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I want to give a special shout out to an unsung hero, senior cornerback Mykelle Thompson. While he is only #5 on the depth chart at his position, he'll play a valuable role on this young team by playing backup at outside linebacker, middle linebacker, and free safety. So even though he's not a starter, he's a valuable member of the roster.
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Updated post #1 again to add a dynasty history. Includes series records against all teams I've faced, as well as bowl game and conference title game history.Comment
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WEEK ONE
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SAN JOSE ST. SPARTANS (0-0, 0-0)
VS.
#3 TEXAS LONGHORNS (0-0, 0-0)
LONGHORNS RUN WILD IN SEASON OPENER
#3 TEXAS RACKED UP 354 RUSHING YARDS IN THEIR 42-13 WIN OVER SAN JOSE ST.
Of the team's 22 offensive and defensive starters, one is a second-year freshman, nine are sophomores, and twelve are juniors, and twelve of those players are new to their starting positions. In fact, the only senior in a starting position this season is kicker Nick Jordan, so a win to boost the confidence of this young team that is trying to live up to the hype of back-to-back national title berths was crucial. Fortunately, they delivered with a resounding 42-13 victory over lowly San Jose State, relying on their rock-solid ground game to lead the way. Third-year sophomore Daniel Pratt was impressive in his debut at quarterback, completing 13 of 21 passes for 177 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Pratt also rushed for 61 yards and another score. On the ground, backup runningback Daje Johnson rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown off 14 carries, but it was junior Jonathan Gray who stole the show, carrying the ball 20 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns to average 7.2 yards per touch, and also reeling in a 15-yard TD catch on his way to being named player of the game. The defense was also quite impressive, recording three sacks and limiting the Spartans to just 280 total offensive yards, and 13 points in four redzone trips. Third-year sophomore Chris Fogle (FS), one of the team's new starters on defense, recorded his first interception in the game. Momentum is on Texas' side, but the road to perfection gets much harder next week when the team travels to College Station to face off against Texas A&M (0-0, 0-0) in their annual rivalry game. The Aggies have lost two straight to their in-state foes, but a talented roster led by seniors Johnny Manziel (QB) and Brandon Williams (HB) are hoping to even the series at 2-2 in the Major Applewhite era.
San Jose State Spartans at #3 Texas Longhorns Aug 29, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE San Jose State Spartans (0-1, 0-0) 7 6 0 0 13 #3 Texas Longhorns (1-0, 0-0) 14 14 14 0 42 Team Stats Comparison SJSU TEX Total Offense 280 531 Rushing Yards 63 354 Passing Yards 217 177 First Downs 18 29 Punt Return Yards 0 19 Kick Return Yards 147 114 Total Yards 427 664 Turnovers 1 1 3rd Down Converstion 1-8 (12%) 9-12 (75%) 4th Down Conversion 0-1 (0%) 1-1 (100%) 2-Point Conversion 0-0 (0%) 0-0 (0%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 4-1-2 (75%) 7-6-0 (85%) Penalties 3-15 4-46 Posession Time 23:24 36:36
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WEEK TWO
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#3 TEXAS LONGHORNS (1-0, 0-0)
VS.
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (0-0, 0-0)
While third-year sophomore Daniel Pratt was busy going through the growing pains of a first-year collegiate starter, Johnny Manziel was passing on Texas' young secondary at will. Manziel, better known as Johnny Football, completed 66% of his passes for 370 yards and was responsible for three of the team's four touchdowns as the Aggies snapped a two-game losing skid to the Longhorns with a 31-20 victory, and upset the #3 team in the country.
Manziel was nothing short of spectacular, completing 32 of 48 passes for 370 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, and also adding 34 rushing yards and another score to account for nearly 80% of the team's total offensive yardage. His go-to man was senior Mike Evans, who made the Longhorns look silly by reeling in fourteen catches for 172 yards and a touchdown, while true sophomore tight end Johnny Thomas had six receptions for 74 yards and a score. On the ground, senior runningbacks Tra Carson and Brandon Williams also contributed to the victory, combining for 109 yards and a touchdown off 19 carries for an average of 6.3 yards per touch. Texas A&M's defense recorded two sacks, two interceptions, limited Texas to just six points in two redzone trips, and allowed only two successful conversions on eleven 3rd down tries. With a big victory under their belts, the Aggies will host Troy next week before diving into their conference schedule with home games against NC State, #24 LSU, and Arkansas.
As for the Longhorns, dreams of an unbeaten season for this young and talented team have been crushed. After a solid showing against San Jose State last week, Pratt struggled against the elevated competition of an SEC defense, completing just 9 of 22 passes for 162 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also added 61 rushing yards off 13 carries. Leading the receiving corps was junior Cayleb Jones, who had three catches for 86 yards and a score. On the ground, Jonathan Gray racked up 111 yards off 16 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per touch, and backup Daje Johnson added 11 carries for 60 yards. Defensively, Texas recorded one sack, and senior cornerback Mykelle Thompson had his first career interception, but they also allowed over 500 yards of total offense. Despite the team's missteps, they only trailed 21-20 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Aggies finished the game with ten unanswered points to secure the victory.
An undefeated season is now out of reach, but the team still has their sights set on a third straight conference title. They'll begin that quest next week when they stay on the road to face off against Florida State (0-1, 0-1), who dropped their season opener to TCU 30-24 in overtime. The Seminoles may be winless, but they are not without talent, boasting big time playmakers like seniors Jacob Coker (HB) and Mario Pender (HB). Last year, Florida State upset Texas 27-17 to open the season, but finished with a disappointing 6-6 (5-4) record after starting 5-0.
Texas Longhorns at Texas A&M Aggies Sep 5, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE Texas Longhorns (1-1, 0-0) 7 7 3 3 20 Texas A&M Aggies (1-0, 0-0) 7 7 7 10 31 Team Stats Comparison TEX TA&M Total Offense 396 519 Rushing Yards 234 149 Passing Yards 162 370 First Downs 18 27 Punt Return Yards 12 0 Kick Return Yards 107 103 Total Yards 515 622 Turnovers 2 1 3rd Down Converstion 2-11 (18%) 4-11 (36%) 4th Down Conversion 0-1 (0%) 0-2 (0%) 2-Point Conversion 0-0 (0%) 0-0 (0%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 2-0-2 (100%) 5-3-1 (80%) Penalties 3-54 7-55 Posession Time 26:54 33:06
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CB SPICER BECOMES FIRST RECRUIT FOR 2015 CLASS
Rated as the 48th best cornerback in the nation, and the 490th player overall, three-star prospect John Spicer of Port Lavaca, Texas won't turn many heads with his commitment to the Longhorns, but he may turn heads when he hits his field. After watching game tape, the coaching staff was convinced that Spicer was vastly under-rated, and could end up being one of the best cornerbacks out of the entire class. Spicer has tremendous coverage abilities, both in man and zone coverage, and has the speed necessary to keep up with any receiver. His play recognition abilities are also top notch, allowing him to be in the right place at the right time on nearly every down. Over the next three years, Texas will see six of their seven cornerbacks graduate, so expect Spicer to rise to the top in short order after a redshirt season. By the time he's a sophomore in year three, he should be featured in the starting lineup.
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WEEK THREE
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#14 TEXAS LONGHORNS (1-1, 0-0)
VS.
FLORIDA ST. SEMINOLES (0-1, 0-1)
Three weeks into the 2015 regular season, one thing is becoming clear: Texas is a young team, and they have a lot of growing up to do if they hope to repeat the success of past years. In his third career start, Pratt struggled again, but the Longhorns defense kept them ahead until the Seminoles went wild in the third quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points to permanently take the lead and win their first game of the season.
Senior quarterback Jacob Coker was having a positively average day until his team took the field in the second half, where he threw three touchdowns passes in the third quarter to put his team up by two scores. Coker finished the day completing 14 of 29 passes for 233 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. But player of the game honors went to senior Kelvin Benjamin (pictured above), who had six catches for 122 yards and two scores, including a 53-yard TD catch that opened up Florida State's scoring. On the ground, senior runningback Mario Pender led the effort with 85 yards off 12 carries, and also caught two balls for 42 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Seminoles recorded two sacks, two interceptions, and limited the Longhorns to just 90 passing yards and 14 points on the day. Back to .500 on the season, Florida St. will continue their quest to appear in the Big XII title game when they hit the road to face off against Oklahoma (1-1, 0-0) next week.
On the other side of the ball, Daniel Pratt suffered through another below-average game, completing 13 of 29 passes for 90 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. On the bright side, he also led the team with 92 yards off 19 carries. Despite his struggles, the coaching staff has been adamant in their support of Pratt, and his job looks to be safe for the time being. Junior runningback Jonathan Gray played a small role in the game, rushing for 78 yards off 13 carries, and junior fullback Luke O'Neal carried the ball twice and scored a touchdown. Texas' defense performed well, recording two sacks, forcing two turnovers, and allowing just 21 points...but the offense couldn't keep pace with their solid performance.
In danger of losing their poll ranking, Texas will head into the bye week and try to correct their issues before making a short trip across the state to face the Texas State Bocats (1-1, 0-0) in what should be a morale-boosting victory for the team.
#14 Texas Longhorns at Florida State Seminoles Sep 12, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE #14 Texas Longhorns (1-2, 0-1) 0 7 0 7 14 Florida State Seminoles (1-1, 1-1) 0 0 21 0 21 Team Stats Comparison TEX FSU Total Offense 325 374 Rushing Yards 235 141 Passing Yards 90 233 First Downs 21 15 Punt Return Yards 7 43 Kick Return Yards 40 81 Total Yards 372 498 Turnovers 2 2 3rd Down Converstion 6-14 (42%) 6-11 (54%) 4th Down Conversion 0-0 (0%) 0-0 (0%) 2-Point Conversion 0-0 (0%) 0-0 (0%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 2-2-0 (100%) 4-2-0 (50%) Penalties 8-52 5-50 Posession Time 33:39 26:21
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AROUND THE LEAGUE
-WEEK FOUR-
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WEEK FIVE
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#23 TEXAS LONGHORNS (1-2, 0-1)
VS.
TEXAS ST. BOBCATS (1-1, 0-0)
TEXAS DOMINATES DESPITE PRATT'S STRUGGLES
FOUR GAMES INTO THE 2015 SEASON, THE PASSING GAME IS STILL A MAJOR CONCERN
Behind the strength of a rushing attack that racked up 322 yards and four touchdowns, the Longhorns easily defeated the lowly Bobcats on Saturday, but concerns still remain on just how ready sophomore QB Daniel Pratt is to lead this team. Against sub-par competition, Pratt had another sub-par day through the air, completing 13 of 28 passes for 122 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 92 yards and a score off 16 carries. Through his first four games, Pratt has completed just 48% of his passes for 551 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions, but has also added 306 rushing yards and two more scores, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Speaking of the ground game, junior runningback Jonathan Gray continued to excel, rushing for 191 yards and a score off 24 carries to average a ridiculous 7.9 yards per touch. Backup Daje Johnson added five carries for 22 yards and a touchdown, and third-string runningback Ken Fogle even got in on the action, rushing for four yards and a score off two carries. Texas' defense recorded four sacks, forced three turnovers, and allowed just three points in four redzone trips, but they also allowed 360 total offensive yards, a surprising number considering how solid they've been this year. The victory also came with a bit of bad news, as junior tight end Raishaun Blanco suffered a sprained elbow, and will miss at least the next two games. Taking his place in the starting lineup will be senior M.J. McFarland, who should be more than capable of filling Blanco's shoes. Next week, the Longhorns will wrap up a four-game road stretch when they travel to take on undefeated #16 Kansas State (3-0, 1-0). Led by senior quarterback Tavarius Bender, who has completed 71% of his passes for 639 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions, the Wildcats are hopeful that they can return to their 2012 form, when they won the Big XII title, and fell one point short of beating USC in the national championship game.
#23 Texas Longhorns at Texas State Bobcats Sep 26, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE #23 Texas Longhorns (2-2, 0-1) 0 21 14 14 49 Texas State Bobcats (1-2, 0-0) 0 3 15 0 18 Team Stats Comparison TEX TXST Total Offense 444 360 Rushing Yards 322 196 Passing Yards 122 164 First Downs 26 13 Punt Return Yards 37 25 Kick Return Yards 105 63 Total Yards 586 448 Turnovers 2 3 3rd Down Converstion 6-12 (50%) 4-11 (36%) 4th Down Conversion 1-1 (100%) 0-1 (0%) 2-Point Conversion 0-0 (0%) 1-1 (100%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 6-6-0 (100%) 4-0-1 (25%) Penalties 4-18 3-12 Posession Time 36:11 23:49
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TWO MORE RECRUITS JOIN THE OFFENSE FOR 2015
With just six open roster spots available for next season, the Longhorns have been able to focus their time on the best athletes across the state and in the country, and that hard work is beginning to pay off as the team welcomed two more recruits who are sure to contribute to Texas' continued dominance on the ground. First up is four-star prospect Chris O'Connor (TE) of Ferguson, Missouri. Ranked as the 6th best tight end in the nation, and the 116th best player overall, O'Connor's dominant size will make him a valuable asset as an extra offensive lineman in running situations while also possessing enough skill to create mismatches against linebackers as a receiver. But with junior Raishaun Blanco currently owning the starting spot, and second-year freshman Anthony McDonald waiting in the wings, O'Connor will have to redshirt and then likely spend two more years as a backup before taking over the starting role. Also joining the team was four-star prospect Briant Ratliff (C), a Texas native out of Grapevine. Ratliff is rated as the 2nd best center available, the 33rd best player overall, and the fourth best player coming out of the state. While he possess a nice balance of skill, Ratliff's strength is in run blocking, which falls right in line with the strength of the team. But much like O'Connor, it will be a wait of 2-3 years before he will have a chance at the starting spot.
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WEEK SIX
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#21 TEXAS LONGHORNS (2-2, 0-1)
VS.
#16 KANSAS ST. WILDCATS (3-0, 1-0)
For the first time since the team's season-opening victory over San Jose State, third-year sophomore quarterback Daniel Pratt showed why he won the starting job in the spring. Pratt account for nearly 300 yards of the team's total offense and scored three times, junior runningback Jonathan Gray (pictured above) continued his phenomenal season on the ground, and Texas' offense racked up touchdown after touchdown in a convincing 49-25 win over previously unbeaten Kansas State for their first conference victory of the year.
Texas gained the lead early in the first quarter and never relinquished it, but only led by a score of 28-25 midway through the fourth quarter. But with less than six minutes to play, the Longhorns became unstoppable, scoring 21 unanswered points to put the game away. No one had a more impressive turnaround than Daniel Pratt, who completed 18 of 26 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, and also added 82 rushing yards off 11 carries. Filling in for injured starter Raishaun Blanco, senior tight end M.J. McFarland had a team-high five catches for 58 yards and a score, while junior Cayleb Jones caught four balls for 56 yards and two touchdowns. As for the ground game, junior runningback Jonathan Gray continued to excel, rushing for 146 yards and three touchdowns off 18 carries for an incredible average of 8.1 yards per touch. Gray averages just 18 carries per game, but seems to thrive in the limited role that keeps his legs fresh as he is currently 2nd in the nation with 671 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the season. Defensively, Texas allowed 380 yards of total offense, but also recorded two sacks, forced a turnover, and limited the Wildcats to 17 points in four redzone trips. Meanwhile, the Longhorns scored touchdowns in all seven of their redzone visits. In their 24 trips to the redzone this season, Texas has scored 21 touchdowns and two field goals, and their 95% red zone scoring percentage is the 3rd best in the country for teams with 20+ visits inside the 20-yard line.
As for the Wildcats, they dropped their third straight game to conference foe Texas, and have now missed out on a chance for an unbeaten season. Senior quarterback Tavarius Bender struggled with his accuracy, completing only half of his 28 attempted passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushing for 66 yards and another score off 15 carries. Speaking of the ground game, junior runningback Jarvis Leverett carried the ball 24 times for 127 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per touch, but could not reach the endzone. Kansas State's defense recorded just one sack, could not force any turnovers, and allowed nearly 500 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns. In the last three meetings between these two teams, Texas has outscored Kansas St. 118-51. The Wildcats get thrown a soft ball next week when they host the winless New Mexico St. Aggies (0-4, 0-2), but after that it's road games against Oklahoma State and #10 Clemson, as well as a matchup at home against unbeaten Bayor.
Next week can be considered a tune-up for the Red River Shootout as #17 Texas returns home for the first time since August to host Iowa State (1-2, 0-1), who rank 121st in total offense, and 120th in total defense. This is the third straight year that these two teams have meet, and the Cyclones have not managed to score more than seven points in either of the two previous games.
Texas Longhorns at Kansas State Wildcats Oct 3, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE Texas Longhorns (3-2, 1-1) 14 7 0 28 49 Kansas State Wildcats (3-1, 1-1) 0 10 8 7 25 Team Stats Comparison TEX KSU Total Offense 475 380 Rushing Yards 258 223 Passing Yards 217 157 First Downs 21 20 Punt Return Yards 15 34 Kick Return Yards 94 86 Total Yards 584 500 Turnovers 0 1 3rd Down Converstion 6-10 (60%) 11-17 (64%) 4th Down Conversion 0-0 (0%) 0-1 (0%) 2-Point Conversion 0-0 (0%) 1-1 (100%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 7-7-0 (100%) 4-2-1 (75%) Penalties 15-104 6-55 Posession Time 30:15 29:45
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LONGHORNS ADD DEPTH WITH LATEST PAIR OF COMMITMENTS
Texas' newest recruits won't make a big splash, but they'll likely be vital members of the team in a few years, those unspoken heroes who aren't celebrated by the media, but contribute to the overall success of the squad. First up is four-star prospect Ben Webb of Dallas, Texas, who is rated as the best kicker available, and the 210th best player overall. Webb has an extremely powerful leg, and with punter Charles Lambert due to graduate at the end of next season, that's where the team's newest recruit might land after a redshirt year. Also joining the team is four-star prospect Terry Arnold, another Texas native out of Crystal City. Arnold is rated as the 5th best defensive tackle, the 7th best prospect in the state, and the 63rd best player overall. Arnold will come in as the smallest defensive tackle on the roster, but his smaller stature makes him a much better pass rusher than his counterparts. Unfortunately for Arnold, there's a lot of young talent on the roster at the position, so his road to a starting spot will likely take 3-4 years.
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WEEK SEVEN
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IOWA ST. CYCLONES (1-2, 0-1)
VS.
#17 TEXAS LONGHORNS (4-2, 2-1)
#17 TEXAS SURVIVES UPSET-MINDED CYCLONES
IOWA ST. LED THE GAME THREE SEPARATE TIMES, BUT THEIR OFFENSE FELL FLAT IN THE END
Ranked by many as the toughest place to play, no one gave the lowly one-win Cyclones much of a chance in front of 100,000 screaming fans in burnt orange. But Iowa State proved their worth, leading 3-0 in the first quarter, 10-7 in the second quarter, and and 17-14 in the third quarter before back-to-back touchdowns by Jonathan Gray allowed the Longhorns to pull away. Iowa State responded with their third touchdown of the day, but failed the two-point conversion to close within three points, and their offense remained silent for the last ten minutes of play. After his stellar game last week, sophomore QB Daniel Pratt was merely average on Saturday, completing 11 of 20 passes for 156 yards, but also rushing for 80 yards and a touchdown. Junior runningback Jonathan Gray led the charge on offense, racking up 127 yards and three touchdowns off 25 carries. The offense put up 409 yards of total offense, but were held scoreless in the first and fourth quarters. Defensively, Texas recorded two sacks and an interception, and only allowed 23 points, but it almost wasn't enough as the normally high-scoring offense struggled to put points on the board. But despite the close call, the Longhorns still managed to walk away with a victory, improving to 4-2 (2-1) on the season. Next week, the team will make the short trip to Dallas, where they will meet arch rival Oklahoma (3-3, 2-2) in the Red River Shootout, a game they haven't lost since Major Applewhite took over as head coach in 2012. The full preview for one of college football's fiercest rivalries is coming up next.
Iowa State Cyclones at #17 Texas Longhorns Oct 10, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE Iowa State Cyclones (1-3, 0-2) 3 7 7 6 23 #17 Texas Longhorns (4-2, 2-1) 0 14 14 0 28 Team Stats Comparison ISU TEX Total Offense 325 409 Rushing Yards 143 253 Passing Yards 182 156 First Downs 19 22 Punt Return Yards 23 23 Kick Return Yards 82 92 Total Yards 430 524 Turnovers 1 2 3rd Down Converstion 7-14 (50%) 7-13 (53%) 4th Down Conversion 0-1 (0%) 1-1 (100%) 2-Point Conversion 0-1 (0%) 0-0 (0%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 3-2-0 (66%) 5-4-0 (80%) Penalties 9-65 9-70 Posession Time 28:05 31:55
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TEXAS WRAPS UP SMALL RECRUITING CLASS WITH SPARQ 100 ATHLETE
With just six open spots available on next year's roster, Texas has wrapped up their small recruiting class midway through the season with the commitment of five-star prospect Brad Peterson, an athlete out of Chico, California. Peterson is rated as the 5th best prospect in the state, the 8th best athlete available, and the 18th best prospect overall. He played the part of a speedy dual-threat quarterback in high school, but also possesses enough skill to transition easily to wide receiver in college. But with the recent emergence of Daniel Pratt, Peterson will like land at QB in 2015. Connor Brewer and Jalen Overstreet will graduate at the end of next season, and Pratt may bolt early for the pros after his junior year, which would leave just two quarterbacks ahead of Peterson on the depth chart following a redshirt year.
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WEEK EIGHT
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#15 TEXAS LONGHORNS (4-2, 2-1)
VS.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS (3-3, 2-2)
Texas didn't impress by blowing out the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, and they didn't impress by having great performances from one or two players. Instead, they had good performances by nearly every member of the team, took advantage of opportunities when they had them, and outlasted an evenly-matched opponent. Tied at 24 with precious little time left to play, the Longhorns put together their most impressive yard of the day, and hit a 25-yard field goal as time expired to extend their season win streak and their win streak over Oklahoma to four straight games.
Naturally, the Longhorns continued to lean on their ground game, rushing the ball 51 times, but they only managed 4.2 yards per carry. Suprisingly, the Sooners almost matched their rushing total with fewer carries, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, but it didn't matter in the end. Daniel Pratt didn't have a spectacular day under center, but did enough to carry his team to a win, completing 10 of 24 passes for 157 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Pratt also rushed for 62 yards, but averaged just 2.5 yards per carry as the Sooners did an outstanding job containing him for the most part. Unfortunately for Oklahoma, the runningbacks were more than happy to make up for it. Backup Daje Johnson racked up 51 yards and a touchdown off just 11 carries, and junior runningback Jonathan Gray (pictured above) carried the ball 13 times for 89 yards, and also had a 16-yard TD catch. Defensively, Texas did not record a sack, managed to force just one turnover, and allowed 381 total offensive yards, but they did just enough to limit Oklahoma's scoring in the three-point victory. Unfortunately, the victory did not come without a cost as the team lost two starters for multiple weeks. Senior Torshiro Davis (DE), who won the Lombardi trophy last season after leading the team with 8.5 sacks, will miss at least three weeks with a pulled groin. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by the very capable Kevin Marshall, a second-year freshman who already has two sacks this year. On the offensive line, starting left tackle Kennedy Estelle will most likely miss the rest of the season with a broken tailbone, which will elevate junior Camrhon Hughes into the starting role, and position center Brett Christensen as the primary backup at both tackle positions as well as center.
On the other side of the ball, junior QB Justin Potts completed 52% of his passes for 192 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, and also rushing for 45 yards. With offensive star Trey Metoyer (WR) sidelined due to injury, Potts completed passes to nine different players, never letting Texas' defense key in on one guy. As for the ground game, junior runningback Alex Ross carried the ball just 14 times, but racked up 109 yards, averaging 7.7 yards per touch. Oklahoma's defense did an outstanding job at limiting Texas' speedy quarterback, recording five sacks, one interception, and tackling Pratt quickly when he did decide to run. Still, their effort simply was not enough in the end as the Sooners lost their third game in the last four weeks. The team will take a bye week now before returning to action with a home game against West Virginia (3-3, 1-2), then hitting the road to face off against undefeated conference foes Baylor and Texas Tech.
Riding a four-game winning streak, confidence has been fully restored in Austin, but the team faces a major test at home next week when they host in-state rival #3 Texas Tech (5-0, 3-0) as they continue their bid for an undefeated season. The Red Raiders have the most fearsome aerial attack in the nation, averaging 386 yards per game, and are coming off back-to-back wins over ranked conference opponents #10 Clemson (38-7) and #16 TCU (34-27 OT). But both of those wins came at home, which is a different setting entirely than the raucous sold-out crowd at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The big question here is if Texas' average secondary can stop senior quarterback Michael Brewer, who has completed 63% of his passes for 1,922 yards, 17 touchdowns, and just four interceptions this season.
#15 Texas Longhorns at Oklahoma Sooners Oct 17, 2015 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH SCORE #15 Texas Longhorns (5-2, 3-1) 3 14 0 10 27 Oklahoma Sooners (3-4, 2-3) 3 14 0 7 24 Team Stats Comparison TEX OKLA Total Offense 374 381 Rushing Yards 217 189 Passing Yards 157 192 First Downs 23 20 Punt Return Yards 18 24 Kick Return Yards 110 103 Total Yards 502 508 Turnovers 1 1 3rd Down Converstion 8-15 (53%) 7-13 (53%) 4th Down Conversion 2-2 (100%) 0-1 (0%) 2-Point Conversion 0-0 (0%) 0-0 (0%) Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals 4-2-2 (100%) 4-3-0 (75%) Penalties 6-30 10-67 Posession Time 31:17 28:43 Comment
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