(Sports Network) – DeMarco Murray rushed for 115 yards and two scores on 25 carries, and No. 8 Oklahoma held on to defeat 21st-ranked Texas, 28-20, to take the 105th installment of the Red River Rivalry.
For the second consecutive week the Sooners (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) survived a late comeback, as the Longhorns’ Aaron Williams fumbled a punt near midfield with 1:02 remaining to end Texas’ (3-2, 1-1) 13-game conference winning streak.
Landry Jones added TD tosses to Kenny Stills and James Hanna and threw for 236 yards on 24-of-39 throws for the Sooners, who had lost this rivalry game four of the previous five years.
D.J. Monroe had a 60-yard touchdown run for the Longhorns, while Garrett Gilbert threw for 266 yards with an interception on 27-of-41 efficiency in the loss, Texas’ second straight after a home setback to UCLA last week.
Oklahoma recovered an onside kick late last week to seal a win at Cincinnati, and appeared to face the same fate when Justin Tucker’s 21-yard field goal with 1:39 remaining in the game cut Texas’ deficit to 28-20.
Texas, though, kicked deep and the ball was downed in the end zone. Two plays later, Jones fumbled the ball, but the pigskin bounced out of bounds at the Oklahoma six-yard line.
Murray’s 17-yard run allowed the Sooners to move out of the shadow of their own end zone, and Williams coughed up the punt at his own 41. James Winchester recovered, and Oklahoma escaped the Cotton Bowl with another close win.
The Sooners took the opening kickoff and ventured on a 13-play, 83-yard march that Murray finished off with a highlight-reel 18-yard scamper.
Texas went three-and-out on its first touch, and a crisp 75-yard drive by the Sooners was punctuated with Stills’ 16-yard catch over a defender in the right corner of the end zone with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter.
The Longhorns got on the board on Monroe’s 60-yard jaunt four plays later and appeared to seize the momentum by stopping Oklahoma on downs near the red zone. They went three-and-out, though, and Hanna’s two-yard touchdown grab midway through the second quarter made it a 21-7 game.
Early in the third quarter, a successful fake punt run of three yards by upback Ryan Roberson extended Texas’ drive, which resulted in a 22-yard Tucker field goal.
An offsides call on Texas negated Jones’ lost fumble deep in Oklahoma territory on the ensuing possession, and though the Sooners ended up punting on the drive, they gained pivotal field position.
Another costly penalty for Texas — a personal foul on Jackson Jeffcoat — early in the fourth quarter nullified an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-20 and gave the Sooners new life.
Shortly thereafter, Murray tip-toed down the left sideline and summersaulted into the end zone while placing the ball over the pylon for a pivotal 20-yard score at the 12:54 mark.
Cody Johnson’s 33-yard reception for Texas set up his own five-yard TD run with just under 10 minutes left in regulation to make it a 28-17 game.
Facing a 3rd-and-8 deep in his own territory, Jones found Stills for a 32-yard completion, setting up a 47-yard field goal try a little later. Oklahoma faked it, however, and Chykie Brown took down the holder for a seven-yard loss.
Texas failed to move the ball, with Tom Wort recording a sack to push the Longhorns back 11 yards. A punt followed with 4 1/2 minutes remaining following two short completions.
Oklahoma had its own three-and-out, and Malcolm Williams’ over-the-shoulder catch of 40 yards set up Tucker’s late field goal.
Game Notes
Texas still leads the all-time series, 59-41-5…Oklahoma is unbeaten through the first five games for the second time in three years…Texas was without standout freshman wide receiver Mike Davis (knee)…Stills ended with 78 yards on five catches…James Kirkendoll led all Texas receivers with 87 yards on eight catches…Oklahoma had 26 first downs to Texas’ 15.