DALLAS, Texas – The Cotton Bowl erupted at 6:05 P.M. Central Time as Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian donned the Golden Hat Trophy following a decisive 34-3 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners, ranked No. 18/16, on Saturday afternoon.
It took until late in the first quarter for an opponent to gain a lead against the Longhorns (6-0, 2-0) this season, as Oklahoma scored a 42-yard field goal on their third offensive drive. However, the Longhorns swiftly responded. That drive, which used 4:42 of clock time and advanced just 38 yards over 11 plays, was the Sooners’ only successful attempt of the day; all other offensive drives ended in a punt, a turnover, or at the halftime mark.
After Oklahoma’s kickoff, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, making his return since a 56-7 victory over UTSA on September 14, led a ten-play, 75-yard drive that concluded with a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gunnar Helm within just three minutes and 50 seconds. This marked the beginning of a scoring spree for the Longhorns, who amassed 406 total yards on 61 plays against a Sooner defense ranked 43rd nationally.
The Longhorns dominated the second quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points. The streak began when Silas Bolden recovered a fumble in the end zone after a 36-yard run by Quintrevion Wisner. Shortly thereafter, Wisner again showcased his speed with a 43-yard touchdown run, following a lost fumble by Oklahoma.
Despite an unsuccessful connection between Ewers and wide receiver Ryan Wingo on a fourth-and-two play at the Sooners’ ten-yard line, Texas added to their lead in the third quarter. Senior kicker Bert Auburn nailed a 41-yard field goal, extending the margin to 24-3 with another successful 29-yard kick in the final quarter.
The Texas defense stymied the Oklahoma offense, which struggled to find its rhythm, culminating in a critical stop on a fourth down at the Sooners’ 32-yard line. Following this, Helm made an impressive catch, setting up a touchdown rush by Jerrick Gibson and a final 1-yard touchdown run by Ewers.
This victory closed out a strong second half for Texas, which scored on its last three possessions and six of the final nine after Ewers to Helm’s touchdown earlier in the second quarter.
UP NEXT
ESPN’s College GameDay will visit Austin next Saturday as the top-ranked Texas Longhorns prepare to face the No. 5/4 Georgia Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1) at 6:30 p.m. CT.
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