In Win Over Oklahoma, Longhorns Prove Program's Future Is Bright
As the press conference flocked over to personal interviews Saturday afternoon at the Cotton Bowl, Texas defensive lineman Moro Ojomo stood on a concourse nibbling away on a giant turkey leg.
When asked, Ojomo didn't know what tasted better; a 49-0 win over Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown, or the bite of the bird usually found on Thanksgiving.
Saturday's win over the Sooners (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) isn't just another run-of-the-mill victory for Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12). Both teams have had their fair share of memorable moments in the 117 matchups prior to kickoff in Big D.
A 49-point difference is historic. It's historic for the Horns. It's historic for the Cotton Bowl. It's certainly historic for Red River Rivalry and its future in the SEC.
Texas had never won by a larger margin in history of one of college football's most bitter rivalries. Steve Sarkisian took his foot off the pedestal with 11 minutes left on the clock.
All gas, no breaks? Sarkisian showed Brent Venables mercy when the Longhorns finally sat Quinn Ewers down for a well-deserved break.
“In the end, it doesn’t feel like we’re doing something so grand,” Sarkisian said postgame. “It’s just what we do.”
What we do? What a phrase, Sark. And maybe it's true. Maybe this is what the Longhorns will be like with Ewers now firmly cemented as QB1.
Maybe this is what a Sarkisian-led offense can be when everything clicks. It sure felt that way as the clock dwindled down before the celebration could begin.
Ewers, who missed three weeks due to a shoulder sprain, dazzled. The offense looked dynamic with No. 3 taking reps. If there's any pain left in his throwing motion, Ewers should win the Academy Award for best actor since he masked the concern as if it was nothing.
The redshirt freshman threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He connected with seven different receivers for over 48 minutes. He continued to build his rapport with tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and found Xaiver Worthy for a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
"He just looks calm, relaxed the whole time," senior receiver Jordan Whittington said. "If you went to war with somebody and you look at him and he's freaking out, you'd probably freak out. You got Quinn in a war with you, you're just chilling. So I'd be relaxed, too."
Sarkisian said that last year's second-half implosion against a Caleb Williams-led offense soured the season. After that, Texas went off the rails, losing six of its last seven games and blowing first-half leads with poor second-half execution.
There was no chance in hell that Sarkisian and the players were letting that happen again. Ojomo said that wasn't a possibility. Same with senior linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
Even if quarterback Dillion Gabriel started for Oklahoma, the outcome would've been the same. Sure, perhaps the Sooners don't lay a goose egg, but the Horns' level of talent and consistency would've bested most rosters on Saturday in front of a packed Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Venables didn't have an answer to stopping the Longhorns' offense. OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby couldn't find a play for positive yards with quarterback Davis Beville. By the fourth quarter, the Sooners were running plays from the wildcat formation with tight ends and wide receivers taking direct snaps in hopes of gaining a yard or two.
Spolier alert, they didn't.
The Longhorns ate the Sooners' lunch defensively. They feasted offensively behind the legs of Bijan Robinson and the arm of Ewers. Drives that used to end with field goals or punts were ending with six points and smiles.
Best of all? This wasn't the finished product. There's another level to this offense with Ewers commanding the huddle. The defense has had a complete 180 since the hiring of longtime foe Gary Patterson.
Saturday's win shows where Texas is headed, not where it's been. For those wondering if the Horns were still trending in the right direction following their overtime loss to Texas Tech, it's safe they are.
It's not the end, but only the start for the newfound Longhorns. And perhaps the only better than the Ojomo's turkey leg was knowing that Oklahoma fans had flooded to the exits before the start of the fourth quarter.
"It's a satisfying feeling," Ojomo said. "It was nice to wave them goodbye."
You can follow Cole Thomspon on Twitter @MrColeThompson
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