Ewers returns as No. 1 Texas beats No. 18 Oklahoma 34-3 in the first Red River rivalry game as SEC members

Quinn Ewers returned from injury to lead No. 1 Texas to a 34-3 victory over 18th-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday. He threw for 199 yards and the go-ahead touchdown and ran for another score in the teams' first Red River Rivalry game as members of the Southeastern Conference.

Quintrevion Wisner ran for 118 yards and a touchdown for the Longhorns (6-0, 2-0 SEC), and his fumble at the end of another long run was recovered in the end zone by teammate Silas Bolden for a touchdown.

Ewers overcame a slow start to complete 20 of 29 passes in his first game since suffering an abdominal strain four weeks ago. He was sacked for the only time on the first play of the game and threw an interception on his first pass.

The first meet under their new conference logo was the 120th in the series, which dates back to 1900 and has been held annually since 1929 during the State Fair of Texas. Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2) has won five of the last six times they have played together in the Big 12, but the Longhorns hold a 64-51-5 edge in the series.

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.

Michael Hawkins Jr., the first true freshman quarterback to start for Oklahoma against the Longhorns, was 16 of 24 for 120 yards. He ran 20 times for 27 yards while being sacked five times while the Sooners had just 225 total yards.

Bolden's heads-up recovery in the back corner of the end zone with 2:21 left in the first half came at the end of a 36-yard run by Wisner, who had the ball knocked out inside the 5 by Robert Spears-Jennings.

Hawkins fumbled on the first play after the 2-minute timeout, was picked off by Anthony Hill Jr., and Wisner had a 43-yard TD on the next snap for a 21-3 halftime lead in one of Red River's hottest games. It was 92 degrees at kickoff in the Cotton Bowl, one degree below the record.

The takeaway food

Texas: Arch Manning won both starts while Ewers sat out, but coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear throughout that there was no quarterback controversy. Ewers picked up his second Red River win after missing several games. The Longhorns went 49-0 two years ago when he threw four touchdown passes after missing the last three games with a collarbone injury.

Oklahoma: With their receiving corps decimated by injuries – five of their best pass-catchers sidelined – and their rushing game all but non-existent, the Sooners placed a heavy burden on the freshman quarterback who started the rivalry game in his hometown. In Hawkins' first start, there was no chance of rallying like they did two weeks ago in Auburn for their first SEC road win. Their only score was Tyler Keltner's 42-yard field goal on their first possession after a Billy Bowman interception at the Texas 45.

Impact on the survey

The Longhorns are down from No. 1 after a win on the season and finished Saturday night's game ahead of No. 2 Ohio State against No. 3 Oregon. But Texas should be at the top with the fourth pick of the season, which is its highest finish since last six of the 1977 regular season would be. The Sooners could fall out of the top 25 for the first time this year.

Next:

Oklahoma: Home for the first time in four weeks to play South Carolina next Saturday.

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