayfield’s jersey. This idea came from when Mayfield planted a flag on Ohio State’s logo after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes during his college days.
Mayfield responded to the UT flag-planting antics after he led his Tampa Bay Buccaneers team to a whop-sided 51-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
“Just a kid from Austin, Texas that went to Oklahoma, won his last two Red River games and being rent-free in their heads for almost a decade,” Mayfield said, according to ESPN.
