No. 1 Texas blowout No. 18 Oklahoma in Red River Rivalry, wins 34-3
🏆 TEXAS TAKES RED RIVER RIVALRY, WINS 34-3
As Hawkins Jr. pass sailed his final pass over his intended receiver's head and clock expired, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and Ewers placed the Golden Hat trophy on their heads to cap off the team's 34-3 win over the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry.
The Longhorns improve to 6-0 for the first time since 2009. For OU, this was the program's biggest loss since 2022, when they were shut out by Texas 49-0.
Oklahoma made things interesting early, intercepting Ewers on the first possession of the game. Although OU didn't score there, they kicked a field goal two drives later for the first points of the game — the first time Texas trailed all season.
Yet, that's when the Longhorns took over.
Taking advantage of the Sooners' lackluster offensive production all season, the defense forced back-to-back fumbles near the end of the second quarter that translated to two touchdowns. And after Ewers found his footing, the offense meshed easily, scoring 34 unanswered points by the contest's end.
Ewers went 20-of-29 with 199 passing yards along with two touchdowns and an interception. OU's offense finished with just 237 total yards, compared to Texas' 406.
The Longhorns return home next week for their biggest test of the season against No. 5 Georgia, which already has a loss under their belt. Although facing unranked South Carolina next week, Oklahoma has four ranked opponents still to play.
Steve Sarkisian gives Quinn Ewers the Golden Hat! pic.twitter.com/9F7yRm1jh4
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) October 12, 2024
😬 A look into OU's offensive struggles
Entering the two-minute warning, Oklahoma's offense hasn't been able to find a pulse throughout the Red River Rivalry.
Putting together a 11-play, 38-yard drive that led to field goal in the first quarter, the Sooners have either punted or turned the ball over on each possession since then.
Hawkins Jr. didn't eclipse the 100 passing yards mark until the current drive. Additionally, the current drive is the first time Oklahoma has crossed midfield since the first half. If the score holds, it will be OU's worst loss since 2022, when it lost to Texas 49-0.
😳 Ewers scores, Texas up 34-3
Following Oklahoma's turnover on downs, Texas made quick work of the short field, scoring on just three plays.
The first play was the most magical, as Ewers passed it Golden, who then threw it down the field to Helm for a 30-yard connection. Not only did the flea flicker produce an eruption from the UT crowd, it put Texas at OU's one-yard line.
Two plays later, Ewers ran into the end zone for his first rushing touchdown of the season. With 34 unanswered points, Texas leads 34-3 with nearly five minutes remaining in the contest.
NO WAY 😱@QuinnEwers ➡️ @MatthewGolden_2 ➡️ @gunnar_helm pic.twitter.com/nvsEsFJjsE
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 12, 2024
🏈 Texas extends lead to 24
Piggy-backing off Bolden's 55-yard punt return, the Longhorns stretched their lead to 24 behind a 29-yard field goal. Auburn is now two-for-three on field goal attempts and three-for-three on extra point attempts.
Although Texas continues to extend their lead, they have scored a touchdown just once while in the red zone on three attempts — four including Auburn's missed field goal at Oklahoma's 26-yard line.
The Longhorns lead 27-3 midway through the fourth quarter.
🤘 Longhorns go up 24-3
Auburn nailed a 41-yard field goal, after missing his first attempt at the end of the first half, to give Texas a 24-3 lead.
Taking a more conservative approach, the Longhorns completed just two plays over 10 yards, a 23-yard reception to wide receiver Matthew Golden and 11-yard catch for running back Jaydon Blue.
Texas' 11-play, 45-yard drive was enough to put Auburn in field goal range.
❌ UT misses 44-yard field goal, lead 21-3
Unlike their previous drive, the Longhorns couldn't capitalize on the defense's forced turnover as kicker Bert Auburn missed a 44-yard field goal attempt that would've extended Texas' lead to three scores.
After a slow start offensively, the No. 1 team in the nation looked the part in the second quarter, scoring all 21 of the team's points in the 15 minutes. Just 13 total yards in the first, Texas finished with 235 by halftime — 113 on the ground and 122 through the air. Behind back-to-back forced fumbles, the Longhorns scored 14 of those points in less than a minute and 15 seconds.
The Sooners haven't found much success offensively, averaging just 3.2 yards per play and 107 yards total in the half. Attempting to lean on their run game, the most yards Oklahoma has put together during one drive was 38, which led to their only points.
Longhorns lead at the half 🏈 pic.twitter.com/5wuihSpS4A
— Allstate Red River Rivalry (@RRRivalry) October 12, 2024
😬 UT forces back-to-back fumbles
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Sooners.
After freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.'s fumble on the second play of their last drive that led to Texas' 43-yard rushing touchdown, freshman running back Taylor Tatum fumbled on the first play of the next drive.
Already down 21-3 before halftime, Texas gets the ball at Oklahoma's 38-yard line.
THE TEXAS DEFENSE FORCES A FUMBLE ON THREE STRAIGHT POSSESSIONS VS. OKLAHOMA 😤 pic.twitter.com/KI8L6fZPfP
— ESPN (@espn) October 12, 2024
🔥 Wisner gives UT 21-3 lead
Wisner wasted no time making up for his mistake on the last drive.
Less than a minute after his fumble, the Longhorns' defense stripped Hawkins Jr. to give the offense the ball back at OU's 43-yard line.
On the first play of the drive, the second-year broke away for a 43-yard rushing touchdown — the longest run of his college career. Breaking one tackle, Wisner cut to the outside and raced down the left sideline.
Texas leads 21-3 with nearly two minutes left before halftime.
LOOK OUT HE'S LOOSE 👀 pic.twitter.com/HpkcDJOPjx
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 12, 2024
🫨 Texas fumble recovery for touchdown
Rivalry games always bode for some of the wildest plays.
That was the case for Texas' second touchdown.
Following true freshman wideout Ryan Wingo's 44-yard reception, sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner nearly capped off the drive with a 36-yard rushing touchdown before fumbling inches away from the end zone.
A footrace to snag the loose pigskin, senior wide receiver Silas Bolden was the first to it, falling on the football and scoring the Longhorns' second touchdown of the game — Bolden's second of the season.
The wild play capped off Texas' four-play, 84-yard drive and upped their lead to double digits.
😱😱😱😱@silasbolden_ pic.twitter.com/DYPlDpzSqF
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 12, 2024
🤘 Texas scores first touchdown
After a slow start, the Longhorns offense has begun to find its footing.
Following two straight three-and-outs, Ewers and the offense orchestrated a 10-play, 75-yard drive to give Texas a 7-3 lead.
Behind two 20-plus yard receptions, Ewers capped off the drive with a seven-yard receiving touchdown to tight end Gunnar Helm. Rolling out to his right, Ewers threw across his body to the open tight end on the left side of the field for the score.
Ewers went 6-of-7 for 65 yards during that drive after starting 2-of-4 for 8 yards and an interception on the first three combined.
Diving into the end zone 😤@gunnar_helm pic.twitter.com/FsKmgAcDKv
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 12, 2024
🎯 OU nails field goal, takes 3-0 lead
After missing from 44, Kelter redeemed himself on the next time out, nailing a 42-yard field goal to give Oklahoma a 3-0 lead.
Benefiting off Texas' bad punt, the Sooners offense took over at their own 37-yard line. Even though the offense produced just one play over 10 yards, the 11-play, 38-yard drive was enough to put them in field goal position.
This is the first time Texas has trailed all season.
Tyler Keltner makes up for the missed FG and knocks this one through
— The College Football Fan (@TheCFBFan_) October 12, 2024
Oklahoma leads Texas 3-0 after 1Q
pic.twitter.com/1ySqPazIdW
❌ Oklahoma misses field goal
After receiving great field position by Billy Bowman Jr.'s interception, starting at Texas' 45-yard line, Oklahoma had the opportunity to capitalize on the forced turnover.
However, kicker Tyler Keltner wasn't able to give the Sooners an early lead, missing the 44-yard field goal attempt wide right.
Score remains at 0 apiece.
😮 Oklahoma intercepts Ewers on first drive
The Sooners defense is getting busy early.
After sacking Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on the first play of the game, Oklahoma intercepted Ewers two plays later. His first pass down the field, Ewers overthrew his intended target, leading to football falling into defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. lap and setting up Oklahoma's offense at Texas' 45-yard line.
Set the tone @Billy2Bowman 😤 pic.twitter.com/2WJBXVimhs
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 12, 2024
🍿 Red River Rivalry nearing kickoff
One of college football's most historic rivalries is almost here.
For the first time in SEC history, Texas and Oklahoma square off for the 120th meeting between the two programs. Although the Sooners have won 11 of the last 15 meetings, the Longhorns hold the top spot in the AP top 25 poll — the first time Texas has been ranked No. 1 while facing Oklahoma since 1984.
A battle for bragging rights and border debates on the surface level, the mid-October matchup could shake up the College Football Playoff conversation and route for multiple teams outside of OU and the Longhorns.
Oklahoma. Texas. For the first time in SEC history.
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 11, 2024
There's nothing like this rivalry 🤠🔥 pic.twitter.com/4Jdi0RFVYF
🔥 Red River Rivalry’s field design
With game time less than an hour away, Cotton Bowl field is ready to rock. Here’s a look at the numerous new and old field designs featured in the 120th meeting:
- SEC Logo plastered at the 25-yard lines for the first-time ever
- Red River Rivalry logo painted at midfield
- Team-colored end zones and out-of-bounds lines in both red zones
2 4 H O U R S
— Sooner Tracker (@SoonerTracker) October 11, 2024
The field design for this year's Red River war, featuring SEC logos for the first time.
Also returning the gorgeous team-colored out of bounds lines from last year. pic.twitter.com/YSOPziMWyJ