Horns Illustrated 2022 Red River Showdown Issue

GOLDEN HAT RETURNS TO TEXAS

IS LOCAL. SO ARE WE.

COVERING UT SPORTS SINCE 1994

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Governor Greg Abbott was presented with the Golden Hat to bring back home to Austin, Texas.

Greg Abbott and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt were both in attendance for the Red River Showdown and were at the 50 yard line for the coin toss at the beginning of the game.

photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated

Texas’ 49-0 win over Oklahoma was the largest point margin victory in the history of these two teams battling it out dating back to the 1900s

The last time Texas shutout Oklahoma was in 1965. Steve Sarkisian was not even born yet.

(top) Quinn Ewers, (below) Keondre Colburn, Jake Majors, and Christian Jones put on the Golden Hat.

photos Don Bender / Horns Illustrated

2022 Red River Showdown:Texas gives Oklahoma a proper thumping 49-0

October 8, 2022

DALLAS, Texas — It has been four long years in the making. Texas and Oklahoma have had bad blood over the past 118 years — most likely longer before football — this Red River Showdown was very important to Sarkisian and the Texas program.

The entire State of Texas wanted that Golden Hat back in Texas.

Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns had something to prove to Texas and all of college football since last year’s loss to OU in the Red River Showdown, the loss to Alabama, and Texas Tech this year. Though, the loss to Alabama was more of

a ‘time ran out on us’ rather than Texas getting beat. However, a ‘W’ is a ‘W’ and Texas did not get the ‘W’ against Alabama. Last year, we called Sarkisian and his coaching staff, ‘Coaching Juggernauts’ based on what his collective group did in the

#41 Jaylan Ford defense was to much for OU

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Bijan Robinson celebrates with fans after Texas beats OU in 2022 Red River Showdown. Like so many players on the Texas Longhorns teams, Robinson is a light on to the world.

photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated

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past during their careers both as players and coaches. This year, everyone has a completely different view of Sarkisian and his coaching staff.

However ... The Red River Showdown is one of

the great equalizers in football. It does not matter a team’s record, what football stars or playmakers are on a team, or how good a coaching staff is, both Texas and Oklahoma come to play like their family’s future is at stake.

Let’s review how the Texas

Texas defense dominated the OU offense. Ths is the first shut out from Texas since 1965. (photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated)

Longhorns thumped the Oklahoma Sooners 49-0, the largest point margin for Texas over OU since the two started fighting back in the 1900s.

Texas Offense

Quinn Ewers came back for the

first time since getting hurt in the first quarter against Alabama. The first drive was Ewers shaking off some rush by running three plays for a total of five yards that ended in a Texas punt taking up a total of 1:36. It took Ewers three passes to shake

Texas #0 Ja’Tavion Sanders caught a pair of touchdown passes in the game and finished with 71 passing yards. (photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated)

off the rust. The next five drives in the first half, Texas ran 42 plays for 269 yards that produced four touchdowns. Combining all the touchdown drives, Texas moved the ball 341 yards, an average of 85.5 yards per drive, with a total of 211 yards passing in the first half.

After Ewers’ third pass, his arm became like a slingshot putting the ball on target at will that secured four passing touchdowns — a perfect 10 yard pass to Xavier

Worthy in the end zone in the 2nd Qtr to cap off an eight play and 92 yard drive — a deep 15 yard deep pass left to Keilan Robinson still in 2nd Qtr (credit to Jordan Whittington for the noteworthy block in front of Robinson — another deep left pass 24 yards to Ja’Tavion Sanders leaving :18 seconds left on the clock in the, again, 2nd Qtr — Late in the 3rd Qtr Ewers found Sanders again on second down and threw an 18 yard pass that resulted in a touchdown.

Redshirt freshmen from Hallettsville, Texas, #24 Jonathon Brooks scored Texas’ final touchdown in the 4th qtr that gave Texas the lead 49-0 after Bert Auburn PAT. (photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated)

At the end of the game, Ewers completed 21-31 passes for 289 yards, Texas has many weapons in their offensive arsenal. Bijan Robinson delivered 145 total yards that included 130 rushing yards

on 22 carries that included two touchdowns, plus caught two passes for 15 yards.

Because Robinson is always a run threat, Texas ran a play in the second quarter that had Ewers fake a handoff to him. Robinson got low, tucked the ball deep into

Xavier Worthy (photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated)

his core so it could not be seen or touched — because it wasn’t there — he started his zigzag up the field. This drew in the secondary that opened a window for Ewers to throw a pass to an untouched Xavier Worthy cutting across into the end zone for a Texas’ second score.

Let’s talk Jordan Whittington who led the team in receiving with five catches and 97 yards, his longest was a 32 yard catch

on the second drive of the third quarter and had two others for 22 yards each. Whittington is also a dual threat. Time and time again we have captured Jordan making

Xavier Worthy scores a touchdown on a 10 yard Quinn Ewers pass (photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated)

key blocks in the secondary that allowed a play to develop, caused a receiver to get open, and stopped a tackle from occurring — as in the block Jordan put on the OU that allowed Keilan Robinson to find the end zone during the second touchdown of the second quarter.

#5 Bijan Robinson scores first on a 2-yard run (photo Don Bennder / Horns Illustrated)

Ja’Tavion Sanders again was most impressive with his five catches for 71 yards that gave way to two touchdowns.

In total, Texas in 13 drives (81 plays) put up 585 yards of total offense, 36 first downs, converted 6-7 in the red zone, and controlled the ball for 32:59 of the game. The offense committed three penalties, two were accepted for a total of 10 yards.

Texas Defense

For the first time in the 118 games Texas and Oklahoma have played since the 1900s, Texas’ 49 points was the largest points margin ever,

After Bijan Robinson scores a touchdown, his best friend Texas center #65 Jake Majors lifts Robinson high in the air. (photo Don Bender / Horns Illustrated)

Relentless! Over Oklahoma’s 13 drives and 59 plays, the Texas defense — put the whoop on — held OU to 39 passing yards and 156 rushing yards. When Oklahoma did make yards, they

only averaged 3.3 per play.

Texas forced OU to punt on 8-13 drives, intercepted the ball twice on back-to-back drives — Jahdae Barron and D’Shawn Jamison second interceptions of the season.

#2 Roschon Johnson is always a threat. A former quarterback turned running back, Johnson can wreak havoc. (photo Don Bennder / Horns Illustrated) and then for icing on the game, Texas shutout Oklahoma.

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Barron also tallied six tackles (three solo)

The Texas defense were serious ‘Ball Hawks’. There were 24 Texas players involved in the 74 tackles put upon Oklahoma with 21 players with solo tackles —

had no penalties.

Texas has been placed back on the AP Top 25 list at No. 24. They also were named the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.

#4 Jordan Whittington may be the nicest person you ever meet, however on the field, he is a disruptor of defenses (photo Don Bennder / Horns Illustrated)

defensive back Jerrin Thompson and linebacker Jaylan Ford both had four solos each. Texas sacked

OU QB’s three times for 17 yards, and 11 tackles for a loss with 30 yards.

Relentless! Plus, the Texas defense

Quinn Ewers was named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week and named Manning Award Star of the Week.

Sam Ehlinger was on the sidelines to watch and encourage Texas.

The last time the Golden Hat came to Texas was in 2018 when Sam Ehlinger was QB1 and Cameron Dicker kicked the game winning field goal in the last seconds of the game.

Matthew McConaughey was also on the sideline lifting the team up.

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