No. 11 Longhorns rise to the occasion, defeating No. 3 Alabama 34-24 in Tuscaloosa

On Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns not only had the chance to revenge a tormenting loss from last season, but also had the opportunity to be the writers of program-defining history. Entering Saturday’s non-conference matchup, the Alabama Crimson Tide had won twenty-one consecutive games at home in Bryant-Denny Stadium. However, led by Quinn Ewers and superb defensive play, the Longhorns outgunned Alabama 34-24, resulting in their first road game victory against a top-three ranked team since 1969.

Beginning early in the game, the Longhorns defense set the table for the Texas offense. In fact, Texas’s first score of the game came on a Bert Auburn field goal which was set up by a Jahdae Barron first quarter interception of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. Later in the game,  in the early fourth quarter, Texas’s victory looked more probable and more probable following an interception by Longhorns senior defensive back Jerrin Thompson. On the ensuing Longhorns drive, sophomore running back Jonathon Brooks took advantage of Alabama’s misfortunes with a 5-yard touchdown rush which gave Texas a 27-16 lead with 13:50 left in the fourth quarter.

However, the Longhorns were going to need more than just the defense to win in Tuscaloosa. On Saturday, sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers looked like the top-rated quarterback that the Longhorns knew he could be coming out of high school. Early in his college career, the knock on Ewers has been his inefficiency in completing passes downfield. However, in Texas’s first road game of the season, Ewers delivered the opening punch with a beautiful 44-yard pass, with a rainbow-like arc, that fell into the hands of junior wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Furthermore, when the scrutiny and pressure of the game weighed down on the Longhorns (a team that –  in recent years – has had a bad reputation with second halves) Ewers stepped up and delivered the game-sealing touchdown on a deep 39-yard strike to junior wideout Adonai Mitchell. Ultimately, Ewers would post 349 passing yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, in his most important start as a Longhorn thus far.

While the Longhorns were solid on both sides of the ball, former-Texas commit Jalen Milroe presented several challenges for the Longhorns. The Crimson Tide quarterback, known for his dual-threat ability, forced the Longhorns into tough situations at times – showcasing elite speed from the quarterback position and keeping the defense honest in the air with two touchdown passes. Despite of this, the Texas defense made Milroe work for every yard and ended up sacking the Alabama quarterback five times – two of which came from freshman linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.

While Saturday’s game represented a huge win for the Longhorns program, head coach Steve Sarkisian would likely agree that it is only a positive (albeit, large) step in the right direction. If the Longhorns truly want to replace a team like Alabama in the national conversation, they must perform with a level of consistency that has been the hallmark of Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide teams.

Next weekend, the Longhorns will host Wyoming at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium with kickoff set for 7 P.M. (CT) in a game which will be televised on the Longhorn Network.

Game Stats:

• QB Quinn Ewers: 24/38, 349 passing yards, 3 TDs
• RB Jonathon Brooks: 14 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD
• WR Adonai Mitchell: 3 receptions, 78 yards, 2 TDs
• TE Ja’Tavion Sanders: 5 receptions, 114 yards
• LB Anthony Hill Jr.: 6 tackles, 2 sacks
• DB Jahdae Barron: 4 tackles, 1 INT
• DB Jerrin Thompson: 4 tackles, 1 INT