Texas holds off Oklahoma's offense to secure Red River Rivalry win in opponents' first matchup as SEC members

Texas showed why it is the top-ranked team in the country by dominating the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas in the Red River Rivalry.

Quinn Ewers threw for 199 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score as he resumed his role as Texas' starting quarterback.

Ewers' performance was just one of many reasons Texas cruised to a 34-3 win over No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday.

The 120th Red River Rivalry also marked the first time the schools met as members of the Southeastern Conference in the annual contest.

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Texas Longhorns defenseman Michael Taaffe (16) celebrates with fans after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 34-3 in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, October 12, 2024. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

After missing some time with an abdominal strain, Ewers appeared to be getting a little rusty in the early stages of the game.

“Definitely nice to be back,” Ewers said. “It was a difficult start, but overall I think we overcame some adversity well early on.”

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Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner ran for 118 yards and a touchdown for the Longhorns, and his fumble at the end of a long run was recovered in the end zone by teammate Silas Bolden for a touchdown.

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) runs the ball during the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, October 12, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

The name of the annual game is a reference to the Red River between Texas and Oklahoma. The series dates back to 1900 and has been played annually during the State Fair of Texas since 1929.

Oklahoma won five of the last six Rivalry games when both programs were in the Big 12, but the Longhorns hold a 64-51-5 edge in the series.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) runs for the first time against the Oklahoma Sooners in the second quarter during the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, October 12, 2024. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Oklahoma's problems on offense continued Saturday. The Sooners managed three points and 89 rushing yards on the day. Michael Hawkins Jr., the Sooners' true freshman quarterback, finished the game with 148 passing yards and no touchdowns.

Oklahoma managed just 237 total yards on offense.

Texas went ahead to stay when Ewers rolled right, then threw back left to Gunnar Helm for a 7-yard TD to take a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter. That was after the Longhorns trailed in a game for the first time this season.

“We played well in all three phases. We never want to be one-dimensional,” said Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns’ fourth-year coach. “When the offense struggled early, we had the defense. … We felt like we built a team that could do just that.”

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Sarkisian, who previously served as Alabama's offensive coordinator under Nick Saban, praised the Red River Rivalry.

“I’ve been a part of some great games, some great rivalries,” Sarkisian said. “This one is just so unique.”

Texas will turn its attention to the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. The highly anticipated game begins on October 19th at 7:30 p.m. ET in Austin, Texas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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