There are certain Texas-Oklahoma plays that define everything the Red River rivalry is all about.
Like when Lil’Jordan Humphrey carried about a half-dozen Sooners forward for what turned into a 19-yard gain in 2018. Or Bijan Robinson’s dazzling 50-yard touchdown run in 2021. Or Daje Johnson’s punt return and Case McCoy’s touchdown throw in 2013. Heck, go all the way to Stonie Clark’s goal-line stand in 1994.
Silas Bolden can add his name to the list with an incredible hustle play that led to a game-changing touchdown and ignited UT’s 34-3 win.
“I mean, I just play with heart,” Bolden said. “Man, I’m not the biggest out there, but I just play with a ton of heart.”
For someone who had never played in the Red River Showdown, the whole scene itself was mind-boggling.
“Man, it was an amazing atmosphere,” Bolden said. “You know, it was red on one side, orange on one side. I’ve never seen that. So I was just super excited to get out there. And I just was hoping to make a play, and I did.”
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Related: Texas QB Quinn Ewers shakes off rust, leads Longhorns to 34-3 win over Oklahoma in Red River rout
The Horns were sluggish through the first quarter as quarterback Quinn Ewers was rusty having missed the last two games with an injury. UT led 7-3 but it was slow going, for sure.
Then, running back Quintrevion Wisner busted loose around the left end and was headed for a 36-yard touchdown. Just before the goal line, the ball squirted out thanks to OU’s Robert Spears-Jennings. The ball went into the end zone, and for a moment, it was anyone’s ball and anyone’s game.
OU linebacker Danny Stutsman briefly looked to his left and saw Bolden whizzing by. The speedster ran at least 35 yards trailing the play and never let off the gas. Bolden went straight to the northwest corner and pounced on the loose ball for the score.
Texas took a 14-3 lead on an electric moment that’ll be on a permanent highlight reel going forward. The all-22 replay view is something that every coach in America — at all levels of football — should be showing their players.
Never, ever give up on a play. Anything can happen.
ESPN’s analytic team calculated that Bolden ran a total of 55.6 yards to chase down that 36-yard touchdown play. Officially, it goes into the statistics as no yards. Bolden is simply credited with the score.
Related: Red River Showdown on deck, but ESPN already planning on Georgia-Texas game for ‘College GameDay’
“Well, I was blocking. It was a trap corner, so I bought the corner and I just followed the play,” Bolden said. “I saw the ball come out and I was like, I gotta get it. Touchdown. So I was happy to get in the end zone.”
Whatever it was about that play, Texas suddenly caught fire. Two plays later, UT linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. forced freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. to fumble. The next play, Wisner wasn’t going to fumble again. He took off and raced 43 yards for a score.
As if that wasn’t enough, OU fumbled the ball away on the first play of the ensuing possession. The Sooner meltdown was now underway.
Bolden, a dynamic transfer from Oregon State, has been long overdue for a big special teams play, too. That finally came in the fourth quarter. Bolden got into open space and had a season-long 55-yard punt return. His previous long was 35 yards.
“If I’m being honest, it was hot,” Bolden said with a laugh. “Yeah, the heat got to me, but (strength coach Torre) Becton had me out there during summer workouts, so I was used to it.”
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