AUSTIN, Texas — The final Big 12 edition of the Red River Rivalry was an instant classic, but the National Championship-seeking Texas Longhorns were dealt a crushing blow when Dillon Gabriel tossed a touchdown pass to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds remaining to lift the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners over the Longhorns, 34-30, in Dallas.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers got off to a very rocky start but ended up with an efficient stat line, finishing with 315 yards passing on 29 of 34 passing and a touchdown. However, Ewers threw a pair of costly interceptions in the first half, doubling up his season total in this game alone.
Running back Jonathon Brooks was once again impressive. While he couldn't quite replicate his monster game against Kansas, Brooks was still able to churn out 129 yards on 22 carries, including a huge touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The Longhorns' primary Achilles' heel on Saturday was undoubtedly Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel was terrific with his arm but was seemingly unstoppable with his legs.
Gabriel finished with 23 completions on 38 attempts, totaling 285 yards and one touchdown- the one that decided the game. On the ground, he finished with 113 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown, becoming the first quarterback since Jalen Hurts in 2019 to rush for over 100 yards against the Longhorns defense.
Oklahoma wide receiver Jalil Farooq was also a terror for the Longhorns secondary, grabbing five passes for 130 yards while doing a great deal of his damage after the catch.
The loss is a crushing blow for the Longhorns in a season filled with a great deal of promise. The men in burnt orange will now all but certainly have to win every game remaining if they have any hope of reaching the College Football Playoff – a journey that could very well culminate in a rematch with the Sooners at AT&T Stadium in the Big 12 Championship Game in December.
Next up, the Longhorns will take a much needed bye week before heading to Houston for a road date with the Cougars on Oct. 21.