Game day is almost here.
The players have put in the work throughout the winter conditioning, spring ball, summer workouts and then fall camp.
The only thing left to do is to pull on the boots, straighten up the ties and strut down for the “stadium stampede.”
“I love Saturdays in the fall,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. “Part of Saturdays in the fall for me is that I get to play dress up. I get to wear some of the things that maybe I don't get to wear on a daily basis as a coach. And I look forward to doing that, and I think our players do too.”
And when Sarkisian says he gets to wear things he maybe wouldn’t wear on a daily basis, he means it.
But while Sark is getting g’d up from the feet up, a couple of his players are going with a more minimalist look. Quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Trey Owens as well as safety Michael Taaffe all decided to go with the buzz cut.
“Just to limit the distractions. It's season time - senior year. Time to go win a Natty,” said Taaffe. “I think it looks good, but, you know, my girlfriend says otherwise.”
If Texas does win a national championship in 2024, they’re going to do so in style.
But if you’re going to get your swag on off the field, you better be able to back it up on the field as well.
Sark has said he thinks this team is hungry after coming so close to playing for a national championship last year.
The Colorado State Rams come to town and it may well just be the perfect week one opponent for the Horns.
“This is going to take a great week of preparation from our players not only physically, but mentally because they’re going to get challenged in all three phases," said Sarkisian.
On Thursday, Sark said that the team has had three really good practices this week and he believes his team is ready to go on Saturday.
COLORADO STATE OFFENSE VS. TEXAS DEFENSE
CSU is a 32.5-point underdog, but they are not without some skill. The Rams actually ranked as the ninth-best passing offense in the country last year, averaging 306.5 yards per game. They are led by Aledo, Texas quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and wide receiver Tory Horton.
Horton, in particular, is the player who has drawn the most attention from the Longhorns while watching film.
“He’s good, the quarterback loves him,” said Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron. “They have a lot of plays that can get him open, or he's going to get himself open. He's competing at a high level right now so it's a good matchup for everybody. And if you're a DB, you live for these matchups.”
This should be a very good test for a pass defense which was frequently on the wrong end of burns last season. The Horns finished 2024 as the 116th-ranked pass defense, giving up 254 yards per game.
Taaffe says they can be a better pass defense by getting the receiver down on the ground quickly after he makes a catch – especially this week.
“I think week one, you know, just across the country, the main focus for defensive guys is tackling,” said Taaffe. “You haven't gone live really, in fall camp. And so this is the first type of live, real, live challenge for defense. And so tackling is always the main emphasis.”
Sarkisian shares Taaffe’s assessment.
“When he [Horton] can open his stride up and get in the open field he can run away from you,” Sarkisian said. “It’s going to be important that we get multiple hats to the ball, not just with him, but everybody."
One of the reasons many inside the program are optimistic that the UT pass defense will be a lot better this year is that the coaches expect to be much better at getting to the quarterback. Getting pressure on the QB often forces quicker throws and poorer decisions which all leads to an advantage for the defense.
But you shouldn’t expect week one to be the week we see the Horns turn into a sack machine.
Colorado State gave up only 14 sacks in 12 games last year (11th best in the country).
The Rams return four of their five starting offensive linemen from last year and four of the five are also upperclassmen. They are experienced and they are good.
But perhaps the biggest reason CSU is so good at preventing sacks is the air raid offense they run. Offensive coordinator Matt Mumme runs the same air raid style of offense that his dad, Hal Mumme, actually invented and taught to Mike Leach (and others).
The offense uses wide splits along the offensive line to force defenses to cover more ground before they get to the quarterback. It also creates more lanes for the quarterback to find an open receiver.
That means that the opportunities for Trey Moore and Barryn Sorrell to get to the quarterback are going to be more limited in week one than they will in, oh, let’s say, week two when the Horns take on Michigan and their style of offense (which is the exact opposite of Colorado State’s).
One area where this pass defense has a chance to show off on Saturday is with interceptions. Fowler-Nicolosi has been prone to throwing picks, turning the ball over 16 times last season. As a redshirt sophomore, Fowler-Nicolosi has room for growth and improvement, but playing against UT, in Austin, may be too much to ask of him in week one.
"We've got to play sound in the back end in the passing game and we can't give up those chunk plays," Sarkisian said. "The numbers tell you, when you hit an explosive pass play, your percentage of scoring a touchdown on that drive go up exponentially. So we've got to minimize those explosive pass plays first. Then sure we'd like to make more plays on the ball and we got, we got a fair amount of interceptions last year, but we're always trying to build on that number."
If the Longhorn defensive backs can get their hands on a ball or two and create a short field for the offense, this could be a long day for the Rams.
Most air raid offensive coordinators will at least pay lip service to saying that they want to run the ball and maybe Mumme really does want to run the ball … but they’re just not any good at doing it.
Colorado State was 125th in the country last year averaging 92 yards per game. The offensive line is basically the same. The running back is the same. The quarterback is the same. The offensive coordinator is the same. I expect the results to be the same.
“We know we got to be able to stop the run no matter what team we're playing and no matter who we’re going against,” said Texas middle linebacker Anthony Hill.
This is a great game for Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton to get some real run-stuffing plays in as a warmup for Michigan (which WILL run the ball … a lot).
“We’ve got a chip on our shoulder because a lot of people think that we can’t,” Collins said when asked about the eagerness of the defensive tackle group to make a name for themselves. “But we’ve been working our butts off and it’s time to show everybody.”
With temperatures in Austin climbing into the 90s on Saturday (which should feel quite different than Fort Collins, Colorado), Saturday is a good day to get the defensive tackles some game rotations. Bill Norton, Taioalii Savea, Jermayne Lole, Aaron Bryant, Sydir Mitchell and Jaray Bledsoe should all get snaps this week. Texas will need a couple of these guys to step up and make plays this year so it’s a good week to work these guys in.
The problem is, the aforementioned air raid offense makes it hard to rotate new players in. The offense will go at a fast pace and because they rarely run the ball, there aren’t many breaks in the play to sub players in. Still, even if it is on a series by series basis, expect the coaches to drain the bench this week.
TEXAS OFFENSE VS. COLORADO STATE’S DEFENSE
As bad as Colorado State is at running the ball, it is almost equally as bad at stopping the run. The Rams give up an average of 166 yards per game (98th in the country).
Texas’ run game is one of the biggest question marks heading into the season after season-ending injuries to starting RB CJ Baxter and freshman RB Christian Clark.
Sark takes pride in turning out a 1,000-yard rusher every year and junior Jaydon Blue is now his best bet to carry on the tradition.
Blue says he’s ready to follow in the footsteps of the backs who have gone before him.
“I'm just grateful for where I'm at now,” Blue said this week. “I'm grateful for the guys in front of me, Bijan [Robinson], Roschon [Johnson], JB [Jonathon Brooks], Keilan [Robinson], all those guys, they've helped me. They did things the right way so just following their lead helps me prepare for a moment like this.”
Blue has shined in the moments when he has gotten the ball in the past. Any back who can average 6.0 yards per carry, as Blue did last season, has some skill to him
Blue’s speed, along with everyone else on the Longhorn roster, has certainly caught Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell’s attention.
“When you play the University of Texas you’re going to see a lot of speed,” said Norvell who coached wide receivers for UT during the 2015 season under Charlie Strong. “Obviously, the quality of high school football down there is outstanding and they basically get their pick. They’re going to have speed. We have to be smart about how we handle that. They have a lot of home run hitters. We can’t give up a lot of at bats."
But if Colorado State can’t stop the run then the Texas offense will get a lot of at bats.
This is going to be a tough game for CSU’s defensive line. The Rams are going up against one of the best offensive lines in the country. And don’t look now, but starting left tackle Kelvin Banks thinks this year’s unit will be better … and not just a little better.
“I think we’re definitely going to be leaps and bounds better than what people think of us,” Banks said.
And of course, the CSU defensive tackles, much like UT’s DTs, will have to rotate a lot in order to try to stay fresh in the heat. The problem is, their depth along the line isn’t nearly as strong as Texas’ line depth.
Of course, Texas heat is nothing new for many of the Colorado State players and coaches. CSU head coach Jay Norvell said there are at least 19 players on the Rams roster that are from Texas, including many of their starters. Also, more than half of the coaching staff (including Norvell) has coached in the Lone Star State.
You almost have to feel bad for the parents of all of those Texas-born Colorado State players who will have to sit in those sweltering stands only to watch what should end up being a beatdown. That is the definition of love.
AROUND THE SEC:
Thursday:
Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Arkansas
Murray State vs. Missouri
Friday:
Temple vs. OU
Saturday:
Clemson vs. Georgia
Virginia Tech vs. Vanderbilt
Chattanooga vs. Tennessee
Miami vs. Florida
Old Dominion vs. South Carolina
Eastern Kentucky vs. Mississippi State
Western Kentucky vs. Alabama
Furman vs. Ole Miss
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M
Alabama A&M vs. Auburn
Southern Miss vs. Kentucky
Sunday:
USC vs. LSU
Most of the SEC is taking it easy this week with creampuffs a plenty on the week one SEC schedule. But there are some very good matchups in week one that could have an impact on the college football playoff landscape come December.
Clemson vs. Georgia in Atlanta gets the Saturday started with an 11:00 am kickoff. That should be a very good matchup and it is the first, of many, tough games for the Bulldogs this year. Can Dabo Sweeney beat UGA in Atlanta without the aid of transfer portal players? Probably not. But you can never say never … especially in week one.
Miami vs. Florida is another key matchup this week. Most of you probably won’t be watching this game as it is on at the same time as Texas. But this is a must-win game for both of these programs. Florida needs an upset or two along the way in order to avoid a losing season with their tough schedule. Meanwhile, Miami is my pick to win the ACC and make the CFP. Beating Florida right off the bat could set the tone for a big season in Coral Gables.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M. The Aggies are actually favored in this game even though they are the lower-ranked team. The Irish don’t have a very tough schedule this year and they won’t be able to get an automatic bid to the CFP by winning a conference so they need this win in the worst way.
USC vs. LSU. Will either team be able to play defense? Points should be going up on the Allegiant Stadium scoreboard like a slot machine with a progressive jackpot in Las Vegas.
TWEETS OF INTEREST:
Colorado State can’t do much to prepare for the heat, but they are doing everything they can to get ready for the Showband of the Southwest. (Are we going to have to reconsider that monicker now that UT is in the SEC?)
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Texas may be new to the SEC this year, but you can expect the athletic department to continue to roll up conference and national championships.
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The defending national champion UT volleyball team kicks off its season on Sunday with a match against the third-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (whom UT beat in the NCAA semifinals last season). They’ll follow that up with a match against Minnesota on Labor Day.
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Speaking of volleyball, it is really cool that Madi Skinner is HEB’s first-ever NIL signee.
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The Texas soccer team is also off to an undefeated start to the season (3-0-1) and they’ll take on Central Michigan on Sunday.
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The SEC officially added rowing to its list of sanctioned conference sports. That's just a huge mistake for every school not named the University of Texas.
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This was one of the most underrated bits of news to come out this week. It is so, so big for schools to be able to play younger guys in the postseason games without burning their redshirts.
Of course, you have to think that the large number of bowl game opt outs had a lot to do with this decision. Still, I’m on board.
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This is the kind of hit the NFL used to use in every promo to gin up excitement for the game. I can practically hear the old NFL Films music playing underneath it. Of course, this poor kid is probably just hearing little birds tweeting as they zoom around his head.
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Damn right! It’s time to put your loved ones on notice (if you haven’t already done so). Your time is spoken for.
The players have put in the work throughout the winter conditioning, spring ball, summer workouts and then fall camp.
The only thing left to do is to pull on the boots, straighten up the ties and strut down for the “stadium stampede.”
“I love Saturdays in the fall,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. “Part of Saturdays in the fall for me is that I get to play dress up. I get to wear some of the things that maybe I don't get to wear on a daily basis as a coach. And I look forward to doing that, and I think our players do too.”
And when Sarkisian says he gets to wear things he maybe wouldn’t wear on a daily basis, he means it.
But while Sark is getting g’d up from the feet up, a couple of his players are going with a more minimalist look. Quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Trey Owens as well as safety Michael Taaffe all decided to go with the buzz cut.
“Just to limit the distractions. It's season time - senior year. Time to go win a Natty,” said Taaffe. “I think it looks good, but, you know, my girlfriend says otherwise.”
If Texas does win a national championship in 2024, they’re going to do so in style.
But if you’re going to get your swag on off the field, you better be able to back it up on the field as well.
Sark has said he thinks this team is hungry after coming so close to playing for a national championship last year.
The Colorado State Rams come to town and it may well just be the perfect week one opponent for the Horns.
“This is going to take a great week of preparation from our players not only physically, but mentally because they’re going to get challenged in all three phases," said Sarkisian.
On Thursday, Sark said that the team has had three really good practices this week and he believes his team is ready to go on Saturday.
COLORADO STATE OFFENSE VS. TEXAS DEFENSE
CSU is a 32.5-point underdog, but they are not without some skill. The Rams actually ranked as the ninth-best passing offense in the country last year, averaging 306.5 yards per game. They are led by Aledo, Texas quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and wide receiver Tory Horton.
Horton, in particular, is the player who has drawn the most attention from the Longhorns while watching film.
“He’s good, the quarterback loves him,” said Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron. “They have a lot of plays that can get him open, or he's going to get himself open. He's competing at a high level right now so it's a good matchup for everybody. And if you're a DB, you live for these matchups.”
This should be a very good test for a pass defense which was frequently on the wrong end of burns last season. The Horns finished 2024 as the 116th-ranked pass defense, giving up 254 yards per game.
Taaffe says they can be a better pass defense by getting the receiver down on the ground quickly after he makes a catch – especially this week.
“I think week one, you know, just across the country, the main focus for defensive guys is tackling,” said Taaffe. “You haven't gone live really, in fall camp. And so this is the first type of live, real, live challenge for defense. And so tackling is always the main emphasis.”
Sarkisian shares Taaffe’s assessment.
“When he [Horton] can open his stride up and get in the open field he can run away from you,” Sarkisian said. “It’s going to be important that we get multiple hats to the ball, not just with him, but everybody."
One of the reasons many inside the program are optimistic that the UT pass defense will be a lot better this year is that the coaches expect to be much better at getting to the quarterback. Getting pressure on the QB often forces quicker throws and poorer decisions which all leads to an advantage for the defense.
But you shouldn’t expect week one to be the week we see the Horns turn into a sack machine.
Colorado State gave up only 14 sacks in 12 games last year (11th best in the country).
The Rams return four of their five starting offensive linemen from last year and four of the five are also upperclassmen. They are experienced and they are good.
But perhaps the biggest reason CSU is so good at preventing sacks is the air raid offense they run. Offensive coordinator Matt Mumme runs the same air raid style of offense that his dad, Hal Mumme, actually invented and taught to Mike Leach (and others).
The offense uses wide splits along the offensive line to force defenses to cover more ground before they get to the quarterback. It also creates more lanes for the quarterback to find an open receiver.
That means that the opportunities for Trey Moore and Barryn Sorrell to get to the quarterback are going to be more limited in week one than they will in, oh, let’s say, week two when the Horns take on Michigan and their style of offense (which is the exact opposite of Colorado State’s).
One area where this pass defense has a chance to show off on Saturday is with interceptions. Fowler-Nicolosi has been prone to throwing picks, turning the ball over 16 times last season. As a redshirt sophomore, Fowler-Nicolosi has room for growth and improvement, but playing against UT, in Austin, may be too much to ask of him in week one.
"We've got to play sound in the back end in the passing game and we can't give up those chunk plays," Sarkisian said. "The numbers tell you, when you hit an explosive pass play, your percentage of scoring a touchdown on that drive go up exponentially. So we've got to minimize those explosive pass plays first. Then sure we'd like to make more plays on the ball and we got, we got a fair amount of interceptions last year, but we're always trying to build on that number."
If the Longhorn defensive backs can get their hands on a ball or two and create a short field for the offense, this could be a long day for the Rams.
Most air raid offensive coordinators will at least pay lip service to saying that they want to run the ball and maybe Mumme really does want to run the ball … but they’re just not any good at doing it.
Colorado State was 125th in the country last year averaging 92 yards per game. The offensive line is basically the same. The running back is the same. The quarterback is the same. The offensive coordinator is the same. I expect the results to be the same.
“We know we got to be able to stop the run no matter what team we're playing and no matter who we’re going against,” said Texas middle linebacker Anthony Hill.
This is a great game for Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton to get some real run-stuffing plays in as a warmup for Michigan (which WILL run the ball … a lot).
“We’ve got a chip on our shoulder because a lot of people think that we can’t,” Collins said when asked about the eagerness of the defensive tackle group to make a name for themselves. “But we’ve been working our butts off and it’s time to show everybody.”
With temperatures in Austin climbing into the 90s on Saturday (which should feel quite different than Fort Collins, Colorado), Saturday is a good day to get the defensive tackles some game rotations. Bill Norton, Taioalii Savea, Jermayne Lole, Aaron Bryant, Sydir Mitchell and Jaray Bledsoe should all get snaps this week. Texas will need a couple of these guys to step up and make plays this year so it’s a good week to work these guys in.
The problem is, the aforementioned air raid offense makes it hard to rotate new players in. The offense will go at a fast pace and because they rarely run the ball, there aren’t many breaks in the play to sub players in. Still, even if it is on a series by series basis, expect the coaches to drain the bench this week.
TEXAS OFFENSE VS. COLORADO STATE’S DEFENSE
As bad as Colorado State is at running the ball, it is almost equally as bad at stopping the run. The Rams give up an average of 166 yards per game (98th in the country).
Texas’ run game is one of the biggest question marks heading into the season after season-ending injuries to starting RB CJ Baxter and freshman RB Christian Clark.
Sark takes pride in turning out a 1,000-yard rusher every year and junior Jaydon Blue is now his best bet to carry on the tradition.
Blue says he’s ready to follow in the footsteps of the backs who have gone before him.
“I'm just grateful for where I'm at now,” Blue said this week. “I'm grateful for the guys in front of me, Bijan [Robinson], Roschon [Johnson], JB [Jonathon Brooks], Keilan [Robinson], all those guys, they've helped me. They did things the right way so just following their lead helps me prepare for a moment like this.”
Blue has shined in the moments when he has gotten the ball in the past. Any back who can average 6.0 yards per carry, as Blue did last season, has some skill to him
Blue’s speed, along with everyone else on the Longhorn roster, has certainly caught Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell’s attention.
“When you play the University of Texas you’re going to see a lot of speed,” said Norvell who coached wide receivers for UT during the 2015 season under Charlie Strong. “Obviously, the quality of high school football down there is outstanding and they basically get their pick. They’re going to have speed. We have to be smart about how we handle that. They have a lot of home run hitters. We can’t give up a lot of at bats."
But if Colorado State can’t stop the run then the Texas offense will get a lot of at bats.
This is going to be a tough game for CSU’s defensive line. The Rams are going up against one of the best offensive lines in the country. And don’t look now, but starting left tackle Kelvin Banks thinks this year’s unit will be better … and not just a little better.
“I think we’re definitely going to be leaps and bounds better than what people think of us,” Banks said.
And of course, the CSU defensive tackles, much like UT’s DTs, will have to rotate a lot in order to try to stay fresh in the heat. The problem is, their depth along the line isn’t nearly as strong as Texas’ line depth.
Of course, Texas heat is nothing new for many of the Colorado State players and coaches. CSU head coach Jay Norvell said there are at least 19 players on the Rams roster that are from Texas, including many of their starters. Also, more than half of the coaching staff (including Norvell) has coached in the Lone Star State.
You almost have to feel bad for the parents of all of those Texas-born Colorado State players who will have to sit in those sweltering stands only to watch what should end up being a beatdown. That is the definition of love.
AROUND THE SEC:
Thursday:
Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Arkansas
Murray State vs. Missouri
Friday:
Temple vs. OU
Saturday:
Clemson vs. Georgia
Virginia Tech vs. Vanderbilt
Chattanooga vs. Tennessee
Miami vs. Florida
Old Dominion vs. South Carolina
Eastern Kentucky vs. Mississippi State
Western Kentucky vs. Alabama
Furman vs. Ole Miss
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M
Alabama A&M vs. Auburn
Southern Miss vs. Kentucky
Sunday:
USC vs. LSU
Most of the SEC is taking it easy this week with creampuffs a plenty on the week one SEC schedule. But there are some very good matchups in week one that could have an impact on the college football playoff landscape come December.
Clemson vs. Georgia in Atlanta gets the Saturday started with an 11:00 am kickoff. That should be a very good matchup and it is the first, of many, tough games for the Bulldogs this year. Can Dabo Sweeney beat UGA in Atlanta without the aid of transfer portal players? Probably not. But you can never say never … especially in week one.
Miami vs. Florida is another key matchup this week. Most of you probably won’t be watching this game as it is on at the same time as Texas. But this is a must-win game for both of these programs. Florida needs an upset or two along the way in order to avoid a losing season with their tough schedule. Meanwhile, Miami is my pick to win the ACC and make the CFP. Beating Florida right off the bat could set the tone for a big season in Coral Gables.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M. The Aggies are actually favored in this game even though they are the lower-ranked team. The Irish don’t have a very tough schedule this year and they won’t be able to get an automatic bid to the CFP by winning a conference so they need this win in the worst way.
USC vs. LSU. Will either team be able to play defense? Points should be going up on the Allegiant Stadium scoreboard like a slot machine with a progressive jackpot in Las Vegas.
TWEETS OF INTEREST:
Colorado State can’t do much to prepare for the heat, but they are doing everything they can to get ready for the Showband of the Southwest. (Are we going to have to reconsider that monicker now that UT is in the SEC?)
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Texas may be new to the SEC this year, but you can expect the athletic department to continue to roll up conference and national championships.
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The defending national champion UT volleyball team kicks off its season on Sunday with a match against the third-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (whom UT beat in the NCAA semifinals last season). They’ll follow that up with a match against Minnesota on Labor Day.
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Speaking of volleyball, it is really cool that Madi Skinner is HEB’s first-ever NIL signee.
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The Texas soccer team is also off to an undefeated start to the season (3-0-1) and they’ll take on Central Michigan on Sunday.
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The SEC officially added rowing to its list of sanctioned conference sports. That's just a huge mistake for every school not named the University of Texas.
####################################
This was one of the most underrated bits of news to come out this week. It is so, so big for schools to be able to play younger guys in the postseason games without burning their redshirts.
Of course, you have to think that the large number of bowl game opt outs had a lot to do with this decision. Still, I’m on board.
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This is the kind of hit the NFL used to use in every promo to gin up excitement for the game. I can practically hear the old NFL Films music playing underneath it. Of course, this poor kid is probably just hearing little birds tweeting as they zoom around his head.
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Damn right! It’s time to put your loved ones on notice (if you haven’t already done so). Your time is spoken for.
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