I feel like I could just copy and paste my opening paragraph from a number of games this season … it wasn’t a thing of beauty, but Texas did just enough to get the win. Survive and advance and be happy with winning ugly. The Texas defense was good for a lot of the game but had some complete breakdowns. The offense had looooong lapses of ineffectiveness, making the game much closer and nerve-racking than it needed to be. Texas was lucky to survive this one but that was fun as hell to watch. And exhausting.
Texas is one of the final four schools standing in all of college football. That’s all that really matters coming out of this game, but if we’re being completely honest, the Longhorns are going to have to play better in their next game (or next two games) if they want to continue winning.
Other random thoughts from the game …
How did Texas not block that first punt by Arizona State? Instead it was a roughing the punter call that kept ASU’s opening drive alive. Then another penalty aided ASU in basically gifting them three points.
Well, that’s how you start on offense. Two plays, touchdown Texas on two beautiful reads and throws by Quinn Ewers. Two plays, 77 yards, 41 seconds on that drive and Ewers with a 588.4 passer rating.
Silas Bolden! As soon as he broke through that first wave, he was gone.
What the hell was that spot on that third down run by Skattebo late in the first quarter? The yellow line did look to be a bit off, but he still didn’t make the yard to gain from what I could tell. Later on that drive, Texas comes up with a big fourth-down stop in shutting down Skattebo. Big play by Alfred Collins.
That fourth-down patch to Golden was an absolute dime by Ewers. That route was defended perfectly and Ewers put it where only Golden could make the leaping catch. Beautiful.
I’m not sure what Skattebo’s yards after contact were through the first one and a half quarters, but it had to be well under 10. Impressive tackling by the Texas defensive front.
Prince Dorbah, Xavion Alford and Troy Omeire all making plays in the first half. Good for those dudes. Omeire would later make a 17-yard catch but then make a bonehead unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, basically wiping out the entire distance of his catch.
Texas was heating up ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt on just about every single play and they were at least getting there to make him uncomfortable or flush the pocket. Also, I noticed spies on Leavitt from Trey Moore, Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill and I also saw Hill spying Skattebo when Skattebo flanked out wide on a passing down. Good job of mixing things up by the Texas coaches.
Michael Kern 57 yards!!!! Only a net of 37 but still!
Huge play by Malik Muhammad to get a hand on that pass in the end zone late in the second half. If he doesn’t, that might be a touchdown to cut the Texas lead to seven. Instead, Ethan Burke got a hand on the field goal and ASU went into halftime down by 14.
First half stats of note … Texas 133 yards of offense, Arizona State 178 yards of offense; Texas 19 rushing yards; Quinn Ewers 6-10 for 114 yards and 1 TD with a 188.8 QB rating; Matthew Golden 3 catches for 65 yards; Cam Skattebo 13 carries for 45 yards; Texas 1-5 on third downs; Time of possession … ASU 20:11, Texas 9:49.
Horrible start to the third quarter. Two sacks and an injury to Kelvin Banks. Then ASU gets going on offense, Michael Taaffe gets his bell rung.
I’ve been saying it for a while, but this offense is just not the same without the speed that a healthy Isaiah Bond brings. Bond was once again a non-factor and the Texas offense once again struggled for long stretches. Speaking of non-factors in the passing game, I think Gunnar Helm had one target if my memory is correct.
Fourth and short and a straight run up the middle against this defense thinking you’re going to get two full yards and get into the end zone? Not gonna happen. Why not use your QB’s athleticism and give him some run/pass option outside of the pocket? Terrible play call by Arizona State but a great goal-line stand by the Texas defense.
Texas in the third quarter. What. The. Actual. ****?
That was Shamari Simmons, who had to sit out the first half, that forced the Wisner fumble in the end zone. Good thing for Texas that dude wasn’t around all game.
Arizona State was absolutely wearing Texas down in the third quarter. I’m not loving the way this is setting up for the Texas defense against a power runner like Skattebo in the fourth quarter. That Texas D has to be absolutely gassed.
As soon as I typed the above, the Texas D came up with three consecutive negative plays.
With 41 seconds left in the third quarter, check out these numbers … Arizona State 303 yards of offense, Texas 128 yards of offense. Arizona State time of possession 32:49, Texas time of possession 11:30.
At the end of the third quarter, Texas had managed 64 yards of offense following that opening drive that went for 77 yards. 13 of those 64 yards came on the final two plays of the third quarter.
Bond finally got his first target in the fourth quarter on a ball that should not have been thrown his way. Ewers followed that bad pass to Bond with a beautiful toss to Golden two plays later with perfect placement down the sideline. Ewers would wind up capping that drive with a nice decision to turn upfield and run the ball in for a head-first diving touchdown. Nice heady play by Ewers on that play that I thought would put the game away. Not quite.
I’m not sure what Manny Muhammad was doing before or after the completion on that halfback pass for a long touchdown. Terrible coverage and then he almost looked like he was throwing his hands up as the receiver was still 10 yards from crossing the goal line. Muhammad would later gift ASU a two-point conversion to tie the game when he was flagged with a hold in the end zone on an incomplete pass.
That was targeting on that Ewers interception in the fourth quarter. It was so obvious when I watched the play live. Head shot on a defenseless receiver.
Ewers wasn’t really that close on any of his downfield throws in this game. Same story, different day.
Texas in absolute collapse mode. It’s unbelievable how a team that some still say is the best in the country continues to play such bad football for such long stretches of games. This one was especially frustrating because of all the mental mistakes and the fact that Texas should have put this game away pretty early in the second half.
Finally, a Gunnar Helm sighting! Huge catch to move the chains on third down late in the game.
Oh, Bert Auburn. I was joking with some ASU people this week that neither team would want this game to come down to special teams. In the end, it was the good and the bad from both special teams units that played a huge role in the outcome of this one.
Huge catch by Ryan Wingo in the closing seconds of the game. Wingo had been a non-factor all game but came up big when Texas needed him the most. But, Burt again. Holy shit.
Failure by the Texas defense on ASU’s first drive of overtime. You absolutely cannot let ASU’s QB convert that third and long scramble. There were so many big plays in this game that could have turned things but that was a big fail by the Texas defense when the Longhorns needed someone to step up and make a play.
Matthew Golden on fourth and 13 gets free for the game-tying score. Incredible. Not sure how ASU let him get that open but good for him and a hell of a clutch throw by Ewers. Great route in watching the replay. Hell of a job by both Golden and Ewers.
First play of the second overtime and Gunnar Helm shakes free for an open catch for a touchdown. Sark was dialing up some stuff in overtime and Ewers was on point, including a dime on a two-point conversion to Golden.
Where would this team be without Matthew Golden down the stretch of the season?
Mukuba to ice it. Holy crap. It wasn’t glamorous but survive and advance. Off to Jerryworld!
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