No. 3 Texas and No. 12 Oklahoma made sure the final edition of the Red River Rivalry as members of the Big 12 conference was one to remember.
With Texas and Oklahoma headed to the SEC in 2024, the longtime rivals gave fans at the Cotton Bowl a show Saturday afternoon with major College Football Playoff implications.
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) runs past Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Byron Murphy II (90) during a game Oct. 7, 2023, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. (Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel drove the Sooners down the field in the final minute down three, throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds left, defeating Texas 34-30.
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“This is what OU football is all about. This is why I came here,” Gabriel said after the game. “This game. Lot of respect for Texas. They played their butt off.”
Gabriel finished the day 23 of 38 for 285 yards and a touchdown, adding 113 yards and a score on the ground.
It was Oklahoma’s defense that did the damage for the Sooners, creating three turnovers on the day, all by quarterback Quinn Ewers.
The game appeared to turn late in the third quarter when Texas stopped Oklahoma on fourth and 1 from right around midfield with the Sooners up 27-20.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) throws a pass downfield during a game against the Oklahoma Sooners Oct. 7, 2023, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. (Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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After driving down to the OU 1-yard line, the Sooners defense stuffed the Longhorns on three straight run plays. On fourth- and goal from the 2-yard line, the Oklahoma defense stood strong, stopping wide receiver Xavier Worthy at the 1-yard line.
But OU was unable to cash in, and Texas tied the score at 27-27 with 6:10 left in the fourth quarter.
Ewers got the Longhorns into range for a Bert Auburn 47-yard field goal with 1:17 left on the clock to take a 30-27 lead.
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Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) scores a touchdown during a game against the Texas Longhorns Oct. 7, 2023, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. (Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Gabriel then completed passes of 16 and 28 yards before a penalty brought the Sooners to the Texas 3-yard line.
“I love my teammates. I love my team,” Gabriel said. “That’s always what I’ve been about, man. God is good. God is good.”
The win is the fifth in the last six matchups for Oklahoma after Texas destroyed the Sooners 49-0 in last year’s game.
