Number 11, we go back to this past season to the Red River Rivalry between the 12th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners and the third-ranked Texas Longhorns and how that game gave the viewers a classic finish.
Texas received the ball first and on the second play from scrimmage, Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers’s pass was intercepted by Oklahoma’s defensive back Gentry Williams.
The interception set up the Sooner’s offense with outstanding field position as quarterback Dillon Gabriel walked into the end zone from nine yards giving his team a 7-0 early lead.
Oklahoma’s punt was blocked and recovered by the Longhorns for a touchdown tying the score at 7-7.
Zach Schmit’s 27-yard field goal gave the Sooners a 10-7 lead, but Texas replied and stole back the lead with a 22-yard touchdown from Ewers to tight end Gunnar Helm making the score 14-10.
Back and forth the game went with the lead changing, Sooners running back Tawee Walker pounced his way for a one-yard rushing touchdown to give his team a 17-14 lead.
Bert Auburn knotted up the score at 17-17 with a 25-yard field goal.
Just before the first half expired, a completed 26-yard field goal by Schmit gave Oklahoma a 20-17 halftime lead.
A 13-play, 75-yard drive with Walker’s one-yard rushing touchdown topping it off gave the Crimson and Cream a 27-17 lead. Walker ended the game with 46 rushing yards, 12 receiving yards, and two rushing touchdowns.
Auburn’s 45-yard field goal and a 29-touchdown run by Texas runningback Jonathon Brooks tied the game midway through the fourth quarter.
The Longhorns recaptured the lead 30-27 due to a 47-yard field goal by Auburn with 1:17 remaining in the game. The Sooners with no timeouts had one more chance to tie or win the game.
After connecting with senior receiver Drake Stoops on back-to-back completions that led to enormous gains, the Sooners were able to get it down into the red zone at the three-yard line.
From the three-yard line, Gabriel stood in the pocket as it was collapsing and fired a rocket pass to the back corner of the endzone to receiver Nic Anderson for the three-yard game-winning touchdown securing the 34-30 victory over the third-ranked Longhorns. It was Anderson’s first and only catch of the game.
It was a five-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 62 seconds.
By: Joey Ross
