Ewers returns as No. 1 Texas beats No. 18 Oklahoma 34-3 in 1st Red River Rivalry game as SEC members
Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates after throwing a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
DALLAS (AP) — Quinn Ewers came back again for No. 1 Texas with another romp over Red River rival Oklahoma, this time in the Southeastern Conference.
Ewers returned four weeks after an abdomen strain to throw for 199 yards with the go-ahead touchdown and ran for another score as the Longhorns overwhelmed 18th-ranked Oklahoma 34-3 on Saturday. It was reminiscent of the quarterback’s first Red River game two years ago, when he led Texas to an unprecedented shutout after he missed 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 two years ago threw four touchdowns in a 49-0 win. "The overall experience and atmosphere is, it’s unbeatable."
After missing two games since getting hurt in the second half Sept. 14, Ewers overcame a sluggish start and finished 20-of-29 passing. He was sacked for the only time on the game’s first play and threw his only interception on his first pass.
"A rough start, but overall I think we did a good job of overcoming some adversity early," Ewers said.
Quintrevion Wisner ran for 118 yards and a touchdown for the Longhorns (6-0, 2-0 SEC), and his fumble at the end of another long run was recovered in the end zone by teammate Silas Bolden for a TD. Both of those scores came just before halftime for a 21-3 lead.
The first Red River game under their new conference logo was the 120th in the series that dates to 1900 and has been played annually during the State Fair of Texas since 1929. Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2) won five of the last six times they played while together in the Big 12, but the Longhorns have a 64-51-5 series advantage.
"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. "We’re going to enjoy it, but the journey is far from over. We got more work to do."
Texas is only halfway through the regular season, and next plays No. 5 Georgia.
The Longhorns went ahead to stay when Ewers rolled to his right, then threw back left to Gunnar Helm for a 7-yard TD early in the second quarter for a 7-3 lead. That was after the Longhorns trailed in a game for the first time this season.
"When the offense was struggling early, we had the defense," Sarkisian said. "We felt like we built a team to do that."
Michael Hawkins Jr., the first true freshman quarterback to start for Oklahoma against the Longhorns, was 16 of 24 for 120 yards. He ran 20 times for 27 yards, including being sacked five times, while the Sooners had only 225 total yards.
Bolden’s heads-up recovery in the back corner of the end zone with 2:21 left in the first half came at the end of a 36-yard run by Wisner, who had the ball knocked out by Robert Spears-Jennings inside the 5.
Hawkins fumbled on the first play after the 2-minute timeout, stripped by Anthony Hill Jr., and Wisner had a 43-yard TD on the next snap.
"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."
The takeaway
Texas: Arch Manning won both of his starts while Ewers was out, but Sarkisian was clear throughout that there was no quarterback controversy. Ewers had returned to practice before last week’s open date and was ready to go in the rivalry game near his hometown of Southlake.
Oklahoma: With their receiving corps decimated by injuries — five receivers were out — and the rushing game non-existent, the Sooners put a heavy load on the freshman quarterback starting the rivalry game in his hometown. They won his first start at Auburn, but their only score Saturday was Tyler Keltner’s 42-yard field goal on their first possession, after Billy Bowman’s interception at the UT 45.
Poll implications
The Longhorns have fallen out of the No. 1 spot after winning a game this season, and finished before No. 2 Ohio State played at No. 3 Oregon on Saturday night. But Texas should be in the top spot for the fourth poll this season, which would be their most since the final six of the 1977 regular season. The Sooners could fall out of the Top 25 for the first time this year.
Up next
Texas: The Longhorns already have a win this season defending national champion Michigan, and next Saturday host Georgia, the team that won the 2021 and 2022 national titles.
Oklahoma: Home for the first time in four weeks to play South Carolina next Saturday.