TEXAS VS. OKLAHOMA
Quarterbacks take center stage as Texas-Oklahoma rivalry heats up in Cotton Bowl
Oct 9, 2024, 11:30 am
Texas QB Quinn Ewers is on track to return from injury. Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images.
Few regular season matchups put as much pressure on a quarterback as the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry.
The emotions of a century-old border clash, the pregame crowds at the State Fair of Texas and the four hours of constant crowd noise inside the Cotton Bowl — not to mention playing the game itself — are conditions that will test any quarterback.
Top-ranked Texas (5-0, 1-0 SEC) and No. 18 Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1) head into that swirling environment Saturday with vastly different experience, skill sets and question marks around the most important position on the field.
Oklahoma will start Michael Hawkins Jr., who will have to deal with the emotions as the first true freshman starting quarterback for the Sooners in the history of a rivalry that dates back to 1900.
“I've got faith,” in Hawkins, Sooners coach Brent Venables said this week.
Texas will likely start Quinn Ewers, who has missed the last two and a half games with an abdomen strain. Ewers has missed time in each of the last three seasons, and the latest injury came on a non-contact pass play when he strained a muscle.
Both teams had last week off, giving them extra time to get both quarterbacks ready.
“If anybody benefited from the time off, it was probably (Ewers),” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.
The newcomer
Hawkins replaced Jackson Arnold late in the first half of Oklahoma's loss to Tennessee and provided enough of a spark to earn the starting job the following week at Auburn. His debut as a starter was a success — the Sooners rallied in the fourth quarter to pull out a win over the Tigers and claim the program's first Southeastern Conference road win.
Hawkins' biggest play was a 48-yard touchdown run in the first quarter that conjured memories of Kyler Murray with its burst of speed. And it got Texas' attention.
“His first touchdown was a pass where he tucked it and took off and ran,” Sarkisian said. “When he pulls it, it's not to get four or five or six yards. He went for 50.”
Oklahoma quarterbacks have won four Heisman Trophies since 2003. As a freshman, Hawkins has a chance to get on the radar for that kind of honor down the road.
For now, Hawkins has to stay in the moment and take it one game at a time before that can happen.
“Play the calls. Don’t overcomplicate things and don’t try to win the game in the first quarter,” Venables said. “But he’s a playmaker, so you don’t want to handcuff him either. But don’t let the emotions hijack what it takes to execute — the precision, the timing, the patience, the progression — all of those things that a quarterback has to have.”
The veteran
On the experience chart, Texas has the clear advantage.
Ewers is a third-year starter and has held up well in the Cotton Bowl pressure cooker in his two previous appearances in this rivalry.
He led Texas to the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff last season. He also rallied Texas to a lead over the Sooners in the final two minutes last season before Oklahoma scoring the winning touchdown with 15 seconds left.
Ewers has arguably played his best in Texas' biggest games, including a 49-0 romp over Oklahoma in 2022, a win at Alabama in 2023 and a victory at Michigan this year.
Ewers opted not to turn pro after last season and was among the early contenders for the Heisman after the Longhorns' big win at Michigan.
But he has proven to be fragile. Shoulder and sternum injuries knocked Ewers out of part or all of four games in 2022, and three more last season. He has not played since the first half against UTSA on Sept. 14.
Ewers returning against Oklahoma is similar to 2022 when he missed the three games before the Oklahoma matchup, then blitzed the Sooners with four touchdown passes.
Ewers has not met with the media since his injury against UTSA, but if he goes down again Saturday, Texas has a big-time backup.
Second-year freshman Arch Manning has started the last two games. He has passed for nine touchdowns and run for three more this season. His second career start was Texas' first win in the SEC.
Manning is the grandson of NFL Hall of Famer Archie Manning and the nephew of Super Bowl winners Peyton and Eli. Even if he doesn't have deep roots in the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry, he'll certainly have help to succeed in a big moment.
“I have no hesitation of Arch going into the game” if needed, Sarkisian said. “We're fortunate to have two quality players at the quarterback position that we have confidence in, and their teammates have confidence in them.”
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Expectations
The Texans are favored to win the AFC South for a third straight season with a team led by young stars quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson. Stroud’s strong first two years helped the Texans turn things around and this year they’ll try to reach the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time in franchise history. Stroud will be directing a new offense led by first-time offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who took over after Bobby Slowik was fired this offseason following Houston’s loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round. General manager Nick Caserio also beefed up the team’s receiving corps, led by Nico Collins, by adding veteran Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins in the second round and Jaylin Noel in the third. Coach DeMeco Ryans has vowed the offensive line will be better this season after Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, which was second-most in the league. But it’s difficult to see how his protection will be better after they traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil and didn’t make any big moves to replace him. Defensively, Anderson should take another step forward in his second year playing with veteran Danielle Hunter after the third-overall pick in the 2023 draft had 17 sacks combined in his first two seasons. Cornerback Derek Stingley returns to lead a talented young secondary after earning first team AP All-Pro honors last season when he had five interceptions and defended 18 passes.
New faces
OC Nick Caley, WR Jayden Higgins, WR Christian Kirk, WR Jaylin Noel, LT Cam Robinson, RB Nick Chubb, RT Aireontae Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews.
Key losses
LT Laremy Tunsil, WR John Metchie III, G Kenyon Green, TE Brevin Jordan, CB Eric Murray, WR Robert Woods, CB Kris Boyd.
Strengths
Stroud and Houston’s stacked receiving group should be the stars of the team this season. The 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been great in his first two seasons to bring the Texans back into contention after an awful stretch. His interception rate was up last season but he’s looking for improvement this season in Caley’s offense, which he has described as “exciting.” He’ll have plenty of strong targets to throw to, led by Collins, who had a second straight 1,000-yard season last year despite missing five games with injuries. He’ll be joined by Kirk, who should fill in at the slot with Tank Dell likely to miss all season recovering from an injury he suffered in December. Higgins and Noel come to Houston after combining for 2,377 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns last season at Iowa State.
Weaknesses
It’s hard to see how the offensive line will be improved this season with Tunsil gone to Washington. Though he was penalty-prone, he was the team’s most consistent lineman. They completely revamped the line after his trade and return just one starter from last year’s group. They’ll likely rely on rookie Ersery to protect Stroud’s blind side after taking him in the second round of the draft. He started 38 games at left tackle over three seasons at Minnesota. Veteran Tytus Howard returns at right tackle after starting 16 games there last season. The center is Jake Andrews in his first year in Houston and he returns after missing all of last season with an injury before being released by the Patriots. Left guard Laken Tomlinson and right guard Ed Ingram are also new to the team.
Camp development
Houston’s secondary sustained a big blow in camp when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a leg injury. The injury isn’t season-ending but he is likely to miss significant time. Gardner-Johnson is in his first year in Houston after he was acquired from the Eagles in March in exchange for left guard Kenyon Green. He was expected to be the team’s starting free safety after the Texans lost Eric Murray in free agency to the Jaguars. The Texans will also be without backup Jimmie Ward indefinitely after he was placed on the commissioner exempt list Tuesday as he faces a felony domestic violence charge after a June arrest.
Fantasy player to watch
Collins should have another big year after finishing with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons. He’s had 15 touchdowns combined in the last two seasons despite missing seven games with injuries.
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Win Super Bowl: 35-1.