The Daily Texan's Double Coverage 2021-11-23 by The Daily Texan

T H E D A I LY TEXAN PRESENTS

Double Coverage VOL. 16 ISSUE 13 | Nov. 23, 2021

blaine young

/ the daily texan file

TUESday, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

TEXAN

STAFF PICKS Jenny DeVico

Blaine Young

Ole Miss

Texas

Kansas State

Alabama

Penn State

Michigan State

Notre Dame

Ohio State

Michigan

Ohio State

Texas A&M

LSU

Texas A&M

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma

Georgia

Baylor

5–5

7–3

6–4

5–5

6–4

7–3

73–47

80–40

74–46

78–42

80–40

75–45

84–36

80–40

76–44

Myah Taylor

Kaitlyn Harmon

Nathan Han

Matthew Boncosky

Payne Williams

Christina Huang

Hannah Williford

No. 8 Ole Miss @ Mississippi State

Ole Miss

Mississippi State

Kansas State @ Texas

Kansas State

Texas

Kansas State

Texas

Kansas State

No. 3 Alabama @ Auburn

Alabama

Auburn

Penn State @ No. 12 Michigan State

Michigan State

Penn State

Michigan State

Penn State

Michigan State

No. 5 Notre Dame @ Stanford

Notre Dame

No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 6 Michigan

Ohio State

Michigan

Ohio State

No. 14 Texas A&M @ LSU

Texas A&M

LSU

No. 10 Oklahoma @ No. 7 Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

No. 1 Georgia @ Georgia Tech

Georgia

Texas Tech @ No. 9 Baylor

Baylor

Week 13 Results

7–3

8–2

Overall Record

86–34

80–40

Myah Taylor

Alabama

Jenny DeVico

Alabama

T-3

Kaitlyn Harmon, Matthew Bonocosky, Hannah Williford, Blaine Young

Alabama

LSU Oklahoma

Alabama

Christina Huang

DOUBLE COVERAGE

FINAL STANDINGS

Double Coverage Editor Kaitlyn Harmon Design Editor

Jenny DeVico

Photo Editor

Blaine Young

Copy Editor

Angelina Braese

Writers Nathan Han

Matthew Boncosky

Vicente Montalvo

Christina Huang

Hannah Williford

Payne Williams

Designers Isabella Waltz

Sally Parampottil Managing Editor Myah Taylor

Angelina Braese

Vicente Montalvo

Payne Williams

Angelina Braese

Nathan Han

EDITOR’S NOTE The college football season has come and gone faster than Texas was ever actually “back.” The Longhorns’ last matchup of the season Friday against Kansas State means close to nothing for the program, but a win may mean more to seniors in burnt orange than to anyone else. While this last issue of Double Coverage discusses a subpar 4-7 Texas team and an underwhelming 2021 season, being the Double Coverage Editor was a dream and a half. I am forever thankful. Hook ‘em forever!

Kaitlyn Harmon

DOUBLE COVERAGE

GAMEsTO WATCH

By Hannah Williford

@howdy_itshannah

No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 25 Mississippi State

No. 4 Ohio State at No. 6 Michigan

Nov. 25, 6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN

Nov. 27, 11 a.m. CT, FOX

The presentation of the Golden Egg Trophy alone should be enough to tune into the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving Day. But in case it isn’t, impressive seasons from both Mississippi teams should do the trick. Ole Miss took out No. 11 Texas A&M in early November and No. 18 Auburn before that, making for a nine-win season. But the Rebels will have to win away from home in Starkville to cap off the regular season. Mississippi State’s season has been looking up in recent weeks after a close loss to Arkansas, including a solid victory over Auburn.

If there was any doubting Ohio State’s ability this year, the Buckeyes squashed it last weekend in their 56-7 victory against No. 7 Michigan State. Now, Ohio State faces the last challenge in its Big Ten gauntlet against Michigan. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, a likely Heisman candidate, completed 32 passes against Michigan State. Michigan also came out strong last week against Maryland, making for a promising matchup. The Wolverines have only lost one game this season, keeping the team in the running for the College Football Playoffs with a win over Ohio State.

No. 2 Alabama at Auburn

No. 13 Oklahoma at No. 9 Oklahoma State

Nov. 27, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS

Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC Oklahoma State has worked tirelessly for respect this season, grinding through Big 12 games with just one loss on the season despite a series of close games. The Cowboys have kept their opponents to an average of 16.4 points per game, but their defense will be put to the test by a productive Oklahoma offense that averages almost 39 points per game and seven yards per play. Likely Oklahoma’s biggest challenge in the Big 12, the Bedlam rivalry will have the chance to live up to its name.

While Alabama has managed to stay alive since its loss to Texas A&M, it has not been without close calls. And when it comes to the Iron Bowl, no victory is guaranteed. The game is the home of the legendary kick-six and a 2010 comeback by current NFL quarterback Cam Newton that led the Tigers to a national championship. Most recently, Auburn knocked off the Crimson Tide in 2017, ending their College Football Playoff hopes with a fourth-quarter touchdown. The Tigers have lost four conference games this season, but if anyone can inspire them to a win, it’s Alabama.

Oregon State at No. 3 Oregon Nov. 27, 2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN In recent years, the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry has been one of the weakest matchups. The Ducks have won 11 of the last 13 matchups, but last year, the Beavers finally pulled off the upset. This season, Oregon State has lost four games, but statistically, the teams match up well. Both average within one point of 35 points per game, and the Beavers only allow four more points on defense than the Ducks. The teams also have almost identical passing and rushing yards on the season. Without a doubt, Oregon will come into next week with hopes of making it back to the College Football Playoff, and Oregon State will remember last year’s victory.

season recap

jack myer

/ the daily texan file

A season with a revamped coaching staff, a new slogan and high expectations from the Longhorn faithful will end in Austin without an invitation to a bowl game after a Week 12 loss to West Virginia. Although Texas couldn’t live up to its No. 21 preseason ranking in the AP Poll, there were some positives that came out of Steve Sarkisian’s first year as the Longhorns’ head coach. Athletic director Chris Del Conte brought Sarkisian to Austin after the now head coach had great success at Alabama with his innovative schemes as the offensive coordinator. Freshman wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a breakout season, showcasing his ability to make defenders miss and find the endzone. In

Welcome back,

Students!

DOUBLE COVERAGE

Even with a season-ending injury, Robinson still passed the 1,000By Vicente Montalvo | @VMont20 yard rushing mark for the first time only 10 games, Worthy broke in his career, becoming the the Texas freshman record for most receiving touch- first Texas running back to do so since D’Onta Foreman downs in program history. Worthy managed to find in 2016. Already having a superstar the endzone multiple times in the backfield and anothin three contests and scored er out wide, the Longhorns touchdowns in more than just need consistency at the half of Texas’ games. While quarterback position to get the season did not go as the offense rolling, someplanned, the Longhorns at thing that has clearly been least know who their No. 1 lacking throughout Texas’ wide receiver is going to be as Texas heads into the offsea- seven-game losing streak. Sarkisian struggled in his son and prepares for a Colfirst year in Austin finding lege Football Playoff chase in a quarterback. Freshman the new year. Hudson Card was Sarkisian’s Having a standout wide go-to man at the outset beout is great, but it’s even fore the head coach made better when supplemented with an all-around, versatile, the decision to switch to judangerous running back in nior Casey Thompson under sophomore Bijan Robinson. center. Although Thompson At times this season, Robin- started the majority of games, Sarkisian played both quarson showcased how special of a talent he is with his elusive- terbacks in half of the games, never truly settling into one ness and one-cut ability.

consistent starter. Constantly making changes at the quarterback position throughout games ultimately did not help build offensive cohesiveness and did more harm than good. First-year defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski had impressive moments as well as mediocre ones throughout his first season on the Forty Acres. This was expected though, considering this is the third defensive coordinator in three years for the Longhorns. A lack of consistency for Texas, as seen in multiple positions and coaching roles, created mayhem for the Longhorns. The defense could not always contain opposing offenses, especially in high-scoring Big 12 games. Texas conceded at least 27 points in each conference matchup. The Longhorns allowed both Oklahoma and Kansas to put up over 50 points in each contest, something that had previously

been unheard of. When the Longhorns kick off the 2022 season, the program should have a better understanding of the scheme that Kwiatkowski utilizes. It takes time to learn new schemes, especially when there have been three different defensive coordinators moving in and out of Austin over the past three seasons. Yet, what hurt the Longhorns the most this season was the inability to keep the “All Gas No Breaks” mantra in the second half of games. Texas dropped games to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor after entering halftime with a significant lead. What appeared to be a shoo-in became a nightmare for Longhorn faithful when third and fourth quarters hit. It will be a long offseason for Texas fans as the pressure and anticipation will certainly be heightened for Sarkisian and company in year two.

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Longhorns in the NFL tuesday, November 23, 2021

By Payne Williams | @paynewilliams5

Marquise goodwin

elisabeth dillon / the daily texan file

chicago bears

On what seemed to be a game-winning touchdown, Chicago Bears wide receiver Marquise Goodwin burst for an electric touchdown late in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens. With 11 yards to go on fourth down and less than two minutes remaining, the game came down to one play. The Olympian and former Texas star found himself wide open near the sideline, and after securing the pass, used his speed to take it all the way to the endzone to put the Bears up 13-9 over one of the AFC’s best. However, Baltimore responded quickly with a game-winning touchdown drive capped off by an extra point from fellow Longhorn Justin Tucker. While Goodwin isn’t a top receiving option for the Bears, his speed makes him a threat at every point in the game, which was on full display Sunday.

Brandon Jones

eddie gaspar / the daily texan file

miami dolphins

Brandon Jones has been feasting in opponents’ backfields all season, and this week was no different as the Miami Dolphins matched up against the New York Jets. Early in the second quarter, the former Texas safety and current Dolphin came rocketing off the edge and sacked Jets quarterback Joe Flacco. The hit jarred the ball loose, allowing it to fall into the hands of Jones’ teammate, Christian Wilkins. The turnover helped Miami in its 24-17 victory over New York as the Dolphins moved to a 4–7 record on the season. In addition to the forced fumble, Jones finished second for the Dolphins in tackles as he continued to display his ability to rush off the edge and make big plays.

Colt Mccoy

Lil’Jordan Humphrey

In his third consecutive start, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy put together a winning performance against the Seattle Seahawks. The Texas legend was nearly flawless in the first half with 177 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to tight end Zach Ertz. For the first time since 2014, McCoy eclipsed 300 yards through the air. McCoy has made the best of his time on the field, leading the Cardinals to a 2–1 record since Kyler Murray’s injury. The veteran is continuing to show why backup quarterbacks are so important in the NFL as he gives Texas fans at least one thing to be proud of this fall.

Saints receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey secured his first career touchdown this weekend. The former Longhorn went over an Eagles defender in the corner of the endzone for a last-minute score. The Saints fell in lopsided fashion to Philadelphia, but Humphrey took advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself. Humphrey has an opportunity to solidify himself as a viable receiving option for the Saints while New Orleans star wide receiver Michael Thomas is out for the season.

peyton coker / the daily texan file

katie bauer / the daily texan file

arizona cardinals new orleans saints

let’s go b wling tuesday, November 23, 2021

By Kaitlyn Harmon and Payne Williams | @kait_harmon @paynewilliams5

With just two weeks left of the college football season, mayhem could be on the horizon with potential upsets in Week 13. While there’s still a few weeks to go until conference championships in early December, the bowl season could go any which way. Bowl game bids will be announced Dec. 5. Liberty Bowl: Dec. 28, Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M In what will soon be Texas’ biggest SEC rivals, the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas A&M Aggies will face one another in the Liberty Bowl. Sooner quarterback Caleb Williams, who drowned Texas fans’ hopes in the Red River Rivalry, will face a stout A&M defense that displays an impressive resume, including a win over top-ranked Alabama. Peach Bowl: Dec. 30, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Michigan State vs. Notre Dame While Notre Dame may have a sliver of a chance at the College Football Playoff, the non-Power 5 team may not make the cut. However, the Fighting Irish are a shoo-in for a New Year’s Six bowl game. A matchup between the Spartans and Notre Dame would fare well in Atlanta. Michigan State is coming off a back-breaking loss to Ohio State, virtually killing the Spartans’ playoff chances. However, Michigan State still features one of the best running backs in college football in Kenneth Walker III, posing a possible threat to a Notre Dame defense.

Music City Bowl: Dec. 30, Nissan Stadium, Nashville Penn State vs. Arkansas Two teams who began the season on high notes have since had disappointing seasons and will face one another at the Music City Bowl. Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson presents threats both through the air and on the ground, and will give the Nittany Lions defense a handful to deal with in this matchup as both teams look to rectify lackluster seasons. The Razorbacks could also provide a stout defensive showing by a defense that has fared well over the season against opponents like Alabama, holding the Tide offense close over the weekend.

Alamo Bowl: Dec. 29, Alamodome, San Antonio Baylor vs. Utah Under second-year head coach Dave Aranda, Baylor has had an impressive season and has earned itself bowl eligibility. The Bears will see a Utah team which, while posing an undefeated record at home, has struggled on the road. Both teams will travel to San Antonio where Baylor may see a lofty home crowd just a couple hours from its campus in Waco. The Bears defense could pose a threat to the Utah offense with quarterback Cameron Rising at the helm.

katie bauer

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: Jan 1, State Farm Stadium, Glendale Wake Forest vs. BYU Two offensive powerhouses will meet in another New Year’s Six bowl. BYU, which has hardly been discussed this season, could face Wake Forest in Glendale, Arizona. The Demon Deacons could pose threats on both sides of the ball for BYU, but Brigham Young’s physicality and size will no doubt make for a good game to ring in the New Year.

Orange Bowl: Dec. 31, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens Georgia vs. Cincinnati In the second of the two College Football Playoff Semifinal games, Georgia and Cincinnati may head to South Beach. This season, Georgia has displayed one of the most dominant defenses in recent memory and will look to contain a dominant and arguably underrated Cincinnati squad. However, don’t expect Georgia to waver in this matchup at Hard Rock Stadium.

Rose Bowl: Jan. 1, Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena Michigan vs. Oregon Michigan will travel to the West Coast to the historical Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to face off against what once was a potential playoff team in Oregon. The Ducks blew their playoff chances Saturday in a blowout loss on the road to Utah, but will likely still see a New Year’s Six bowl. Michigan, which holds just a single loss to Michigan State, will be making its first bowl appearance since 2018. A win would be a first for the Wolverines since 2016.

Texas Bowl: Jan. 4, NRG Stadium, Houston Kansas State vs. Mississippi State Kansas State and Mississippi State will face off in Houston at NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans, in one of the last bowl games of the season. The Wildcats and the Bulldogs will cap their seasons off at the Texas Bowl, and Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach is sure to give the Wildcat defense a hard time through the air with his well known airraid offense.

/ the daily texan file

Cotton Bowl Classic: Dec. 31, AT&T Stadium, Arlington Alabama vs. Ohio State Year after year it seems Alabama finds its way into the College Football Playoff, and this season is no different. Behind Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and a strong SEC defense, the Tide could face C.J. Stroud and Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes are coming off a steam-rolling victory over No. 7 Michigan State, and both quarterbacks displayed their full Heisman potential Saturday. Sugar Bowl: Jan. 1, Caesars Superdome, New Orleans Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss Ole Miss quarterback and Heisman candidate Matt Corral will face Oklahoma State in one of the best matchups this bowl season. The Pokes feature one of the best defenses in college football, and Corral has the ability to pick apart an Oklahoma State defense. This Big 12 and SEC matchup won’t disappoint.

one last run

DOUBLE COVERAGE

By Matthew Boncosky @mboncosky

blaine young

/ the daily texan file

Senior day presents one final chance to end losing streak, send seniors off with win.

jack myer

he Longhorns will play one final game this season Friday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium against Kansas State. While many students will be out of town, still stuffed from Thanksgiving dinner, Friday represents one final chance to buck a historic six-game losing streak and end the season with a win for the seniors who will play their final game in burnt orange. Last year’s COVID-19 eligibility rules are still in effect for those who haven’t used them yet, muddying the picture when it comes to who will or will not return next season. Notable COVID seniors on Texas’ roster include linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, cornerbacks D’Shawn Jamison and Josh Thompson, safeties Brenden Schooler and B.J.

/ the daily texan file

Foster, offensive linemen Derek Kerstetter and Denzel Okafor, kicker Cameron Dicker and tight end Cade Brewer. Overshown has been an unquestioned leader for the Texas defense. The fourth-year Longhorn is always easily spottable on the field due to his trademark arm bands that he likes to load up on his arms or legs. Sporting a 6-foot-4-inch, 223-pound frame, “Agent 0” is an ideal candidate to suit up on Sundays in the NFL. Since making the switch from safety to linebacker, the anthropology major has starred at Texas and his steadfast presence will leave a void on defense. Jamison has consistently been one of the best returners in the country in addition to his duties as cornerback. Serving as Texas’ primary punt and kick returner since his freshman year, Jamison has returned 47 punts for 353 yards with one

touchdown, and 52 kicks for 1,380 yards and two touchdowns. The physical culture and sport major briefly went down last Saturday against West Virginia, but returned and should be healthy for senior day at DKR. Thompson has been a rock at cornerback for the Longhorns this year, but was ruled out for the rest of the season with a fractured fibula prior to last week’s game. While the physical culture and sport major won’t see the field Friday, his career totals include 109 total tackles and two interceptions, including a pick-six against Texas Tech this year. Schooler is a sixth-year safety who played his first four years at Oregon as a wide receiver and then had a short stint at Arizona before joining the Longhorns. The 6-foot-2-inch wide receiver converted to his current position at Texas because of depth concerns but has made the most of it. The graduate student has 45 tackles and two pass breakups this season. Foster’s presence at the other safety position has been a mainstay over the past couple of years. The physical culture and sport major has played consistently since his freshman year on the Forty Acres. To date, the fourth-year defensive back has 168 total tackles and five interceptions, including three this season. Kerstetter has anchored Texas’ offensive line for several years. Since starting five games during his sophomore year, the 6-foot-5-inch, 310-pound lineman has started every game in the past three years. The corporate communications graduate student is also a five-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2020.

Okafor has been out with a season-ending lower leg injury and his presence on the offensive line has been missed. The group has yet to find stability since the 6-foot-4-inch, 322-pound lineman went down against TCU. Okafor started in all nine regular season games last year before sitting out of the Alamo Bowl. Prior to his injury, he started every game this year as well. Dicker will leave a long legacy as one of the best kickers to come through Austin. His game-winning field goal in the 2018 Red River Showdown as a freshman cemented his status as a legend. This year, “Dicker the Kicker” took over punting duties as well, ranking eighth nationally with a 47.3 yards net average and was named a Ray Guy Award semifinalist. Dicker has also put 83.3 of his field goals through the uprights this year, the best percentage of his career. Brewer earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention last year before utilizing his extra year of eligibility this season. Brewer has been Texas’ top tight end since his junior season and has caught 55 passes for 579 yards and seven touchdowns over the course of his five-year career. Notably, he caught a 25-yard touchdown pass to force overtime in Texas’ Week 11 loss to Kansas. While Texas’ season has failed to live up to expectations, head coach Steve Sarkisian stressed how important Friday is to the legacy of his seniors. “We owe it to our seniors, we need to celebrate them this week,” Sarkisian said after last Saturday’s game. “They’ve given a lot to this University and a lot to this program, and so we’d like nothing more than to send them out with a win in their last game at DKR.”

tuesday, november 23, 2021

KAITLYN’S

KNOCKOUT By Kaitlyn Harmon

A 4-7 season is not the record the Longhorns anticipated heading into Thanksgiving week — it’s far from it. When an SEC powerhouse offensive coordinator waltzed into Austin and found his way onto the Forty Acres, both college football fans and the Texas faithful expected the Longhorns to make a playoff run. And as Texas approaches its last matchup of the season against Kansas State, the Longhorns are miles away from a hyped up, hopeful playoff run – they’re not even in bowl contention, and they’re certainly not back. But the finger isn’t entirely being pointed at recently acquired head coach Steve Sarkisian. Any new coaching job comes with growing pains and requires becoming accustomed to a new team, a new coaching staff, a new dataset of talent, sometimes even a new conference. Sarkisian’s growing pains were anticipated, but they were perhaps underestimated. If Sarkisian has done anything well, he’s reined in a 2022 recruiting class that is No. 7 in the nation, behind top-ranked teams in Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Ohio State and others. The first-year head coach managed to build a better recruiting class than that of Texas’ archrival Oklahoma and head coach Lincoln Riley – a program and coach known for grooming recent Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks and NFL talent. Even with one of the top recruiting classes in the nation moving to Austin come the new year, a singular recruiting class will not be the sole answer Texas is looking for to fix the Longhorns’ deep troubles before the next season kicks off. And for Texas, a Week 2 matchup at home against Alabama means that the Longhorns better get their ducks in a row in the offseason sooner rather than later. After yet another Texas loss against Iowa State on the road, the Longhorns moved to a 4-5 record on the season. Junior defensive lineman Moro Ojomo discussed in a press conference how Sarkisian is building a program, not just a team for a singular season, and how that includes revealing which players are for Sarkisian’s new

CONGRATULATIONS UT GRADUATES!

COME TAKE YOUR free

GRADUATion photo FOR THE CACTUS YEARBOOK!

@kait_harmon

program and which are not. Ojomo’s remarks came after a passionate video of defensive line coach Bo Davis ranting to players leaked. The first agenda item the Longhorns need to tackle heading into the offseason is figuring out which players are in Austin for Texas football and which are not. Heart, after all, cannot be taught. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and the Longhorns need to develop the defensive play. Defensive backs need to better understand opposing offenses and what each opponent poses as a threat. On the season, the Texas defense has allowed an average of 437.6 yards per game to offenses. The Longhorns have been beaten in the air with 2,623 yards and on the ground with 2,191 yards. In comparison, Oklahoma State, arguably the best defense in the Big 12, averages 261.3 yards per game to opposing offenses and has given up under 2,000 yards in the air and 909 yards on the ground. The Texas defense is mainly composed of veteran players, and could see some departures to the 2022 NFL Draft and free agency. Luckily for the Longhorns, the 2022 recruiting class has nine four-star defensive recruits coming to town. But quite possibly the most obvious problem Texas needs to fix in the offseason is at the quarterback position. Sarkisian too often made switches at the man under center, altering between freshman quarterback Hudson Card and junior quarterback Casey Thompson. An offense thrives off a consistent leader in charge, and the Longhorns saw one too many quarterbacks take snaps too frequently throughout the season. At this moment, both quarterbacks will return for another season unless Texas loses one to the NCAA transfer portal. And if Card and Thompson fail to be the answer, sophomore quarterback Ben Ballard and three-star freshman quarterback Charles Wright are eagerly waiting to take the helm of the Texas offense. Sarkisian and the Longhorns have a long and tiresome offseason ahead of themselves that cannot be wasted. And if it is, then Longhorn Nation has a disappointing season ahead.

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TUESday, november 23, 2021

H C T A W O T a_huang Huang | @stin By Christina

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SKYLAR THOMPSON

Senior quarterback Skylar Thompson was carted off the field on Saturday with an apparent left leg injury. There is no word yet on whether Thompson will be available to face the Longhorns on Friday, but if healthy, Texas will have to go up against one of Kansas State’s best quarterbacks in school history. No quarterback in Wildcat history has started more games than Thompson and no quarterback has won more games as a starter than Thompson has. The senior led the Wildcats to a 41-48 upset over then No. 7-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, a defining moment in Thompson’s career. He’s played fairly well this season, throwing for 1,854 yards with a 68.8% completion rate. The Wildcats sit at a respectable 4–4 position in conference play and most of their wins can be attributed to Thompson’s ability to connect with receivers downfield. The Longhorns will need to quickly prevent Thompson from finding his receivers if they wish to win for the first time since early October.

DEUCE VAUGHN

Sophomore running back and Round Rock product Deuce Vaughn currently leads the Wildcats in rushing yards with 1,115 yards on the season. Vaughn was recently named one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, an annual award given to the nation’s best running back. Other semifinalists for the trophy include Texas’ own Bijan Robinson and Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III. Vaughn has 1,115 rushing yards and 464 receiving yards to his name on the season, and is the only player in the country to have at least 1,000 yards and 400 yards in each respective category. Vaughn has proved himself to be a real offensive threat on the field in the same way Robinson has posed himself as a threat to Texas’ opponents.

DANIEL GREEN

Junior linebacker Daniel Green leads his team in tackles with 72 total on the season. Green is currently on a streak, sacking an opposing quarterback at least once in the past two weeks. Even though the Wildcats lost 20-10 against Baylor last Saturday, Green had a season-high nine tackles. The Oregon product has been on an upward trajectory since he began his career at Kansas State. Green had 17 solo tackles in 2019 and 28 solo tackles in 2020. He has already surpassed last season’s number of solo tackles, clocking in with 55 solo tackles in the 2021 season so far. The 6-foot-3-inch, 233-pound linebacker continues to adjust and improve each game, making him immensely dangerous to the Texas offense.

RUSS YEAST

Senior defensive back and Louisville transfer Russ Yeast is Kansas State’s leader in interceptions, totaling three so far on the season. The former Cardinal is the son of legendary Kentucky wide receiver Craig Yeast, who set the SEC record in 1998 for most career receptions with 208. But the 5-foot-10-inch defensive back has been making a name for himself all along. During his career at Louisville, Yeast broke up passes against Notre Dame, Florida State and Syracuse. As a Wildcat, he’s produced interceptions against Stanford, West Virginia and Texas Tech this season. Yeast is currently tied for most interceptions in the Big 12 with Texas’ own B.J. Foster and Oklahoma’s Delarrin Turner-Yell, among others.

DOUBLE COVERAGE

HEISMAN WATCH With the last week of college football approaching, athletes in consideration are trying to close out the season better than they’ve ever played. The Heisman Trophy Ceremony is set to take place Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

CJ Stroud C.J. Stroud had a sensational showing against then No. 7-ranked Michigan State on Saturday. The now No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes won the highly anticipated matchup 56-7, an absolute landslide. Stroud threw for six touchdowns and 432 passing yards on the day. With a completion rate of 91.4%, Stroud only missed on three passing attempts to his receiving corps. Having averaged 12.3 yards per pass, the freshman earned a quarterback rating of 251.7. His exceptional performance against a more than capable Michigan State team not only increased his standings in the Heisman race, but proved that he is a top contender. The highlight of Stroud’s performance against the Spartans came on a 77yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Garrett Wilson in the first quarter. It was his longest touchdown on the season. Ohio State’s season is not over yet as the Buckeyes are set to take on rival No. 6 Michigan at the Big House come Saturday. And with Stroud at the helm, Ohio State will see itself in a New Year’s Six bowl led by a stellar quarterback.

Bryce Young At this point in the season, the battle for the Heisman Trophy is appearing to be primarily between quarterbacks Stroud and Young. No. 3 Alabama had a crucial win against a top-25 ranked Arkansas team with a final score of 4235. Young’s talent was on display just as much as Stroud’s. The sophomore set an Alabama record in the contest for most passing yards by any Alabama quarterback in school history. Young threw for five touchdowns and 559 passing yards. He earned a completion rate of 77.5% on 40 attempts and a quarterback ranking of 236.1. Averaging 14 yards per completion, Young’s highlight play was a 79-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jameson Williams with just over five minutes left in the first half. The No. 3 Crimson Tide will travel to Auburn, Alabama, to meet the 6–5 Tigers in the highly anticipated Iron Bowl to close out the season.

Matt Corral Matt Corral and now No. 8-ranked Ole Miss took care of business against Vanderbilt winning comfortably with a final score of 31-17. Corral passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns with a completion rate of 75% on 36 attempts. He averaged 9 yards per completion. The junior did, however, throw one interception with just over five minutes remaining in the game. On the season, Corral has just three interceptions. The Rebels have a must-not-lose matchup come Thursday against an unranked Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl as Corral and team look to make it to a New Year’s Six bowl.

By Ethan Ferguson

@ethan_ferguson6

Kenneth Walker iii

Kenneth Walker III’s standing in the Heisman race fell following Michigan State’s second loss on the season to now-No. 2 Ohio State. The Spartans’ limited depth on the roster became evident following an injury suffered by Walker that sidelined him for a large portion of the game. With only six rushing attempts on the day, Walker gathered 25 yards with an average of 4.2 yards per carry. He was also able to bring in one reception for 4 yards. Walker has still had a more than impressive season and remains in the Heisman hunt as No. 12 Michigan State prepares to take on Penn State to wrap up the season.

rocky higine / the daily texan staff

tuesday, november 23, 2021

NOTES FROM THE OPPONENT By Nathan Han

The Daily Texan spoke with Landon Reinhardt, football beat reporter at The Kansas State Collegian, ahead of the Longhorns’ Black Friday matchup against the Wildcats.

DT: If Skylar doesn’t suit up, what is the quarterback situation? Who suits up behind him?

The Daily Texan:

LR: It’s unsure who’s going to be at quarterback because we may be trying to keep a redshirt (freshman) on (sophomore) Will Howard. I think it might be Jaren Lewis if Thompson can’t go. He split time with Howard when Thompson went out earlier this year, and it’s just not the same as Thompson. Jaren is gonna throw the ball up more than Will. Both of them are strong running quarterbacks. I would definitely expect some ground and pound if Thompson is not in there.

What’s the general vibe around the program after last week’s loss to Baylor?

Landon Reinhardt: There was so much hype coming into the week … (Kansas State) had the longest winning streak in the Big 12. The vibes around the program were immaculate. Everyone was excited. This was gonna be a big game – we had a chance to finish with 10 wins but it was very not good for us. So, the vibe right now is very low after such a high past month. But I think with Texas coming up, we’re still excited to finish the regular season with a win. DT :

What makes quarterback Skylar Thompson so special to Kansas State and what’s his status for the upcoming game against Texas?

LR :

In the past decade or so, K-State’s been blessed with some really good quarterbacks. In 2012, Collin Klein was a Heisman finalist, and then the following years up until 2014, we had a quarterback, Jake Waters, who might be one of the most underrated college quarterbacks of all time. Then, we got Skylar Thompson and because we got used to those very high profile players, no one really liked him at first. But after he had played some games and then got injured last year, we brought in the backups and that’s when we saw how much (he) meant to the team. It’s one of those “(you) only know you love them until you let them go” type of things. Yesterday, he went down with an injury and you could just feel the air let out of the stadium.

@NathanHan13

DT: Switching to the defensive side of the ball, who or what should Texas fans be watching out for on Kansas State’s defense? LR:

Felix Anudike-Uzomah. He’s the nation’s leader in sacks or at least was (last) week, and in forced fumbles as well. That’d be one thing I’d tell (Texas’) coaching staff. (They) better double Felix because that guy’s a monster. Then, our secondary is kind of the lifeline

of our team. We brought in a bunch of transfers in the secondary and they’ve really accepted Manhattan into their hearts. DT: What’s your prediction for what’s going to happen on Friday?

LR :

The game against Texas last year did not go well at all. It was a horrible way for K-State to end their season … so, I think for a lot of the seniors at K-State, (it) seems like they want revenge from that, just because it was

embarrassing for them to go out and lose that badly. If Thompson’s playing, let’s say 31-23, Kansas State. And then if Thompson’s out, then let’s say 24-23.