The Texas Longhorns came into the Peach Bowl as 12.5 point favorites but needed double overtime to finally dispatch the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The nail-biting College Football Playoff quarterfinal probably came as a surprise to many (including me who predicted a 41-6 Texas victory).
But with the aid of hindsight, and a little reflection, I can’t help but think that we shouldn’t have been surprised after all.
It turns out, Texas’ 39-31 win in double overtime was really just a microcosm of Texas’ season … all boiled down to one game.
Explosive plays on offense? Check.
Defensive goal line stands? Check.
Drive killing penalties on offense? Check.
Third quarter doldrums? Check.
Ewers deep ball woes? Check.
Red zone scoring problems? Check.
Kicking problems? Check.
The Horns fight through their problems? Check.
Texas wins in the end? Check.
It was all there, the good and the bad. Why didn’t we see it coming?
“Not our cleanest game of the year and that’s okay to say that,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. “But one thing about our group is when our backs are against the wall and when our best is needed, our best shows up time and time again.”
It’s one thing to overcome problems against a Big 12 team, it will be an entirely different task to overcome self-inflicted wounds against Ohio State.
"We’re going into game 16, so it’s about how you manage the players, how you utilize your time, how you try to keep them as fresh as you can, not only physically, but mentally, but also making sure you’ve got a good plan that you can execute," said Sarkisian. “The further you go into the playoffs, the better quality opponent you face, so your quality of play has to continue to improve. The coaching has to improve. Everybody’s got to improve.”
That’s putting it mildly. Everybody has got to improve if Texas wants to make it to the national championship game.
It feels odd to write that about a team that is 13-2. But Texas has played one team that comes even close to having the amount of talent that the Horns have … and they lost to that team twice. Ohio State has even more talent than Georgia.
“Clearly, we're massive underdogs,” Sarkisian said. “Nobody's going to give us a shot.”
The Buckeyes come to Texas with the best wide receiver unit in the country, two really good running backs and a defense that is as good, if not better, than what Texas sports.
“They kind of replicate an SEC front,” said Texas center Jake Majors. “Very talented linebackers. Very sound secondary. So, for us, it’s — we’ve just got to own our game plan and trust our techniques to put us in the right position against these guys.”
Texas’ game plan needs to include a run game that actually works. The Horns have struggled to run the ball in three games and they lost two of them and damn near lost the third.
Texas had 27 rushing yards in the first game against Georgia. They had 28 rushing yards in the SEC championship game. Then they could only muster 30 rushing yards against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl.
“We didn’t put our best foot forward in that game,” offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. said. “And the biggest thing Coach Sark wanted us to emphasize was the run game. And I feel like we didn’t do that. So, we definitely had a chip on our shoulders for sure, because I know we’re better than what we showed on that field.”
They better be better than what they showed last week or the season is over. And it can be done. Michigan ran for 172 yards against Ohio State. But if the Horns are going to replicate what the Wolverines did, they’re going to need to cut out the penalties … especially those pre-snap penalties along the offensive line.
“I think everybody’s objective is to come out swinging, come out fast and have a hot start,” Majors said. “Ohio State is playing really good football right now, and if we want a chance, we’ve got to match that and exceed that. So, we’ve got to put our best foot forward and come out swinging and come out fast.”
Texas needs the kind of run game they put together against Clemson and Texas A&M. They need the offensive line dominance that was on display against Michigan, the defensive dominance from the Oklahoma game and the play-calling display Sark put on against Florida.
"It's a challenge. But that's the beauty of it, right? To be on this stage and to be with this opportunity, you embrace it. You try to balance it as best you can, so that when the ball is kicked off you’re putting your staff and players in the best position to have some success," Sarkisian said.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers, who has been pretty up and down this season, will need to step up as well.
Ewers’ performance from 4th and 13 on in the Peach Bowl could end up being a springboard moment.
“Being in those types of moments, those gotta have it moments, and coming out with the win is huge,” Ewers said.
The Horns are in that gotta have it moment right now. They’ve got to take on an Ohio State squad that has been red-hot since losing to Michigan. There’s a reason why they’re a touchdown favorite.
“I think we’re really dangerous as underdogs,” said tight end Gunnar Helm. “We’ve been underdogs for a lot of big games my early years here, such as Alabama at home, and then obviously Alabama on the road in a really tough environment in Tuscaloosa. So, I think the underdogs, the aspect of that makes you really dangerous as a team. But it’s just another game for us. We’re preparing the same way as we would.”
We’ve seen Texas be dangerous at times this season. They just need to play good, clean football. And if the Peach Bowl was a microcosm of everything that went wrong this season, then the Cotton Bowl needs to be a microcosm of everything they’ve done right.
Explosive plays on offense?
Defensive goal line stands?
Run game success?
Ewers with confidence and health?
The Horns fight through their problems?
Texas wins in the end?
Check off that list and the Horns will be headed back to Atlanta to play for a national championship on January 20th. If they go back to that check list that started this column, then they can turn their attention to the portal, winter conditioning, spring ball and ushering in the Arch Manning era.
TWEETS OF INTEREST:
I didn’t base my column off of this tweet, but it pretty well sums it up in a lot fewer words.
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This is one of the most perplexing issues of Sarkisian’s Texas tenure.
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You know things are an issue when former players are publicly calling it out.
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Fans aren’t giving Quinn Ewers enough respect.
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Damn! That’s cold!
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I’ve been a big fan of Matt Campbell for a long time and I think he would do well in the NFL too.
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Absolutely brilliant.
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Choose wisely, gentlemen.
