DALLAS, Texas – As the clock struck 6:05 PM Central Time on Saturday, inside the Cotton Bowl, Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian donned the Golden Hat Trophy, celebrating his top-ranked Longhorns’ decisive 34-3 victory over the No. 18/16-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
It took Texas (6-0, 2-0) six games into the 2024 season for an opponent to grab the lead, but they quickly bounced back after Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2) kicked a 42-yard field goal on their third offensive drive. This drive consumed 4:42 and advanced just 38 yards over 11 plays, marking the only successful offensive drive for the Sooners that did not end in a punt, turnover or at the half.
In response to the kickoff, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, making his first appearance since the 56-7 victory over UTSA on September 14, led a 10-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 7-yard touchdown catch by tight end Gunnar Helm just three minutes and 50 seconds later. This was one of six scoring opportunities Texas would have throughout the game, amassing a total of 406 offensive yards on 61 plays against a Sooner defense that stood 43rd nationally in total defense.
In the closing minutes of the second quarter, Texas scored 21 unanswered points, highlighted by Silas Bolden recovering a fumble in the end zone after a 36-yard run by Quintrevion Wisner. Wisner continued to exploit the Oklahoma defense, scoring on a 43-yard run on the Longhorns’ next offensive series, following two consecutive fumbles by Oklahoma.
Despite Ewers and wide receiver Ryan Wingo failing to convert a 4th-and-2 at the Oklahoma 10-yard line early in the third quarter, the Longhorns increased their 21-3 halftime lead when senior kicker Bert Auburn made a 41-yard field goal. He later added a 29-yarder to extend the lead to 27-3 with 7:44 remaining in the game.
The Texas defense stifled the Oklahoma offense, limiting them to a total of 168 yards before their lengthy 17-play drive capped off the game. Meanwhile, Ewers connected with Helm on a pass from 30 yards out, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jerrick Gibson, which preceded a final rushing touchdown by Ewers, ensuring that the Texas offense scored on its final three possessions of the game and six of the last nine.
UP NEXT
The top-ranked Texas Longhorns will host the No. 5/4 Georgia Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1) next Saturday at 6:30 PM CT, with ESPN’s College GameDay scheduled to attend the matchup.
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