With their backs against the wall, the Longhorns faced improbable odds of keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive. The team needed a win against their pesky rival, the third-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, just to give themselves a chance. And despite trailing at halftime as the underdog, Steve Sarkisian’s squad rallied when they needed to most – upsetting the state’s second-most notable university, 27–17.
Entering the half, things weren’t looking good. Despite trailing only 10–3, the team’s performance was concerning. Quarterback Arch Manning had completed just 8 of 21 passes for 51 yards, and the Longhorns had only rushed for an additional 61 yards.
However, the defense held its own. Other than allowing a rushing touchdown to Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion with 56 seconds left in the half, the unit was rock-solid – even without star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., who was unable to suit up due to injury. Even the special teams unit contributed, with Ethan Burke blocking a field goal.
The Second Half Turnaround
On Texas’ first drive of the second half, the Longhorns moved down the field but had to settle for a field goal. What could have been viewed as a minor victory instead felt like a letdown given how Texas A&M was playing. But the Texas defense shut out the Aggies in the third quarter, and the Longhorns’ offense finally started to hum.
In the third quarter alone, Texas totaled 189 yards of offense, including 83 yards rushing. After last year’s monstrous game against Texas A&M – when the Longhorns’ lead back amassed 186 yards on 33 carries – Quintrevion Wisner saved his best performance of the season for the Aggies once again. On Friday, Wisner churned out 155 rushing yards on 19 attempts. Almost shockingly, it was also Texas’ first game with a 100-yard rusher this season. After years of steady offensive lines paired with NFL-caliber running backs, it seems improbable that the team’s running game could have been so dismal. However, when the team needed him most, Wisner and the Texas offensive line delivered.
Sealing the Deal
Along with Wisner’s standout performance, Arch Manning turned on the jets in the second half as well. With 7:12 left in the third quarter, he scrambled and found Ryan Wingo for a 29-yard touchdown over the middle. Later, in the fourth quarter, Manning’s 35-yard touchdown run on a designed quarterback rush ultimately sealed the deal. His score pushed the lead to 27–17 with 7:04 remaining – what would become the final score.
Defensively, Texas came up with a pair of crucial interceptions late. As the Aggies drove toward the end zone, Michael Taaffe came away with a key pick. Later, Kobe Black joined the club by intercepting a Marcel Reed pass, icing the victory for Texas.
What’s Next for Texas
Now, the Longhorns must play the waiting game. As punishment for the season’s ups and downs, the team must now excruciatingly wait to see whether they have done enough to make the playoff. According to ESPN, the team has an 8% chance of making the field.
Regardless of the CFP outcome, fans should be proud of this group. Did they live up to expectations? Not quite. But Sarkisian’s squad never quit. They have grown significantly as a unit – it just may have happened too late.
Beating both Oklahoma and Texas A&M in the same season is quite an accomplishment, especially when both will most likely make the playoff. The problem? Texas couldn’t afford to drop that game to Florida earlier in the year. It’s understandable that Georgia and Ohio State would have Texas’ number, but the Gators may be the team that broke the Longhorns’ back. And, of course, with how Texas has played all season, maybe it just wasn’t in the cards.
With a 9–3 record, we will now see how much the College Football Playoff committee values non-conference scheduling. Not many teams are willing to play Ohio State on the road in addition to navigating an SEC schedule. Unfortunately, there will likely be a team rewarded for scheduling cupcakes instead. But again, the Longhorns had their shot – now we’ll see if they did enough.
