Michael Hawkins gives Oklahoma early lead vs. Auburn with 48-yard TD run
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Michael Hawkins Jr. is off to a good start in Week 5.
Hawkins, a true freshman, made his first-career start on Saturday vs. Auburn. He relieved Jackson Arnold last week against Tennessee, and Brent Venables didn’t hesitate to name him the starter earlier this week.
It didn’t take long for Hawkins to show why OU seems to have so much faith in such a young player.
Facing a 3rd and 5 from near midfield, Hawkins dropped back to pass, read the defense and took off up the middle of the Tigers’ defense. He ultimately reached the end zone untouched to give the Sooners a 7-0 lead.
Here’s a replay of Hawkins’ big play:
Welcome to the show @mikehawkinsj | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/heVS8gTk8K
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 28, 2024
Hawkins led Oklahoma on 2 late touchdown drives in the Sooners’ 25-15 loss to Tennessee last weekend. He played a much cleaner game than Arnold did vs. the Vols, which was a big reason why he ultimately got the nod to start this weekend vs. Auburn.
Hawkins was the No. 297 overall player in the country for the class of 2024, per 247Sports Composite rankings. He was also the No. 20 quarterback and the No. 47 player from the state of Texas for that cycle.
Oklahoma is 2-0 all-time against Auburn.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
