1. In a game that took on added importance after West Virginia lost to Oklahoma State, the Longhorns turned in their best overall performance of the season in making easy work of a good Iowa State team that came in with a five-game winning streak and also had a lot on the line. Texas dominated this game from the jump and it really was never even close. Even when it was just a 14-3 Texas lead early on, it just felt like this game was going UT’s way as the Longhorns just seemed to have more energy, were more physical and were executing better. This was a flat-out ass kicking that was worse than the final score of 24-10 would seem to indicate. It was an incredible performance by a Texas team that will be playing for a Big 12 title barring a complete disaster next week.
2. The Texas defense has taken a beating in recent weeks, for good reason, but that group responded in a huge way in this one. Texas held Iowa State to 10 points and 210 total yards in a dominant effort that saw the defense harass Iowa State on just about every play. The Longhorns were able to get pressure, they played well against the run and just flew around tonight in a way we haven’t seen in a while. Iowa State’s offense isn’t going to be confused with West Virginia or Texas Tech but this game should give the UT defense a ton of confidence when it heads to the Big 12 Championship game, assuming it doesn’t take a step back next week.
3. What a fun day of watching football for Texas fans. The ending of that West Virginia game was exciting as hell, and then to see Texas play its most complete game of the year on senior day should have everyone on this board grinning from ear to ear.
4. Everyone should have known it was going to be a good night when Texas forced a punt on Iowa State’s first possession of the game. With the way the defense has played on opening drives this year, that was an easy highlight.
5. Brock Purdy came into this game with a 192 quarterback rating. Texas made him look like the true freshman he is and had him completely out of sorts. In the fourth quarter, after Texas had smacked him around on a couple plays, you could just tell that Purdy’s will had been completely broken.
6. Caden Sterns turned in a whale of a first half and a fantastic game overall. He was very good in run support, picked up his first career sack and seemed to be diagnosing plays well. Sterns didn’t have the huge play in the way of a turnover but was back playing at a level like he did early in the year when he was one of Texas’ best overall defenders. Sterns finished with 5 tackles and 2 tackles for a loss.
7. I’m not sure I’ve fully appreciated that this team is one win away from playing for the conference crown. A program that was awful under Charlie Strong, was .500 in the regular season last year and lost its season-opener to Maryland in a bad way is one win away from the Big 12 title game. Man, it’s pretty incredible to step back and think about what this team is doing in year two under Tom Herman.
8. Sam Ehlinger was incredibly effective before injuring his shoulder in the final seconds of the first half. Ehlinger threw the ball well, mixed in some nice runs and once again protected the football in his time on the field. It seemed like he could have come back into the game if necessary, which should alleviate some concerns about his availability over the next couple weeks. Texas can win next week without him, but the Longhorns need him to be healthy in two weeks.
9. Ehlinger’s not the most athletic quarterback in terms of quick-twitch athleticism, but he’s such a smart runner. He’s patient, he sets up defenders well and is obviously powerful enough to finish runs for some extra yardage. When he takes off, be it on designed runs or scrambles, I’m to the point that I expect him to make a guy (or two) miss before he’s brought down.
10. I don’t have a problem with the play on which Ehlinger was injured. Not at all. It’s easy to say you want your quarterback to hit the turf in that situation, but that’s not who Ehlinger is and he was trying to make the play and move the chains on third down. There are times to be smart and protect your body in obvious situations and there are times you have to fight for that extra yard, especially when you play the game the way Ehlinger does. If he converts that first down, everyone’s talking about how competitive and tough he is so I’m not going to sit here and second-guess his decision to lower his shoulder and fight for that extra yard.
11. ISU running back David Montgomery is damn good, but the broadcast crew was making him out to be a comibination of Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott. Having Montgomery available for the whole game wouldn’t have made a lick of difference in this game.
12. I thought Texas’ second touchdown, the pass to Keaontay Ingram, was one of the better plays I’ve seen Ehlinger make. It wasn’t a pinpoint pass downfield in tight coverage, but in the face of pressure, Ehlinger stayed calm and did a great job of going to his checkdown receiver at the last minute. That’s probably a play in which Ehlinger would have tucked the ball and tried to take off running last year and the early part of this year, but he made the right decision on this one with a lot of traffic around him.
13. Iowa State had only four drives that made it to the Texas side of the field and didn’t advance the ball inside the UT 20 yard line until the Cyclones had a long punt return to start the drive on the Texas 6 yard line.
14. Texas threw the ball 25 times in this game and completed 22 passes. That’ll work.
15. Is there anything cooler than seeing Michelle Herman after the game celebrating with Tom Herman while wearing an “Ok Cool Hook’Em” shirt? I got a pretty good chuckle out of that.
16. Lil’Jordan Humphrey after the catch, even when swarmed by five or six guys, is phenomenal at moving the pile. I’m not sure I can remember a guy doing that so many times and so effectively. The offensive line deserves a lot of credit on those plays as well … that group seems to have been coached to help drive their teammates forward when they’re stood up because the OL does it a lot and seems to take pride in those plays.
17. Texas dominated this one from start to finish, aside from the long ISU punt return and Daniel Young’s late fumble. First half stats … Halftime stats ….. 116 total yards for ISU. Longhorns 283 total yards. Brock Purdy 6-of-17 for 63 yards with 1 interception. Texas 3 sacks, 3 QB hurries and it felt like a lot more than that. Final stats … 12 first downs for ISU, 30 rushing yards, 210 total yards, 6 sacks by the Texas defense. That’s a full-on ass-whipping, folks.
18. It was good to see Shane Buechele play well. He’s always handled himself with class and he played at a high level on what could very well be his last game at DKR-Memorial Stadium. Buechele completed all 10 of his pass attempts for 89 yards and a score and finished the night with a 207.8 passer rating. Tip of the cap to Buechele.
19. Man, it feels good to have a game not go for four hours.
20. Man, how badly did you all want to see senior Charles Omenihu score on that fumble recovery with just over a minute left? That dude deserved a touchdown there.
21. That third-quarter touchdown by Humphrey was a thing of beauty. My goodness, that guy is getting to be where he’s damn near impossible to bring down with one defender. That’s a play to put on the reel for NFL scouts to see as much as any he’s shown all year.
22. Take that, quarter!
23. As if the game wasn’t enough, I’ll leave you all with this …
2. The Texas defense has taken a beating in recent weeks, for good reason, but that group responded in a huge way in this one. Texas held Iowa State to 10 points and 210 total yards in a dominant effort that saw the defense harass Iowa State on just about every play. The Longhorns were able to get pressure, they played well against the run and just flew around tonight in a way we haven’t seen in a while. Iowa State’s offense isn’t going to be confused with West Virginia or Texas Tech but this game should give the UT defense a ton of confidence when it heads to the Big 12 Championship game, assuming it doesn’t take a step back next week.
3. What a fun day of watching football for Texas fans. The ending of that West Virginia game was exciting as hell, and then to see Texas play its most complete game of the year on senior day should have everyone on this board grinning from ear to ear.
4. Everyone should have known it was going to be a good night when Texas forced a punt on Iowa State’s first possession of the game. With the way the defense has played on opening drives this year, that was an easy highlight.
5. Brock Purdy came into this game with a 192 quarterback rating. Texas made him look like the true freshman he is and had him completely out of sorts. In the fourth quarter, after Texas had smacked him around on a couple plays, you could just tell that Purdy’s will had been completely broken.
6. Caden Sterns turned in a whale of a first half and a fantastic game overall. He was very good in run support, picked up his first career sack and seemed to be diagnosing plays well. Sterns didn’t have the huge play in the way of a turnover but was back playing at a level like he did early in the year when he was one of Texas’ best overall defenders. Sterns finished with 5 tackles and 2 tackles for a loss.
7. I’m not sure I’ve fully appreciated that this team is one win away from playing for the conference crown. A program that was awful under Charlie Strong, was .500 in the regular season last year and lost its season-opener to Maryland in a bad way is one win away from the Big 12 title game. Man, it’s pretty incredible to step back and think about what this team is doing in year two under Tom Herman.
8. Sam Ehlinger was incredibly effective before injuring his shoulder in the final seconds of the first half. Ehlinger threw the ball well, mixed in some nice runs and once again protected the football in his time on the field. It seemed like he could have come back into the game if necessary, which should alleviate some concerns about his availability over the next couple weeks. Texas can win next week without him, but the Longhorns need him to be healthy in two weeks.
9. Ehlinger’s not the most athletic quarterback in terms of quick-twitch athleticism, but he’s such a smart runner. He’s patient, he sets up defenders well and is obviously powerful enough to finish runs for some extra yardage. When he takes off, be it on designed runs or scrambles, I’m to the point that I expect him to make a guy (or two) miss before he’s brought down.
10. I don’t have a problem with the play on which Ehlinger was injured. Not at all. It’s easy to say you want your quarterback to hit the turf in that situation, but that’s not who Ehlinger is and he was trying to make the play and move the chains on third down. There are times to be smart and protect your body in obvious situations and there are times you have to fight for that extra yard, especially when you play the game the way Ehlinger does. If he converts that first down, everyone’s talking about how competitive and tough he is so I’m not going to sit here and second-guess his decision to lower his shoulder and fight for that extra yard.
11. ISU running back David Montgomery is damn good, but the broadcast crew was making him out to be a comibination of Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott. Having Montgomery available for the whole game wouldn’t have made a lick of difference in this game.
12. I thought Texas’ second touchdown, the pass to Keaontay Ingram, was one of the better plays I’ve seen Ehlinger make. It wasn’t a pinpoint pass downfield in tight coverage, but in the face of pressure, Ehlinger stayed calm and did a great job of going to his checkdown receiver at the last minute. That’s probably a play in which Ehlinger would have tucked the ball and tried to take off running last year and the early part of this year, but he made the right decision on this one with a lot of traffic around him.
13. Iowa State had only four drives that made it to the Texas side of the field and didn’t advance the ball inside the UT 20 yard line until the Cyclones had a long punt return to start the drive on the Texas 6 yard line.
14. Texas threw the ball 25 times in this game and completed 22 passes. That’ll work.
15. Is there anything cooler than seeing Michelle Herman after the game celebrating with Tom Herman while wearing an “Ok Cool Hook’Em” shirt? I got a pretty good chuckle out of that.
16. Lil’Jordan Humphrey after the catch, even when swarmed by five or six guys, is phenomenal at moving the pile. I’m not sure I can remember a guy doing that so many times and so effectively. The offensive line deserves a lot of credit on those plays as well … that group seems to have been coached to help drive their teammates forward when they’re stood up because the OL does it a lot and seems to take pride in those plays.
17. Texas dominated this one from start to finish, aside from the long ISU punt return and Daniel Young’s late fumble. First half stats … Halftime stats ….. 116 total yards for ISU. Longhorns 283 total yards. Brock Purdy 6-of-17 for 63 yards with 1 interception. Texas 3 sacks, 3 QB hurries and it felt like a lot more than that. Final stats … 12 first downs for ISU, 30 rushing yards, 210 total yards, 6 sacks by the Texas defense. That’s a full-on ass-whipping, folks.
18. It was good to see Shane Buechele play well. He’s always handled himself with class and he played at a high level on what could very well be his last game at DKR-Memorial Stadium. Buechele completed all 10 of his pass attempts for 89 yards and a score and finished the night with a 207.8 passer rating. Tip of the cap to Buechele.
19. Man, it feels good to have a game not go for four hours.
20. Man, how badly did you all want to see senior Charles Omenihu score on that fumble recovery with just over a minute left? That dude deserved a touchdown there.
21. That third-quarter touchdown by Humphrey was a thing of beauty. My goodness, that guy is getting to be where he’s damn near impossible to bring down with one defender. That’s a play to put on the reel for NFL scouts to see as much as any he’s shown all year.
22. Take that, quarter!
23. As if the game wasn’t enough, I’ll leave you all with this …
