No. 1 Texas made sure the Red River Rivalry wasn’t close in its new-aged SEC time slot.
The Longhorns hammered the Sooners 34-3 in a series that had nine one-score games in the previous 10 meetings. Texas reaffirmed its status as the top-ranked team in the country, but that claim will be short-lived.
Still, Texas proved its No. 1, Quinn Ewers enjoyed a successful return and the Longhorns showed two ingredients necessary for a national championship run in the 12-team College Football Playoff era.
A showdown against No. 5 Georgia is next. That is the true reality of life in the SEC. Here is what we learned from the Red River Rivalry.
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The Longhorns worthy of No. 1 ranking
Texas leap-frogged Georgia after a 31-12 victory at Michigan – which was ranked No. 10 at the time – in Week 2. Alabama jumped Texas after beating Georgia 41-34 in Week 5 – but the Longhorns reclaimed the top spot after the Crimson Tide lost 40-35 to Vanderbilt last week.
Truth is, Texas has looked the best among those three SEC powerhouses through the first half of the season. The Longhorns average 43.2 points per game and allow 6.3 points per game – a combination that most-closely compares with No. 2 Ohio State. Those have been the two most complete teams so far.
It’s more than that. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has this team playing with an edge, which was demonstrated after the Sooners turned the ball over on downs late in the fourth quarter. On the next play, Texas receiver Matthew Golden threw a double pass to Gunnar Helm for 30 yards, and Ewers scored a one-yard TD with 5:21 remaining.
Quinn Ewers-Arch Manning is not a QB controversy
After Quinn Ewers threw an interception on the first possession and went three-and-out on the next two possessions – the Arch Manning talk began on social media.
That’s not how this is going to work. Ewers – who missed the last two games with an abdominal strain – is solidified as the starting quarterback. He settled in, too. He hit 13 of 17 passes for 122 yards and a TD in the first half.
Ewers did not take too many risks in the second half. He finished 20 of 29 for 199 yards – modest totals considering he hit 300 or more yards in the last two matchups against Oklahoma. Ewers is now 2-1 in the Red River Rivalry, and this performance was more like the 49-0 blowout in 2022.
All that said, Manning did not play after making his first two career starts against UTSA and Mississippi State. Do not expect that to change against the Bulldogs – or through the SEC grinder. This is Ewers’ team, and he proved that against the Sooners.
MORE: QB guru breaks down Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning
Texas running game, defense is elite
While the focus is on the quarterbacks, Texas turned the momentum against Oklahoma with an explosive running game. Quintrevison Wisner had five carries for 94 yards and a TD in the first half. The Longhorns had 15 carries for 116 yards – an average of 7.7 yards per carry.
Wisner finished with 118 yards. Texas finished with 177 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry. Oklahoma finished with 89 rushing yards on 2.3 yards per carry. The Sooners entered the game ranked 27th in the nation in rushing defense.
In a game where turnovers are momentum, the Sooners committed two. Texas even caught a break when Silas Bolden recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. That gave the Longhorns a 21-3 lead at halftime, and there were no turnovers on either side from there.
Texas’ defense shut down freshman QB Michael Hawkins Jr. in his second start. Oklahoma had just 236 yards and converted 4 of 15 third downs. The Longhorns’ performance was similar to the victory against the Wolverines in Week 2.
Texas vs. Georgia will be next epic matchup
This is the third top-five showdown of the season, and the Longhorns are prepared for this stage. How much impact will the Texas-Georgia game have on the SEC and College Football Playoff picture?
For the Longhorns – who are an early 2.5-point favorite – it would be a chance to get a two-game lead on the Bulldogs in the SEC standings. Texas is the only unbeaten team remaining in the league, and a victory would go a long way toward reservations for a date in the SEC championship game in Atlanta on Dec. 7.
It should make for a great atmosphere and huge TV ratings, but this is only a precursor for Texas – which has the look of a playoff lock at midseason. There are more stages like this to come.
