Texas football's Anthony Hill shows off his ripped OU Baker Mayfield jersey

Texas football linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. terrorized the Oklahoma offense in a 34-3 win on Saturday. He collected 11 tackles, sacked Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. twice and forced a fumble.

It was a statement win, but it wasn't enough for Hill. He then carried an Oklahoma Baker Mayfield jersey to the middle of the court and placed it directly over the Red River Rivalry logo. Defensive player Barryn Sorrell then stabbed the No. 6 jersey with the Texas flag, sending a message to Oklahoma and the rest of the Southeastern Conference.

“Texas fears no one,” Hill said on social media.

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The phrase refers to Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman, who created T-shirts that read “Oklahoma is only afraid of God, Texas fears Oklahoma” after their 34-30 win in 2023. The Sooner further angered fans entering the stadium Saturday with a gigantic Horns down chain necklace.

Hill may only be a sophomore, but he's already become the symbol of Texas' new defense: confident and brash, with the skills to back it up. “Swagger” is a word Sarkisian used to define the unit, and it’s particularly fitting given Hill and Sorrell’s stunt.

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“I just felt like it was the right thing for me,” Hill said of the jersey. “I saw all the stuff they posted last year, so I think it was right for me to just throw a little hint of something at them.”

The last time Texas played Oklahoma, they suffered a leg injury from quarterback Dillon Gabriel. The former Sooner evaded pressure from the Longhorns and collected 113 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

On Saturday, Oklahoma tried a similar strategy with Hawkins. However, due to an overwhelming Texas defense, the quarterback only amassed 27 yards on 20 attempts. Whether it was Hill, Simmons, Sorrell or Ethan Burke, the athletic newcomer could not escape the overwhelming force.

The Longhorns' confidence is built on communication, and Hill is the primary communicator at the top of the defense. He and Texans safety Michael Taafe point out offensive formations and put their teammates in the best positions to be successful.

He would not have been able to take on the role that Hill fills now a year ago. Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski said over the summer that Hill was “a heck of a football player” but “not a very good linebacker.” Against Oklahoma he proved he could do both.

“Ant is one of the hearts of this team,” defensive lineman Colin Simmons said. “I mean, all the calls go through him. He says where people are lining up. He gets people right.”

RELATED: The Longhorns maintain their undefeated record in the Red River Rivalry tournament

Hill has developed greatly along with the rest of the defense. The scariest part for the SEC? You're not done yet.

“Our best ball is still ahead of us. We only got a three-point lead today, but we're going to look at the film and see some runs that I missed, some other guys missed and we'll clean those up. And our best ball is yet to come,” said Taaffe.

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Texas football's Anthony Hill shows off his ripped OU Baker Mayfield jersey

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