No. 1 Texas expects QB Quinn Ewers to return vs. No. 18 Oklahoma - ESPN

Coach Steve Sarkisian expects quarterback Quinn Ewers to be ready to start when No. 1 Texas plays No. 18 Oklahoma in the Allstate Red River Rivalry on Saturday in Dallas, but the Longhorns will continue to monitor his recovery through the week.

Ewers suffered an oblique injury while throwing across his body and was replaced by Arch Manning in Texas' victory against UTSA on Sept. 14. Manning started the past two games — victories over UL Monroe and Mississippi State.

Sarkisian said Ewers practiced three times last week and again Monday.

«I thought he looked good coming off the bye,» Sarkisian said. «I think if anybody benefited from the time off, it was probably him. We're going to monitor him daily just to kind of see how he continues to progress, but I feel good about how he was [Monday].

»I feel good about him going into Saturday, but that remains to be seen."

Sarkisian said he expects the unexpected against the Sooners (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), since they are both coming off bye weeks. The Longhorns know they'll have to prepare for new OU starter Michael Hawkins Jr., who took over for a struggling Jackson Arnold.

Hawkins, a freshman, was 10-for-15 for 161 yards, ran for 69 yards and a score and added a 2-point conversion in his first start — a 27-21 road win at Auburn.

«He went 50 for a touchdown against Auburn, so we got to be really mindful of his ability to extend plays and then create explosive [plays] with his legs,» Sarkisian said.

Nine of the last 10 games between the rivals have been decided by a one score or less. Last year was another classic, with No. 12 Oklahoma driving 75 yards in five plays, capped by Dillon Gabriel's 3-yard touchdown pass to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds left to beat the No. 3 Longhorns