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Blowing Out Oklahoma on National TV in a 49-0 Shutout Earns Texas Some Respect

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Football

The Texas Longhorns overwhelmed rival Oklahoma by a historic margin Saturday, rolling to their largest win in the Red River Showdown's 118-year history with a 49-0 win at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

The Longhorns’ first shutout against the Sooners since 1965 that also handed Oklahoma its first shutout since 1998 earned Texas (4-2) the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 8, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America. It was the third straight honor for a Big 12 team following K-State and TCU the past two weeks.

The Longhorns had 585 total yards – 296 of it on the ground – while their defense held the Sooners to just 195 toal yards with two fourth-down stops, the first early in the game that set the tone in front of the sellout crowd of 92,100. The shutout was Texas’ first against Oklahoma since a 19-0 win in 1965 and snapped a four-year losing streak in the series.

This is the fourth time for Texas to earn this honor from the FWAA and its first since 2018. It also earned the weekly award in 2015 and 2013 – all four awards have come after defeating Oklahoma. All Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected.

Oklahoma simply could not stop Texas’ offense. Quinn Ewers was 21-of-31 for 289 yards and a career-best four touchdown passes in his return from injury. Bijan Robinson rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Texas converted 10 of 15 third-down plays.

“Going down our senior year with that hat to Austin means a lot more to us,” senior linebacker DeMarvion Overshown said. “Now when people ask us about our senior year, what happened in the OU game, we can tell ‘em. I’ll say with a smile on my face: ‘Go ahead and sit down.’”

It was a statement game for the Texas defense as well, preserving the shutout by holding Oklahoma to two first downs and 24 total yards in the second half. Offensively, the Longhorns had six plays of over 20 yards, extending their streak of gaining at least four plays of 20 yards or more in all six games this season. Texas’ 28 first-half points marked the third time this season it has scored at least 28 points in a half, and the Longhorns have scored at least 34 points in five of six games this season.

Texas hosts Iowa State at 11 a.m. CT Saturday on ABC.