1. What an incredibly frustrating loss. Kansas State made several uncharacteristic mistakes that gave the Longhorns more than enough chances to win the game, but Texas couldn't make enough plays to get over the hump in a fairly close game (again). If you had told me before the game that K-State would have turned the ball over three times with the Longhorns not suffering a single turnover, I would have bet the house that Texas would have come out with the win.
2. I thought coming into this game if Texas turned in an even average performance, the Longhorns would come out with the win. Instead, the Longhorns failed miserably in just about every way imaginable. That was just bad football that Texas played for most of the game.
3. Texas gave up only 24 points, but the defense was bad yet again, especially in the first half. In the first two quarters, KSU totaled 244 yards of offense and scored touchdowns on three of its five drives. Once again, Texas couldn't get stops on third down, and this came against maybe the worst offense in the conference.
For all the progress that people thought UT may have made on defense in the win over Iowa State, it was a huge step back this week.
4. Jesse Ertz came into the game as the worst statistical quarterback in the conference. Texas made him look like an all-Big 12 performer in the first half, when Ertz lit up the defense on 15-of-19 passing for 147 yards and a touchdown. Ertz had a ridiculous 161.3 QB rating in the first half and he did it despite playing with a bum throwing shoulder.
5. Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis was terrific. He entered the game as the leading sacker in the Big 12 and lived up to the hype today. Two sacks, three tackles for loss, 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble. Why can't Texas find or develop any playmakers like that guy?
6. Kansas State was the more physical team today and it looked like the Wildcats wanted this one more from the jump.
7. I don't even want to think what this team would be without D'Onta Foreman.
The junior was once again very good and kept his 100-yard streak alive with 124 yards on 24 carries. He also had a nice catch and run on the Horns' last scoring drive that set up the score. Texas desperately needs Foreman to stay healthy because this offense wouldn't be close to the same without him.
8. Trent Domingue ... what the hell was that on that 35-yard attempt in the fourth quarter? That wasn't even close. That just can't happen. His onside kick attempt wasn't much better.
9. Texas continues to make way too many sloppy mistakes. Three offsides penalties on K-State's opening drive, including two by Charles Omenihu on consecutive plays. A kick return to the 9 yard line that was backed up to the five on a holding call. A false start on fourth-and-1 when Texas was going to go for it, forcing the Longhorns to punt. Buechele short-hopping a third-down pass, and then Dorian Leonard dropping a fourth-down pass that hit him in the numbers.
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. Again.
10. Bill Snyder wasted no time in rolling the dice twice on fourth down, including one early deep in K-State territory. I was shocked KSU snapped the ball on either instance, but Snyder came out looking pretty smart.
11. I can't wait to see the Deep Dig breakdown on defensive snaps. Malik Jefferson has been gradually losing time on the field and he pulled for long stints in this one.
12. I don't honestly know exactly what the issue is with Holton Hill and Davante Davis and I don't want to speculate too much, but those two must be so damn deep in the dog house that they can't even see daylight. John Bonney really struggled today and Kris Boyd was up and down as well. If K-State was able to light up the UT corners, what must Baylor and Texas Tech be thinking?
13. I'm not going to say this is the nail in the coffin for Charlie Strong, but it sure feels like he's going to have a tough time getting the team to recover from this one. Yes, there are winnable games on the schedule, but this season has a 6-6 or 5-7 feel to it.
14. Armanti Foreman has to make that catch in the end zone on fourth down. Just another play in a long list of missed opportunities.
15. Jake McMillon has to be more consistent on his snaps. He had several low ones today, including one that pushed Texas back about 10 yards on the fourth-quarter field goal attempt. Have I mentioned that this was a sloppy performance overall?
16. Man, DeShon Elliott lays the wood at least once every damn game. He'll make some mistakes, but damn is he fun to watch.
17. Charlie Strong said postgame that the team will continue to fight ... I'm not sure I agree with that assessment. He knows better than me, but this one has the feel of a type of loss that can be completely deflating.
18. Ertz was clearly playing at less than 100 percent, and I thought it was brilliant by the KSU offensive coaches to basically screen pass Texas to death. I have no idea how many wide receiver screens KSU ran, but it felt like K-State could have done that all day and marched up and down the field.
19. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like the first-half time of possession. K-State had the ball for 23:18 compared to just to 6:42 for Texas. The Longhorns were nearly doubled up on time of possession for the game. This one, especially in the first half, played out exactly the way Kansas State wanted.
Player of the game: Has to be D'Onta Foreman. I may as well just give him this award every week. Poona Ford deserves honorable mention with 7 solo tackles and 1 tackle for loss.
Best position group: Has to be running back based on Foreman's play. No other group deserves it.
This game was over when ... This one wasn't locked away until Domingue's onside kick attempt went out of bounds, but it sure felt like it was over long before that.
Best decision: Got me. Maybe the rotation at linebacker, since Jefferson has been struggling so badly this year.
Head-scratcher: There were several questionable calls on offense, but I thought Sterlin Gilbert was too reliant on the run game late in the fourth quarter, and he was far too passive in the second half after Texas recorded its turnovers. I realize K-State was playing to keep everything in front of its secondary, but Texas needed to force the issue a bit more on offense and try to hit some passes downfield.
What's next?: The Longhorns will head home next week with hopes of knocking off Baylor. It's a winnable game, but it sure feels like it will be an uphill battle. Texas needs to win next week to help its bowl chances. Sad.
2. I thought coming into this game if Texas turned in an even average performance, the Longhorns would come out with the win. Instead, the Longhorns failed miserably in just about every way imaginable. That was just bad football that Texas played for most of the game.
3. Texas gave up only 24 points, but the defense was bad yet again, especially in the first half. In the first two quarters, KSU totaled 244 yards of offense and scored touchdowns on three of its five drives. Once again, Texas couldn't get stops on third down, and this came against maybe the worst offense in the conference.
For all the progress that people thought UT may have made on defense in the win over Iowa State, it was a huge step back this week.
4. Jesse Ertz came into the game as the worst statistical quarterback in the conference. Texas made him look like an all-Big 12 performer in the first half, when Ertz lit up the defense on 15-of-19 passing for 147 yards and a touchdown. Ertz had a ridiculous 161.3 QB rating in the first half and he did it despite playing with a bum throwing shoulder.
5. Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis was terrific. He entered the game as the leading sacker in the Big 12 and lived up to the hype today. Two sacks, three tackles for loss, 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble. Why can't Texas find or develop any playmakers like that guy?
6. Kansas State was the more physical team today and it looked like the Wildcats wanted this one more from the jump.
7. I don't even want to think what this team would be without D'Onta Foreman.
The junior was once again very good and kept his 100-yard streak alive with 124 yards on 24 carries. He also had a nice catch and run on the Horns' last scoring drive that set up the score. Texas desperately needs Foreman to stay healthy because this offense wouldn't be close to the same without him.
8. Trent Domingue ... what the hell was that on that 35-yard attempt in the fourth quarter? That wasn't even close. That just can't happen. His onside kick attempt wasn't much better.
9. Texas continues to make way too many sloppy mistakes. Three offsides penalties on K-State's opening drive, including two by Charles Omenihu on consecutive plays. A kick return to the 9 yard line that was backed up to the five on a holding call. A false start on fourth-and-1 when Texas was going to go for it, forcing the Longhorns to punt. Buechele short-hopping a third-down pass, and then Dorian Leonard dropping a fourth-down pass that hit him in the numbers.
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. Again.
10. Bill Snyder wasted no time in rolling the dice twice on fourth down, including one early deep in K-State territory. I was shocked KSU snapped the ball on either instance, but Snyder came out looking pretty smart.
11. I can't wait to see the Deep Dig breakdown on defensive snaps. Malik Jefferson has been gradually losing time on the field and he pulled for long stints in this one.
12. I don't honestly know exactly what the issue is with Holton Hill and Davante Davis and I don't want to speculate too much, but those two must be so damn deep in the dog house that they can't even see daylight. John Bonney really struggled today and Kris Boyd was up and down as well. If K-State was able to light up the UT corners, what must Baylor and Texas Tech be thinking?
13. I'm not going to say this is the nail in the coffin for Charlie Strong, but it sure feels like he's going to have a tough time getting the team to recover from this one. Yes, there are winnable games on the schedule, but this season has a 6-6 or 5-7 feel to it.
14. Armanti Foreman has to make that catch in the end zone on fourth down. Just another play in a long list of missed opportunities.
15. Jake McMillon has to be more consistent on his snaps. He had several low ones today, including one that pushed Texas back about 10 yards on the fourth-quarter field goal attempt. Have I mentioned that this was a sloppy performance overall?
16. Man, DeShon Elliott lays the wood at least once every damn game. He'll make some mistakes, but damn is he fun to watch.
17. Charlie Strong said postgame that the team will continue to fight ... I'm not sure I agree with that assessment. He knows better than me, but this one has the feel of a type of loss that can be completely deflating.
18. Ertz was clearly playing at less than 100 percent, and I thought it was brilliant by the KSU offensive coaches to basically screen pass Texas to death. I have no idea how many wide receiver screens KSU ran, but it felt like K-State could have done that all day and marched up and down the field.
19. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like the first-half time of possession. K-State had the ball for 23:18 compared to just to 6:42 for Texas. The Longhorns were nearly doubled up on time of possession for the game. This one, especially in the first half, played out exactly the way Kansas State wanted.
Player of the game: Has to be D'Onta Foreman. I may as well just give him this award every week. Poona Ford deserves honorable mention with 7 solo tackles and 1 tackle for loss.
Best position group: Has to be running back based on Foreman's play. No other group deserves it.
This game was over when ... This one wasn't locked away until Domingue's onside kick attempt went out of bounds, but it sure felt like it was over long before that.
Best decision: Got me. Maybe the rotation at linebacker, since Jefferson has been struggling so badly this year.
Head-scratcher: There were several questionable calls on offense, but I thought Sterlin Gilbert was too reliant on the run game late in the fourth quarter, and he was far too passive in the second half after Texas recorded its turnovers. I realize K-State was playing to keep everything in front of its secondary, but Texas needed to force the issue a bit more on offense and try to hit some passes downfield.
What's next?: The Longhorns will head home next week with hopes of knocking off Baylor. It's a winnable game, but it sure feels like it will be an uphill battle. Texas needs to win next week to help its bowl chances. Sad.
