Sources – Oklahoma’s Dion Burks is not expected to play against Texas

Oklahoma’s leading receiver, Dion Burks, is not expected to play against the No. 1 Texans due to a soft tissue injury, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Thursday.

Burks was listed as questionable on Oklahoma’s SEC player availability report ahead of Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas (TV: 3:30 p.m., ABC). He suffered the injury during the Sooners’ loss to Tennessee on Sept. 21 and sat out their win over Auburn the following week.

Burks, a transfer from Purdue, produced a team-high 26 catches for 201 yards in four games. He scored all three of his touchdowns in the Sooners’ defeat of Temple in the season opener.

Oklahoma will once again be without five of its top wide receivers when it faces its rival on Saturday. Injured receivers Jalil Farooq, Nick Anderson, Andrell Anthony and Jayden Gibson have already been ruled out of the game.

In their absence, JJ Hester emerged as the top receiver for true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., catching three passes for 86 yards in a comeback win on the road at Auburn. Jaquaize Pettaway replaced Burks at slot receiver for that game, and Brenen Thompson and Zion Ragins started.

Hawkins, coming off the road from the Cotton Bowl in Frisco-Emerson, will be the Sooners’ first true starting quarterback against the Longhorns in the 120th edition of the rivalry. He made his first start two weeks ago against Auburn.

The Sooners also moved cornerback Jacoby Johnson to receiver for more depth.

Oklahoma running back Taylor Tatum was not included on the availability report and is expected to play against the Longhorns after missing the Auburn game. Defensive backs Kendell Dolby and Gentry Williams have been ruled out for Saturday’s game, while backup tight end Cade McIntyre is listed as questionable.

Both Texas and Oklahoma are out of open dates, the first time since they began playing annually in 1929 that they were out the previous week.

This is the 44th time both teams have been ranked prior to the game, second only to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry (49). It is the fifth time Texas has entered a game in the Cotton Bowl ranked No. 1. The Texans are 3-0-1 in the previous four.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.