Texas looks like a complete package in Red River’s win over Oklahoma. What it means for both teams

By Sam Khan Jr., Chris Vannini and Justin Williams

DALLAS – No. 1 Texas defeated No. 18 Oklahoma 34-3 in the 120th edition of the Red River Rivalry, the first between the rivals as members of the SEC.

After a slow start, including an early interception by Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers upon his return from injury, the Longhorns found a rhythm and cruised to an easy victory.

It was the defense that stunned Texas, with forced fumbles on consecutive plays in the second quarter that helped extend the lead into halftime. The Horns held Oklahoma to 237 total yards and had 11 tackles for loss (five sacks) and two turnovers in the offensive backfield.

Ewers finished 20 of 29 for 199 yards, a touchdown and an interception, as well as another touchdown on the ground. Sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner added 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground, surpassing the century mark for the first time in his career.

The top-ranked Longhorns improve to 6-0 (2-0 SEC) and host No. 5 Georgia next Saturday. The Sooners drop to 4-2 (1-2 SEC) and play South Carolina next week.

Ewers calms down in return after a slow start

The first three series for Ewers left a lot to be desired. He hadn’t played in a game since Sept. 14, when he suffered an oblique muscle strain, and the layoff became apparent early on. He came under pressure from a clean pocket on the first play, airmailed a pass on third down that was picked off, and then missed another open receiver on third down of Texas’ second drive – even though pressure was creeping up on him. Texas stumbled on its first three possessions.

But on the fourth drive of the game, Ewers calmed down and made the throws he had been making before his injury. Texas scored on three of its next four possessions — two of which were assisted by Oklahoma fumbles — and the Longhorns were in full control.

Still, this was far from the cleanest game for Ewers. He had a few missed shots in the second half and overall wasn’t as sharp as he was in September. Luckily for the Longhorns, the running game stepped up in the second half and helped Texas put the game out of reach for Oklahoma’s faltering offense. This performance was good enough to beat the undermanned Sooners. But Ewers and Texas’ offense will need to be much closer to peak efficiency to beat Georgia in a week. — khan

Oklahoma’s offensive problems extend beyond the quarterback

The Sooners’ true freshman quarterback, Michael Hawkins Jr., struggled all game, going 19 of 30 for 148 yards, but nothing else worked for the Sooners either. The program’s top five receivers were sidelined due to injuries, including leading receiver Deion Burks, who hasn’t played since September. Only a few players were able to get open downfield. Hawkins also rarely had time to even look deep, which is what he has had success with this season. The Longhorns overwhelmed an Oklahoma offensive line that has struggled this season. Oklahoma’s running game was also of no use as they only ran for 89 yards. Despite Hawkins’ struggles, head coach Brent Venables did not turn back to Jackson Arnold, the former highly touted five-star quarterback who was benched against Tennessee earlier this year. — Vannini

Horns D stars in Big D

Since the Longhorns’ offense started with three empty possessions, Oklahoma could have seized the early momentum. But Texas’ defense made a big effort early to keep the Sooners from jumping ahead, and it paid off. Oklahoma didn’t have five starting receivers and a freshman quarterback, and the Longhorns made sure to pressure Hawkins early and often.

Texas’ defensive front killed OU’s running game and kept Hawkins off balance, never allowing him to feel fully comfortable or confident. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and true freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons showed why they were former five-star recruits. Hill was ever-present and Simmons showed great instincts as he found his way into OU’s backfield on multiple occasions. Hill and Simmons were far from the only ones who had an impact. Texas received donations from all sectors. The two early turnovers also proved crucial and led to 14 Texas points in the first half. With multiple turnovers, double-digit tackles for losses and sacks galore, it was a dominant day for the Longhorns D. – khan

Oklahoma’s defense is slipping

The Sooners had gotten through this season with their strong defense, but Texas’ offense had too much punch for OU. Towards the end of the second quarter, with the score at 7-3, Texas only had 90 yards of offense. But that quickly changed with a 44-yard catch-and-run by Texans receiver Ryan Wingo, followed by a 36-yard run by Texans Wisner, who fumbled into the end zone, but the Longhorns recovered for a touchdown. After Hawkins fumbled on the second play of OU’s next drive, Wisner ran 43 yards on Texas’ first play, making the score 21-3 and effectively putting the game out of reach before halftime. Oklahoma’s defense had allowed just 15 plays of more than 20 yards in five games. Texas had seven. The Longhorns leaned on the running game in the second half and finished the game with 177 rushing yards – Vannini

Texas now prepares for its biggest SEC test yet: hosting No. 5 Georgia

There will be a tremendous amount of preparation for this clash of top five teams, and it’s a chance for Texas to really distinguish itself as one The Favorite in the SEC. The Longhorns have looked good so far, but have yet to be tested by an elite team. With its former four- and five-star recruits, Georgia has a roster that is better than any the Longhorns have ever seen. But Texas may also be the best team the Bulldogs have ever seen, because the Longhorns look just as good across the roster – size, speed and strength. The Longhorns will have to be cleaner on offense than they were Saturday to emerge victorious, but that’s all there is to a heavyweight fight.

(Photo of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)