The Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns tied up in this year’s Red River Rivalry. A balmy ninety-four degree day in the heart of Dallas, Texas, set the stage for the 120th edition of one of the oldest rivalries in college football. While the Texas State Fair paraded around them, showcasing the spirit of the Lone Star state, the Sooners stepped into enemy territory hoping for a win.
Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners Collide in 34-3 Disaster
Texas Goes Nowhere Fast
As both sides trash-talked each other amongst polite handshakes, Texas won the coin toss and opted to start on offense. They needed to shake the rust of their returning quarterback.
Quinn Ewers, one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, was looking shaky to start the game. In the first play, he was sacked for a loss. The second play, equally, went nowhere. On his first third down of the game, Ewers sent a pass straight into the hands of Billy Bowman. The Number One team in the nation was being hobbled by No. 18 Oklahoma, who arguably shouldn’t be in the Top 25 to begin with. The rest of the first half remained much the same.
Whether it was the interception or simply the atmosphere of the Red River Rivalry itself, Ewers was struggling at the start. The first quarter ended in a season-first and found Texas trailing for the first time all season after Oklahoma’s Tyler Keltner sent a 42-yard field goal just barely past the uprights.
The Longhorn Stampede
Finally, the Longhorns caught a break. A throwback pass to Gunner Helm fooled the Sooners’ defense long enough to slip into the endzone. A few minutes later, the Longhorns scored yet again. An Oklahoma fumble opened another opportunity. Quintrevion Wisner, the Longhorns’ halfback, ended the first half for Texas with a 43-yard running touchdown. Ewers and the Longhorns would never drop the momentum again. They carried the energy into the second half to continuously widen the gap.
Oklahoma Fumbles Momentum
The early interception on just the third play of the game could’ve given Oklahoma everything they needed to succeed. Their game plan coming into the Red River Rivalry this year is as audacious a plan as ever seen in college football. With their original starting quarterback a bust, and their offensive line reshuffling every week, the Sooners opted to give Michael Hawkins Jr. the starting role. As true a freshman as there ever could be, Hawkins was still playing high school football last year. There’s rarely been such a big showing of good faith than to not only give him the starting job but to keep him on in a game like this.
It’s been very clear this season that the Sooners have needed a massive offensive overhaul. Injuries aside, the offensive playbook needed to be thrown out the window. Their recent bye week provided a brilliant opportunity to do just that and give the Longhorns a team they couldn’t prepare for. Instead, Brent Venables and Seth Littrell clearly thought otherwise. A few misdirection plays with fancy formations were all they could come up with. After that, with Texas already adapting, Oklahoma had very little else to draw from on offense. Perhaps most startling, however, is that the Sooners defense also found itself floundering.
For a defense filled with all-stars, they did surprisingly little to slow the Longhorns down. A failure to stick to the college football basics led to countless missed tackles. Looking for flashy, highlight-reel-level plays resulted in gains for the Longhorns each and every time. The defense didn’t look lost but they certainly weren’t playing to the level they’re capable of. This inability to rise to the occasion followed both offense and defense through to the second half.
By The Numbers
Ewers led the Longhorns to a big win this year. Although he started the game unsure of himself, he quickly regained his focus. Ewers put up 199 yards of total offense and completed 20 out of his 29 passes. Wisner took home the most rushing yards of the game at 118 yards. The Longhorns put up a total of 406 yards of offense.
Hawkins, the freshman quarterback, completed 19 of his 29 passes. In total offense, he put up 147 yards across the air and ground. Javonte Barnes only managed 38 yards out of a total of 14 carries. The Sooners held majority possession time at 32 minutes and put up a total of 236 yards of offense.
Conclusions for the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners
The Longhorns continue their undefeated season and take home the golden hat. If they end up in the SEC Championship, it won’t be a surprise. On the other hand, it’s clear that Oklahoma has to do something. Their floundering offense is no longer just the result of injuries. The playbook and offensive scheme are uninspired. The Sooners are not lacking in talent, but they certainly aren’t utilizing it correctly. Venables took this personally. Speaking to The Franchise after the game, he dejectedly stated, “Y’know, these failures start with me… Losing is unacceptable, the way this all unfolded.”
Whatever’s gone wrong, it needed to be fixed in the bye week. The defense, with the exception of today, has been exceptional. If they want to capture a winning season, they need to act and act fast. This season of college football is one of miraculous highs and terrifying lows, and the Oklahoma Sooners are on the wrong end of that spectrum currently. Next week, they’ll face down a struggling South Carolina. For now, it’s time to get back on the practice field.
