View from the Cheap Seats-Georgia
Not ready for prime time
Not ready for prime time
Yep, you read that right. In the worst 1st half of football we have seen in the Sark era, TEXAS lost both lines of scrimmage and largely failed to execute in key situations. You can’t win if you can’t win the LOS. You seldom win if you lose the turnover battle or you fail to out-rush your opponent. Football’s a pretty simple game that way. Now credit the team, after getting blown out in the 1st half, they showed no quit and came back to score a pair of touchdowns and make it a game.
Make no mistake, this was ugly.
Not sure we won a single phase of the game. We felt Kirby Smart’s defensive scheme largely shut down Sark and the TEXAS O. Granted, Kirby’s Jimmy’s and Joe’s, outplayed our Jimmy’s and Joe’s. This was important as Carson Beck, who did NOT look the part of a 1st round QB next spring, was not having a very good night. In fairness, neither QB looked good. Sark even gave Arch 2 series at the end of the 1st half, the outcome was largely the same. Add in, Texas also losing the field position battle. Georgia would turn TEXAS’ 2 fumbles and an INT into 17 points on their way to a 23-0 halftime lead.
TEXAS is a good team but this was by far the best team TEXAS has faced since traveling to Bama last year though the outcome was not remotely the same. Georgia came into Austin with an excellent defense and played their best game of the season. The Dawgs seemed to have sleepwalked their way to Austin in some lackluster wins but they brought their A-game to DKR on defense and their offense was able to capitalize off TEXAS turnovers. Grade TEXAS an F in the 1st half but a C in the 2nd. Keeping in mind, that the standard for this season is a deep playoff run.
It has been 41 years since DKR was home to a battle between two Top 5 programs. That game was the opener between Fred Akers’ Horns and the Bo Jackson-led Auburn Pioneers. Oh you didn’t know Auburn has gone by 3 different names? Pioneers in the beginning, War Eagles and now tigers. Under the lights, again like 1983, DKR was LIT for a re-match from the 2018 Sugar Bowl where Bevo set the tone by going after Uga.
Seems the Bulldogs have a long memory and got themselves some payback. As bitter a pill this is tonight, make no mistake, might not be the last time we see the Dawgs this season. Oddly, we may play them 3 times this season.
Sark’s top challenge now, is how to keep 1 loss from becoming 2. TEXAS was likely guilty of “eating the cheese”, the whole nation was pouring love on them and we just came off thrashing our biggest rival. Sadly we thought the Land Thieves D was pretty good. In reality, they are not a great team nor was Michigan. That said, we can only play the teams on the schedule. This week we ran into a team with athletes as good or better, an excellent coaching staff, and something to prove. Give Kirby Smart and his crew credit, they were more than ready for our offense and beat us with their offense sputtering throughout the game.
For all the doom and gloom, teeth-gnashing and deflation the Horns and their fans feel this morning, let us apply just a bit of sunshine. There is ittle doubt Sark will remind the team, all of their pre-season goals are still intact. Win out and TEXAS is playing in the SEC title game, possibly with a Dawgs re-match and will be assured a playoff berth. Granted, the margin of error has narrowed. Oddly, if TEXAS were to drop another game this year, it will miss an SEC title berth but will be in line to host a home playoff game at DKR. This week the Horns likely falls into the 5-8 range of the polls but largely who cares at this point of the season? Polls don’t me squat till after the 1st weekend in December.
Joe Moore Award Watch (best offensive line)
The mid-season honor roll was released last week for the Joe Moore Award with 22 teams included. Bama, LSU, and Tennessee join TEXAS from the Southeastern Conference. Worth noting that both Army and Navy made the mid-season honor roll.
Bad news, TEXAS’ offensive line had a poor showing in prime time. You don’t give up 7 sacks and the Joe Moore voters not notice. Nor did we ever get our run game cranking. Coach Flood has some work to do.
Offensive Player of the Game
For the 2nd week we have Co-OPG and Gunnar Helm (6 catches 62 yards) is again one of them. He is joined by Matthew Golden with his best game as a Horn, 3 catches for 77 yards.
Defensive Player of the Game
Jahdea Barron with 2 INTs, one of which the offense would turn into a short-field touchdown
Special Teams Player of the Game
Mo Blackwell with a big tackle on a 2nd half kickoff pinning Georgia on their 10. While it wasn’t enough, that is not Mo’s fault.
Stats that Matter
- 2 of 15 TEXAS on 3rd down, through 3 quarters we were 0 for 10
- 7 Sacks allowed by TEXAS, 2 strip sack turnovers.
- 4 for 17 4 TEXAS turnovers which led to 17 1st-half Georgia points
- 3 for 7 3 Georgia turnovers only led to 7 TEXAS points
- 2 of 3 3 TEXAS Red Zone chances, 2 touchdowns. 8 of 12 RZ TDs in SEC play
Not the stats of a National Title contender
On Deck
TEXAS travels to Vanderbilt to whom the Horns trail 3-8-1 historically. Vandy boasts an upset of Bama at home and will be looking to take advantage of a reeling TEXAS team. Their QB patterns himself after Johnny “Jailbait” Manziel so here’s to our front making his life miserable. TEXAS will need to win out to ensure an SEC title game berth and that will start in 6 days in Nashville. Sark will have his work cut out for him.
Fighting Mack Brown’s
UNC is on a bye this week so at least they did not suffer another loss.
If we had a playoff vote
Oregon now tops the chart
Georgia
Miami-won a nail bitter with Louisville
BYU
Top 4 teams get a bye week. The next 4 teams will host a playoff game at their home stadium.
TEXAS v Navy setting up a rematch of the 1963 title game
tOSU v LSU
Pedo St v ISU
Clemson v Notre Dame
Others in the mix, include Indiana, Bama, Tenn, Boise St, Army, KSU, Pittsburg, Ole Miss Mizzu, and Aggie
Game highlights.
