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Mike: This Red River Rivalry was a mess on and off the field

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Maybe the only performance worse than Oklahoma’s anemic scoring offense in the 34-3 loss to Texas was the local production of the game, which ran out of water in the stadium, offered something resembling candied stale pop corn, and had masses of liquored-up pedestrian football fans walking on active railroad tracks while Dallas police were screaming “follow instructions!”

I won’t say the 2024 Red River Rivalry was a shit show because the toilets in the Cotton Bowl were working just fine.

That may have been the most important thing for Sooner fans who were hit with an upsetting dose of second-quarter dysentery when a R. Spears-Jennings hit knocked the ball from Texas RB Quintrevion Wisner into the end zone and Texas WR Silas Bolden fell on it for a touchdown, ending what had theretofore been a tight game (Texas 7, Oklahoma 3) and beginning a Texas rout.

I know some Oklahoma fans weren’t too happy with offensive coordinator Seth Littrell’s play calling (and some in attendance wondered if Dallas city officials had put him in charge of concession stands at the Cotton Bowl.)

After an Oklahoma loss, I am always interested in how living-room-couch Sooners — the fans who watch the game on television — have a somewhat different perspective of the game from those of us suffering the heat from the blistering Dallas sun and the verbal abuse from people who worship a cow.

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Dave: Let’s send the untested ‘horns to the corny dog stand

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The SEC got a good taste of what Sooner Magic is all about when Oklahoma walked out of Auburn with
what seemed like an unlikely win, trailing deep into the fourth quarter.

The Tigers helped a little by trying to throw the ball in their last few possessions rather than stay with the ground game and milk the clock. Kip Lewis literally tripped backwards into coverage, snagged the ball out of the air and ran down the sideline reaching the end zone just as the defender pulled him to the ground.

And in doing so coined the term “Kip Six”.

As impressive as that was, maybe the more important take away from the game was the play of quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and the offense.

Being a true freshman in his first start in a road game in the SEC is daunting enough. But throw in the fact that he was without OU’s top five receivers and a suspect offensive line, and it was an amazing showing. He played with a poise that defied his age and experience. No turnovers and in a tight game, hit a massive pass to J.J. Hester for 60 yards to set up the touchdown that brought OU within one possession of the lead.

Add to that a flying two-point conversion after Kip’s heroics that eventually won the game, we could not have asked for more from Hawkins.

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Hawkins the guy to face the looming adversity

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When Michael Hawkins, Jr. walked from the field toward the corner of Jordan-Hare stadium, the young freshman quarterback exhibited only a stone-faced expression as he gazed upon the crimson clad fans gathered there chanting his name after witnessing a “Sooner Magic” comeback in Oklahoma’s first Southeastern Conference road game.

It was the same look Hawkins had carried a week before, when coaches called him from the bench to replace a heralded starter and provide a spark for an ailing offense.

Hawkins’ spark had not been enough to eek out a win against Tennessee back in Norman. But, this time, Hawkins had just led the Sooners to a 27-21 win over Auburn in a hostile environment of 88,000 roaring Tiger fans.

This time, Hawkins had darted 48 yards for a touchdown on OU’s first series, giving Oklahoma an early 7-0 lead.

This time, the Sooners down by 11 points and with hope seemingly slipping away in the fourth quarter, Hawkins had thrown a 60-yard bomb to backup wide receiver J.J. Hester, who was called upon because the Sooners top five receivers were sidelined with injury.

This time, Hawkins solidified himself as a fan favorite. It happened the moment he scrambled and careened himself in a leaping arc over a wall of Tiger defenders at the goal line to score a two-point conversion following Kip Lewis’ 63-yard pick six to lead to a remarkable fourth quarter come-from-behind win.

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