Tag: Quinn Ewers

No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners suffer huge loss to No. 1 Texas Longhorns

Oklahoma’s offense struggled in the Sooners 34-3 loss to the Texas Longhorns.

For the second time in two years, the Oklahoma Sooners suffered an embarrassing loss to their Red River rival, the Texas Longhorns. The 34-3 loss is only slightly better than the 49-0 loss the Soones suffered in 2022 during Brent Venables first season as the head coach at Oklahoma.

Things started off promising for the Oklahoma Sooners. The defense forced a pair of three and outs to open the game, including an interception by Billy Bowman. Oklahoma’s pressure packages made Ewers uncomfortable in the early going.

The Sooners held the Longhorns to zero points in the first quarter. OU actually held a 3-0 lead after 15 minutes, and the defense was playing pretty well. But in the second quarter, the wheels began to fall off.

Texas went on an 11-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown throw from Quinn Ewers to tight end Gunnar Heim on a play action throwback.

The Sooners struggled to tackle and allowed big runs in the ground game as Tre Wisner ran for 119 yards and a touchdown, averaging over nine yards per carry.

The Longhorns took complete control with the help of fumbles by their true freshmen, Hawkins and running back Taylor Tatum, on back-to-back drives.

Texas took advantage of those fumbles and expanded their lead to 21-3. A missed field goal before halftime kept it from being a bigger margin at the break. But at halftime, it felt like the game was pretty much over. Oklahoma’s offense couldn’t find any momentum in the second quarter and that spilled into the second half.

The Sooners offense never really got anything going after halftime. Hawkins looked like a true freshman, who was unwilling to throw the ball even when wide receivers appeared open or was reluctant to throw the ball into tight windows.

Texas didn’t really have to do much in the second half to secure the win. The Longhorns scored 13 points in the second half and coasted to another blowout win over the Sooners for the second time in three years under Brent Venables.

Oklahoma’s offense is a huge problem after six games. There hasn’t been a complete performance this season, and they haven’t found anything that shows that they do well.

The Sooners struggled to get the ball across midfield all game. It took until the final seconds of the game for the Sooners to get into scoring range while Texas was playing prevent defense.

For the game, Hawkins was 19 of 30 for 149 yards passing. Oklahoma averaged just 2.3 yards per carry on the day. Even when things seemed to be going well for the Sooners, they couldn’t sustain it.

On the other side of things, Texas racked up 406 total yards and was 5 of 13 on third down. The Longhorns ran for 177 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. Quinn Ewers, making his return from an abdominal injury after sitting out the last two games was an efficient 20 of 29 for 199 yards and two total touchdowns.

The Sooners have a lot of questions to answer, with a stout South Carolina defense coming to Norman next week.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Longhorns Wire staff predictions for Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns enter the latest installment of the Red Rivalry as the best team in the country due to a 5-0 start

After a week off, the Texas Longhorns are back in action on Saturday afternoon against SEC foe the Oklahoma Sooners. The Longhorns enter the latest installment of the Red Rivalry as the best team in the country due to a 5-0 start.

Quinn Ewers will be under center after missing the last two and a half games. In his absence, Arch Maning kept the offense rolling and recorded the first SEC win of his career.

While the Longhorns have been the talk of the college football world, Oklahoma has also been hard to beat. Through five games, the Sooners have posted a 4-1 record, averaging 297.8 yards per game. This should be another memorable game in a historic rivalry.

https://twitter.com/TexasLonghorns/status/1844802513184178377

Jamie Gatlin’s Prediction:

This weekend the Longhorns have the opportunity to make a statement in conference play. The Sooners will be a challenging team to beat and have a tough defense. However, they will be tasked with slowing down a Longhorns offense averaging 45 points per game.

Last year, the Longhorns’ only regular-season loss came against the Sooners, meaning they will be looking for revenge. Both teams have plenty to prove in a competitive conference that features nine ranked teams putting wins at a premium.

With Quinn Ewers back in action, the Longhorns offense should continue to roll thanks to a receiving core that features Ryan Wingo, Isaiah Bond, and Matthew Golden. If Oklahoma cannot stop the Longhorns passing attack, it could be a long afternoon.

Final Score: Texas 35, Oklahoma 17

Trey Luerssen’s Prediction:

This should be Texas’ year. Texas has the quarterback advantage. The advantage on offense. And despite the praise Oklahoma’s defense gets, I believe Texas has the advantage on that side of the ball too. Texas is the better team. But crazy things can happen in this game.

Last year, Texas suffered one single regular season loss. That’s right, it was the Sooners. The result was some very nervous moments when the four-team college football playoff participants were revealed, instead of a rubber stamp. A loss to the Sooners will mean less this season with the playoffs expanded to 12 teams. But that’s not something anything in burnt orange is thinking about.
Quinn Ewers, back from injury, will be the key. We should be able to tell early on in the game if he’s healed and mentally ready for the day. If he is, it’s hard to see a path for Oklahoma to win. They will need Texas turnovers, and Ewers has been more careful with the ball this year.

Oklahoma is going with redshirt freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. at QB. He definitely has speed that the Texas defense hasn’t encountered yet this year. Hawkins also throws a good deep ball. But OU’s line is suspect at best.
It’s hard to see Oklahoma winning this game unless Texas implodes. Based on what we’ve seen so far in 2024, that includes a win a the Big House and two and a half games with a backup QB, the Longhorns don’t resemble a team that beats itself.

Final Score: Texas 38, Oklahoma 13

Official Injury Update! Quinn Ewers to start against Oklahoma in Red River Rivalry

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has announced Quinn Ewers will be the starting QB when Texas faces Oklahoma Saturday.

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian has ended any speculation about who would start at quarterback against the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl. Sark announced on Thursday Quinn Ewers will be back under center for the Horns.

Ewers’ appearance at Wednesday night’s ‘Texas Fight’ pep rally at the UT Tower was a pretty good indication. Now Sark has made it official.

“Injuries are different. I think there’s obviously a medical component to this, of when he is cleared by doctors to play. I mean, whether I think he can play or not, he has to be cleared to play. Then it goes to myself. What does my eye tell me? Not only from a physical ability, but also from a mental ability to be ready to go play.” — Steve Sarkisian

Sarkisian noted that players can be physically ready but perhaps mentally “not playing 100% full speed and that can be dangerous, too.”

“So I guess there’s science involved, there’s gut instinct involved, there’s psyche involved. There’s a lot that goes into it. But in the end, we’re just trying to instill confidence in the player that he’s more than capable of going and doing it.” — Steve Sarkisian

Ewers is listed as ‘Probable’ on the official SEC injury report, which comes out each Wednesday before a game. It is updated 90 minutes before kickoff.

There has been an expectation since the Mississippi State game Ewers would return to the starting lineup against the Sooners. It seemed like he was close to playing against the Bulldogs, but was held out to give him an extra two more weeks to heal. Texas had a bye last week.

Ewers strained his oblique during Week 3’s game against UTSA and has been out since. Backup Arch Manning has been playing in Ewers place.

In his Monday press conference, Sark indicated things were trending in a positive direction.

“I thought he looked good coming off the bye. I think if anybody benefitted from the time off, it was probably him. Quinn worked last week for three practices. He practiced again today. We’re going to monitor him daily just to kind of see how he continues to progress. But I feel good about how he was today. I feel good about him going into Saturday, but that remains to be seen.” — Steve Sarkisian

Quinn Ewers named to 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25 list

On Tuesday, Ewers advanced to the next stage of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, being named among the top 25 for the award

Although Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has been out of action for the last two and a half games, he is still gaining national recognition. On Tuesday, Ewers advanced to the next stage of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, being named among the top 25. The award is presented to the best upperclassman quarterback on and off the field every year.

So far this season, Ewers has been stellar when he has been on the field. The Southlake native has completed 58 of his 79 passes for 691 yards. He has also added eight passing touchdowns to his resume. With him leading the offense, the Longhorns have been hard to stop.

While Ewers has made headlines with his arm, he has also been smart with the football. He has only thrown two interceptions and been sacked once. Entering the Longhorns matchup with Oklahoma on Saturday, he has a 175.2 quarterback rating.

If Ewers were to win the award, he would be the second player in program history to receive the honor. 2009, Colt McCoy won the ward after completing 332 passes for 3,521 yards and 27 passing touchdowns. Before straining his oblique against UTSA, Ewers was first in Heisman betting odds, according to BetMGM.

Over the next few months, Ewers will be a player to watch as the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award list is cut down. If Ewers can continue his stellar play earlier this season, he should continue to climb up the leaderboard and move closer to making history.

No. 16 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Texas Longhorns Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Expert predictions for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns in the Red River Showdown.

The 120th edition of the Red River Showdown has a chance to be another classic matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns. Texas holds the all-time series lead at 63-51-5. However, OU has dominated the matchup since the turn of the century at 17-8, including Big 12 title games.

The Longhorns come in as the No. 1 team in the nation in both major polls and look like a team headed to the College Football Playoff.

The Oklahoma Sooners are a team with something to prove. They’re 4-1 and picked up a solid win over Auburn on the road in Michael Hawkins Jr.’s first collegiate start.

Can the Sooners make it two in a row and knock off the No. 1 team in the nation? Here are this week’s Sooners Wire staff predictions.

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Last week, the sport of college football showed us that anything is possible.

The Red River Rivalry shows us nearly every season that the unexpected can and will happen. This matchup is almost always decided by one score, and I think that will be the case again this year.

Oklahoma’s defense will have to play a whale of a game for the Sooners to pull off the upset. Brent Venables and his staff have worked tirelessly to build a defense that can stand firm against anyone, and we’ll see where there is still work to be done on Saturday. It wouldn’t surprise me if the defense has to score again for OU to win the ballgame.

The Sooners will need to take care of the football, play field position, and capitalize on big-play opportunities. We’re probably asking too much of Michael Hawkins Jr. behind a shaky offensive line and without his best offensive players once again.

But that’s the life of being OU’s starting quarterback. I think Hawkins has what it takes and wins this game, becoming a legend in Norman in the process. Venables gets another huge win under his belt, and the Sooners take down No. 1.

Oklahoma 28, Texas 21

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Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

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3 Oklahoma freshmen that need to standout this week against the Longhorns

Taking a look at three freshman not named Michael Hawkins Jr. the Sooners need to show up on Saturday.

Saturday is a massive moment in the Oklahoma football season. It always is when they take on Texas, but even more so considering how the season has unfolded.

The Sooners entered with the belief they had their quarterback of the future in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], only for doubt to be cast after he struggled for multiple games. Head coach Brent Venables benched Arnold for former four-star freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] to jumpstart his offense.

True freshman Hawkins showed grit and determination and, with his legs, added another component that helped give Oklahoma other ways to move the ball. He is set to start his second game and the first Red River game of his career this Saturday. His play as the team’s starting quarterback is paramount to Oklahoma’s chances of pulling off the upset of the No. 1 team in the country.

However, instead of focusing on the obvious, we wanted to highlight three other freshmen not named Hawkins who need to have big games for Oklahoma to pull off something it hasn’t done since 1982: beating Texas when they were ranked 10 spots or lower than their opponent.

Eli Bowen, CB

Texas has the best combination of wide receivers and quarterbacks that Oklahoma has faced this season. That much really cannot be argued. Quinn Ewers has incredible talent, and the combination of Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, DeAndre Moore, and Johntay Cook is formidable.

Oklahoma is likely not that worried about Texas’s run game as it is not nearly as dynamic and potent as last year with the departure of Jonathon Brooks to the NFL and injuries to multiple impact runners.

Oklahoma’s bigger worry should be containing the Longhorns’ passing attack. With a dynamic group of wide receivers, [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag] must continue his terrific play on Saturday, no matter who he may be matched against.

Pro Football Focus has Bowen as the Sooners’ highest-graded cornerback through five weeks, and his coverage grade is third on the team. He’s adapted to college football fine, and now he’s become a contributor for the Sooners. He needs to play well every week.

Up Next: Dynamic skill player set to return

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Oklahoma Sooners initial injury report reveals good news for Red River Showdown

The Oklahoma Sooners received some good news on the initial injury report ahead of the Red River Showdown.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been dealing with a number of injuries on both sides of the ball. The offensive line looks healthy and ready to roll into the Red River Showdown. But Oklahoma is still hoping for some good news with their skill positions.

One player who looks like he’ll return for OU-Texas is true freshman running back Taylor Tatum. The Longview, Texas product was left off of the initial injury report for this Saturday’s matchup.

Tatum left the Tennessee game with a concussion and missed Oklahoma’s win over Auburn. Tatum had emerged as the No. 2 running back behind Jovantae Barnes.

The Sooners will need his playmaking ability out of the backfield against the Longhorns.

Another important player to monitor is wide receiver Deion Burks. The dynamic pass catcher is questionable on the initial injury report. Burks also missed the Sooners’ win over Auburn but still leads the team in receiving through five games. He’s a big play threat every time he touches the ball.

On the Texas side, Quinn Ewers looks likely to return to action after missing the last two games with an abdominal injury. Ewers is listed as probable, supporting reports that he’ll return to action to face the Sooners.

Oklahoma Sooners Injury Report

Player Position Status 10/9
Jayden Gibson WR OUT
Jalil Farooq WR OUT
Gentry Williams DB OUT
Geirean Hatchett OL OUT
Nic Anderson WR OUT
Kendel Dolby DB OUT
Tyler Keltner K OUT
Andrel Anthony WR OUT
Deion Burks WR Questionable
Kade McIntyre TE Questionable

Texas Longhorns Injury Report

Player Position Status 10/9
C.J. Baxter RB OUT
Christian Clark RB OUT
Velton Gardner RB OUT
Colin Page RB Questionable
Michael Kern P/K Questionable
Tate Haver LS Questionable
Derek Williams DB Probable
Quinn Ewers QB Probable

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Official SEC injury report lists Quinn Ewers as ‘probable’

Quinn Ewers officially listed as ‘probable’ on the official SEC injury report, which means the Texas Longhorns QB should play vs. Oklahoma.

The SEC issues an official ‘Student-Athlete Availability Report‘ (aka Injury Report) on Wednesday evening each week. The conference also releases an update 90 minutes before kickoff.

We now know Quinn Ewers official status going into the Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners game Saturday. Ewers is listed as ‘Probable.” Ewers has missed two and a half games with an oblique strain.

It has been thought since he missed the Mississippi State game that Ewers would play against rival OU. By listing Ewers as ‘Probable,’ Texas believes the Southlake product will play, barring any setbacks.

There wasn’t an official injury report for the UL Monroe game, but Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told the media that Ewers would have been listed as ‘Questionable.’ Ewers was officially listed as ‘Questionable’ for the Mississippi State game.

Redshirt freshman Arch Manning filled in admirably during Ewers’ absence.

Texas Longhorns availability status:

  • RB CJ Baxter – Out
  • RB Christian Clark – Out
  • RB Velton Gardner – Out
  • RB Colin Page – Questionable
  • P/K Michael Kern – Questionable
  • DS Tate Haver – Questionable
  • DB Derek Williams Jr. – Probable
  • QB Quinn Ewers – Probable

Oklahoma Sooners availability status:

  • WR Jayden Gibson – Out
  • WR Jalil Farooq – Out
  • WR Nic Anderson – Out
  • WR Andrel Anthony – Out
  • DB Gentry Williams – Out
  • DB Kendel Dolby – Out
  • WR Deion Burks – Questionable
  • TE Kade McIntyre – Questionable

Official SEC availability status definitions:

Available: The player is fully available for the next game.

Probable: Likely to play, barring any setbacks.

Questionable: Uncertain to play due to injury or condition.

Doubtful: Unlikely to play due to significant concerns.

Out: Player will not participate in the upcoming game.

Game Time Decision: Final decision will be made closer to the game.

Dr Pepper didn’t tell Boz that Texas QB Quinn Ewers was his deputy until last minute

Red River Rivalry even affects commercial shoots. Dr Pepper didn’t tell Boz that Texas QB Quinn Ewers was deputy until last minute.

The Red River Rivalry can even affect commercial shoots. This year, Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is starring in Dr Pepper’s “Fansville” campaign.

“Fansville” is a satirical episodic drama from Dr Pepper set in a fictional college town. The popular series of commercials is in its seventh season. The Texas QB plays Deputy Ewers alongside series regular Brian Bosworth. The Oklahoma Sooners legend has portrayed the sheriff of Fansville since 2018.

It is an ironic and funny twist that the Longhorns QB would be paired with such a big name in Oklahoma football history. “The Boz” has always famously hated Texas and has never been shy about saying so.

Brian Bosworth -- The Boz
1985: Defensive lineman Brian Bosworth of the Oklahoma Sooners stands on the sidelines during a game in Norman, Oklahoma.

Bosworth was asked about the unusual pairing on Norman, Oklahoma, radio station KREF 1400 AM. Boz says Dr Pepper didn’t let him know the 2024 player played for Texas before the actual shoot.

“They didn’t tell me Quinn was my deputy until we got to the set. And I said, ‘So, who’s the guy?’ Because every year the last 2-3 years they’ve brought a new guy on. And they didn’t tell me this year, probably because I would say, ‘No. Hell No! I’m not doing that!’

Then they said it’s Quinn Ewers and he wants to meet me. I said, ‘Alright, tell him I’m outside his trailer and when he walks out don’t look anywhere but straight ahead. And I’ll be coming from one side or the other, but I won’t let him know. He’ll hear me.'” — Bosworth

It didn’t take long for the two-time Butkus Award Winner to warm up to the Texas quarterback.

“We had fun together. It was a great opportunity. He’s a great kid. A great competitor. But yeah, it took all I could to be nice to him for the first few minutes, then I realized he’s too nice a kid not to be nice to. … I just wish he was wearing Crimson and Cream.” —  Bosworth

The Red River Rivalry continues Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas at 3:30 p.m. ET.

After missing two and a half games, what are Quinn Ewers’ Heisman odds?

What are Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers odds to win the Heisman? Can he revive his campaign after being out for a few weeks with an injury?

Before the UTSA game in Week 3, Quinn Ewers was the front runner to win the Heisman Trophy. After the Texas Longhorns QB strained his oblique, Ewers dropped down the list.

If Ewers plays against the Oklahoma Sooners as expected, and beyond, Ewers could definitely put himself in position for a trip to New York.

The current favorite is Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. Colorado WR Travis Hunter and Miami QB Cam Ward are close behind. Ewers sits sixth.

Missing two weeks in the front half of the season shouldn’t be a deal breaker for Ewers. If the Southlake product guides Texas through an unbeaten season, which would include wins over Oklahoma, Georgia and A&M, and a win in the SEC championship game, it would be hard to imagine Ewers not winning the Heisman.

The SEC title game is December 7. The Heisman ceremony is the week after on December 14.

Current Heisman Odds:

College football odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

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Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

  • Current Odds: +200 (Bet $100 to win $200)
  • This Week’s Game: Hawaii, 11:00 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Travis Hunter, Colorado

  • Current Odds: +300 (Bet $100 to win $300)
  • This Week’s Game: Kansas State, 10:15 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Cameron Ward, Miami (FL)

  • Current Odds: +500 (Bet $100 to win $500)
  • This Week’s Game: Bye

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

  • Current Odds: +1100 (Bet $100 to win $1,100)
  • This Week’s Game: South Carolina, 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

  • Current Odds: +1400 (Bet $100 to win $1,400)
  • This Week’s Game: Ohio State, 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Quinn Ewers, Texas

  • Current Odds: +2000 (Bet $100 to win $2,000)
  • This Week’s Game: Oklahoma, 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Carson Beck, Georgia

  • Current Odds: +2000 (Bet $100 to win $2,000)
  • This Week’s Game: Mississippi State, 4:15 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Cade Klubnik, Clemson

  • Current Odds: +2000 (Bet $100 to win $2,000)
  • This Week’s Game: Wake Forest, 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

  • Current Odds: +2200 (Bet $100 to win $2,200)
  • This Week’s Game: LSU, 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee

  • Current Odds: +3500 (Bet $100 to win $3,500)
  • This Week’s Game: Florida, 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Drew Allar, Penn State

  • Current Odds: +4000 (Bet $100 to win $4,000)
  • This Week’s Game: USC, 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

  • Current Odds: +4000 (Bet $100 to win $4,000)
  • This Week’s Game: Kansas State, 10:15 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 12

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