Quinn Ewers will return as the starting quarterback for No. 1 Texas against rival No. 18 Oklahoma after missing the previous two games with an abdominal strain, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.

Sarkisian said Monday that Ewers would likely start against the Sooners, but he wanted to monitor his progress through the week. Sarkisian confirmed Ewers as the starter after Thursday's practice.

Ewers has passed for 691 yards and eight touchdowns for the Longhorns (5-0, 1-0 SEC), but he has not played since the second quarter of Texas' win over UTSA on Sept. 14. The Longhorns were off last week, giving him more time to rest and practice.

Second-year freshman Arch Manning has started two games and has passed for 901 yards and nine touchdowns.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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