It doesn't matter that Texas played with its food on Saturday night in College Station like a lion toying with a gazelle just before nature runs its course.
It doesn't matter that the Longhorns didn't finish off the hosting Aggies until much later than it should have.
It doesn't matter that Quinn Ewers had a pick six or that the special teams unit allowed a blocked punt that near infused some real danger or that the offense scored zero points in the second half.
All that matters is that the Texas Longhorns handled its business and is headed to Atlanta for a chance at a conference championship in 6 days. Well, I suppose that's not the only thing that matters. It matters that Saturday's win likely assures Texas of a top 8 seed at a minimum going into the playoffs. That definitely matters.
Lost in the focus on the revival of the A&M rivalry is the reality that the game that was played on Saturday night was just an appetizer for bigger games that will played in the coming weeks.
The Aggies were a means to an end, which has to feel every bit as insulting as it is meant to be. A win for A&M would have served as justification for the school's entire existence. For the Longhorns, it was just the next game on a road that will deliver gams with higher stakes than bragging rights or a chance to make the conference title game.
As far as I'm concerned, the Longhorns absolutely outclassed the Aggies on Saturday. That was a 38-0 game wrapped into a 17-7 disguise. If Ewers doesn't throw an inexplicable pick-six in the third quarter, the score would have been 24-0 and it's easy to see 14-21 points following in its aftermath.
The rest was just window dressing. A&M fans know their team was dominated. A&M fans know that they were outclassed on the field and on the sideline. A&M fans know they are little brother.
I know there will be an urge from some to nitpick the hell out of a performance that witnessed the offense not quite carry an equal load to an elite of the elite defense.
I just don't care. It doesn't matter. What matters is what happens next.
(Other thoughts on the game...)
* Kudos to Ewers for a gutsy performance. I honestly didn't know if he was going to make it through 60 minutes. In the end, he more than survived and that is a critical development because that ankle is going to be an issue in the coming weeks. It will against Georgia. The most important thing that happened on Saturday as far as I'm concerned is that Ewers proved that he could play a viable role without looking like a physical liability to the team.
* Yes, Ewers has to play a cleaner game. He has to stop playing 15-30 minutes of quality football each week. He has to be better in the coming weeks. But, I can live with all of that in a double-digit win.
* This defense is one of the best in school history. It's safe to say that out loud without worrying about creating a jinx. Watching them has become must-see-TV. You can't take your eyes off of them. 0 points allowed on Saturday night. Unreal.
* Tre Wisner was absolutely incredible tonight. Maybe I'm wrong and he is the starter in 2025. He certainly played like one of the best running backs in the SEC tonight. 186 yards on 33 carries? That was Cedric Benson stuff last night. Wisner might still hit 1,000 yards rushing this season when it's all said and done.
* Holy Ethan Burke! One of the plays of the season.
* Gunnar Helm and Matthew Golden played like pro players last night. Can't say enough about how important they've become.
* We've been robbed of a big Isaiah Bond season. He just doesn't have it right now.
* An A&M player is on the field injured...
* The decision to go with Michael Kern as the punter this season is officially a failure. That was poor roster management and planning.
* Quinn Ewers passing by quarter...
1st Q: 4 of 6 for -6 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT (49.9 rating)
2nd Q: 7 of 11 for 148 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT (206.65 rating)
3rd Q: 6 of 10 for 76 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT (103.64 rating)
4th Q: 0 of 1 for 0 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT (0.00 rating)
* Facing 3rd and 4 inside the 10-yard line and up 17-0, color me shocked that Texas didn't run the ball twice (if needed) with Tre Wisner. That Ewers interception that went the other way for 7 points just didn't need to happen. Not with Wisner averaging 7 yards a pop at the time of the interception. Quandre agrees.
* Give Trevor Goosby a game ball. For him to come into the game cold after the Kelvin Banks injury and play as well as he did was a real statement performance.
* Bravo, SEC officials for taking that targeting call against Andrew Mukuba off the board. It simply was not targeting.
* Great throw and catch. Nothing else to say.
* QUINN EWERS HIT A DEEP BALL!!! QUINN EWERS HIT A DEEP BALL!!! QUINN EWERS HIT A DEEP BALL!!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!
* Vernon Broughton had a moment tonight. That man came to play. Give him a game ball.
* The guy at Texas Card House screaming "Just the tip!" as Arch Manning scored the opening touchdown of the game cracked me up. Great run by Arch.
* I did not have Quinn Ewers gaining a 26-yard explosive run in the first quarter. It was a great play in every respect. It's still kind of stunning a couple of hours later.
* All Michael Taaffe does is make plays. All season long. Imagine how he'd be viewed if he had been rated as a 4-star prospect like he warranted being ranked.
* Just an awesome play by Barryn Sorrell on the 4th and 1 to kill A&M's opening drive. He's going to have nightmares about the woulda-coulda-maybe-shoulda pick-six that went through his hands.
* Silas Bolden played a very smart game as a the punt return man tonight. Safe? Yes. Just what was needed? Yes.
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