Report: Texas QB Quinn Ewers to start against Oklahoma

Quinn Ewers is returning against Oklahoma.

According to ESPN, the Texas QB will start against the Sooners in the teams’ annual rivalry game in Dallas. Ewers has been sidelined since the first half of Texas’ Week 2 loss to Alabama because of a sprained left shoulder.

Ewers was injured in the game when he got hit by Dallas Turner and landed on his left shoulder. Before leaving the game, Ewers was 9-of-12 passing for 134 yards against the Crimson Tide. Texas went on to lose that game, 20-19.

Ewers was replaced against Alabama by Hudson Card and he has started the three games that Ewers has missed. Texas beat UTSA in Week 3 and lost 37-34 to Texas Tech in overtime in Week 4. The Longhorns easily beat West Virginia a week ago to get to 3-2 ahead of the big game against Oklahoma.

Card has played well in Ewers’ absence. He’s 74-of-107 passing for six touchdowns and one interception. Card split time with current Nebraska QB Casey Thompson in 2021 before losing to Ewers in the team’s offseason QB competition. Ewers spent the 2021 season as an early enrollee freshman at Ohio State before transferring back to his home state after the season. Ewers was a five-star recruit and the best high school quarterback in the state in 2020 and was set to play his senior season of high school football in 2021 if he had not gone to Ohio State.

Ewers was one of the preseason favorites for the Heisman Trophy along with teammate Bijan Robinson, though Texas’ 3-2 start and Ewers’ injury means that the Longhorns probably won’t have this season’s Heisman winner. Texas is now a 7.5-point favorite over the Sooners on Saturday as questions loom about Oklahoma’s starter. Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in the Sooners’ blowout loss to TCU in Week 5 and was replaced by Davis Beville. If Gabriel is unable to go, Beville will likely make his first career start. The former Pitt quarterback transferred to Oklahoma over the offseason and saw the most extensive playing time of his career in Pitt’s 31-21 Peach Bowl loss to Michigan State after replacing the injured Nick Patti.