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Even Dr. Pepper has benched Oklahoma's quarterback Jackson Arnold

Now sidelined both on the field and off of it, Oklahoma's quarterback Jackson Arnold goes from starting QB and commercial star to bench warmer.

By Sam Fariss

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) stands on the sideline during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tulane Green Wave.
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) stands on the sideline during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tulane Green Wave. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Brent Venables, the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners football team, has already benched his original starting quarterback, Jackson Arnold, and replaced him with his new starting quarterback, Michael Hawkins Jr.

Over three games, Hawkins has completed 23 of his 37 pass attempts for 310 yards and 1 touchdown. The major difference between him and Arnold? Hawkins doesn't have 3 interceptions.

With Arnold on the sidelines, Oklahoma is preparing Hawkins to take on the Texas Longhorns in the annual Red River Rivalry. On the other side of the field is none other than Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who is expected to return from injury just in time to take on the Sooners.

However, as the two teams get ready for the rivalry showdown, the two quarterbacks had a slight side quest – one that Arnold wasn't invited to.

Earlier this year, Ewers debuted in the latest Dr. Pepper Fansville commercial alongside the sheriff and many of the regular Fansville crowd.

Most recently, Dr. Pepper released a new commercial that features both Ewers and Hawkins, as rival quarterbacks (which is true) who both drink Dr. Pepper as their soda of choice (which may be true).

So, yes, once again, Arnold has been cast to the sidelines. On3's college sports reporter Pete Nakos even made the joke that Arnold was supposed to originally be the Oklahoma player in the ad and was replaced by Hawkins.

The 2024 Red River Rivalry is the 120th matchup between these two programs. The Longhorns and Sooners are scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX.

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