The No. 1 Texas Longhorns (5-0) will face the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners (4-1) this Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Kickoff for this SEC matchup is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, with ABC on the broadcast.
Texas is a 14.5-point favorite in college football Week 7 odds, with Oklahoma getting +450 odds or longer on the moneyline. The over/under line for the game is 50.5 points.
The Longhorns will look to avoid a repeat of last year’s upset loss at the hands of Oklahoma, in which they also were 5-0 and the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 poll. Texas is expecting quarterback Quinn Ewers to return after missing the past two-plus games with an oblique strain.
The Sooners are hoping that leading receiver Deion Burks can return after he missed a 27-21 win at Auburn last week. Tailback Taylor Tatum also missed that contest and is questionable to suit up this week. Receivers Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Jayden Gibson, and Jalil Farooq are expected to be out for Oklahoma. We also cover a sportsbook promotion ahead of the game.
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Player props for Texas vs. Oklahoma
How Quinn Ewers could get over 252.5 passing yards
Prior to his injury, Ewers was a leading Heisman candidate after he passed for 246 yards and three touchdowns with zero turnovers in a Week 2 win at Michigan. Ewers completed 74.4% of his passes and topped 315 passing yards in all five of his starts against ranked opponents last year, averaging 358 passing yards per game in those contests.
Oklahoma’s defense has generated pressure against lesser opponents this season, but the Texas offensive line has few weaknesses. On the back end, the Sooners are yielding 7.9 yards per attempt, and they could still be without cornerbacks Kendel Dolby and Gentry Williams.
How Quinn Ewers could get under 252.5 passing yards
Rust could be a factor for Ewers, who last played on Sept. 14 and hasn’t faced a premier opponent since Sept. 7. The possibility of re-injury is also a concern, and the Texas coaching staff likely won’t hesitate to insert Arch Manning after the freshman led them to consecutive wins.
Oklahoma’s defensive front is healthy enough to slow down the run, which it’s done against most opponents this season. The Sooners can get after the quarterback, and defensive coordinator Zac Alley could dial up some creative blitzes to try to confuse Ewers in his return.
How Michael Hawkins Jr. could get over 29.5 rushing yards
Oklahoma’s receiving corps has undergone a rash of injuries and if Burks remains out, the Sooners’ young quarterback likely won’t have many options to target down the field. Hawkins Jr. is coming off a great rushing performance with 69 yards and a touchdown against Auburn, and he ran 12 times for 22 yards in his first start this season against a stellar Tennessee defense.
Texas really hasn’t faced a quarterback with this level of athleticism so far this season, and it’s hard to simulate the difference in maintaining gap discipline to keep dual-threat quarterbacks in check. Hawkins Jr. might not trust his arm and decision-making too frequently at this stage in his career, so we might end up seeing him take off at the first signs of trouble.
How Michael Hawkins Jr. could get under 29.5 rushing yards
Just because he tries to use his legs doesn’t mean Hawkins Jr. will have enough success to compile 30-plus yards. Texas is holding opponents to just 3.6 yards per play and 3.2 yards per carry on the season. The Longhorns have outmatched opposing quarterbacks Michael Van Buren Jr. (Mississippi State), General Booty (Louisiana-Monroe), and Owen McCown (Texas-San Antonio), forcing them into negative rushing yardage totals over their last three outings.
Texas had a bye week to prepare for Hawkins Jr. and this Sooners offense, and the players who lost to the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry matchup last year will have some extra incentive to try to shut down Oklahoma’s injury-depleted offense.