The Daily Texan's Double Coverage 2021-11-05 by The Daily Texan

T H E D A I LY TEXAN PRESENTS

Double Coverage VOL. 16 ISSUE 10 | Nov. 5, 2021 blaine young

/ the daily texan file

friday, NOVEMBER 5, 2021

TEXAN Myah Taylor

Kaitlyn Harmon

STAFF PICKS Nathan Han

Matthew Boncosky

Payne Williams

Christina Huang

Hannah Williford

Vicente Montalvo

Alabama

Michigan State

Jenny DeVico

Blaine Young

Angelina Braese

Alabama

Michigan State

LSU @ No. 3 Alabama

Alabama

No. 5 Michigan State @ Purdue

Michigan State

No. 12 Auburn @ No. 13 Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Auburn

Texas A&M

Auburn

Texas A&M

No. 14 Baylor@ TCU

Baylor

Texas @ Iowa State

Iowa State

Texas

Iowa State

Texas

Iowa State

No. 11 Oklahoma State @ West Virginia

Oklahoma State

No. 10 Wake Forest @ North Carolina

Wake Forest

No. 7 Oregon @ Washington

Oregon

No. 6 Ohio State @ Nebraska

Ohio State

Navy @ No. 8 Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Week 5 Results

6–4

Overall Record

65–25

LSU

Oklahoma State

West Virginia

Wake Forest

Oregon

Ohio State

Notre Dame

Navy

8–2

5–5

4–6

5–5

7–3

6–4

7–3

5–5

6–4

62–28

58–32

62–28

57–33

62–28

64–26

58–32

63–27

59–31

57–33

Wake Forest Wake Forest

EDITOR’S NOTE

overall STANDINGS

The Longhorns look to put an end to their three-game losing streak against the Cyclones on Saturday. With two of the best running backs in the Big 12 set to take the field in Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall along with one of the best defenses with in Iowa State, Saturday will surely be a tight matchup in Ames, Iowa. Texas desperately needs a win on the road to avoid a losing record on the season Longhorn faithful can only hope that Sark and team are ready to play for a full 60 minutes.

Kaitlyn Harmon

Myah Taylor

Hannah Williford

Jenny DeVico

T-4.

Kaitlyn Harmon, Christina Huang, Matthew Bonocosky

Blaine Young

T-6.

Nathan Han, Vicente Montalvo

T-7. .

Payne Williams Angelina Braese

Oklahoma State

Wake Forest Wake Forest

Wake Forest

DOUBLE COVERAGE 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

GAMEsTO WATCH

By Hannah Williford

DOUBLE COVERAGE

@howdy_itshannah

No. 12 Auburn at No. 13 Texas A&M

Texas at Iowa State

Nov. 6, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS

Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m. CT, FS1

The crowded competition in the SEC West continues into Week 10 as the No. 12 Auburn Tigers take on the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies. While both teams carry two losses on the season, they have also earned big victories. In early October, the Aggies took down then-No. 1 Alabama while Auburn carried home a definitive win over Arkansas. Texas A&M has averaged 29.6 points per game while Auburn averages 34.9 points per game, but the Aggies have put up a slightly stronger defensive effort this season. In Weeks 7 and 9, Texas A&M has held its opponents to 14 points, making for a promising matchup come Saturday.

The Longhorns head into Week 10 with a three-game losing streak after their third consecutive fourth-quarter meltdown. While Texas has endured some brutal losses, all three recent defeats came to ranked Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma — programs with promising records. Texas and first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian cannot afford another loss this Saturday against an unranked Iowa State team, which would tip the scale to a 4–5 losing record on the season. The Cyclones won their matchup against ranked Oklahoma State in Week 8, although they found losses to Iowa and Baylor. Texas’ defense allows approximately 10 more points per game than Iowa State, making the Longhorns enter the game as underdogs.

No. 5 Michigan State at Purdue

No. 11 Oklahoma State at West Virginia

Nov. 6, 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC

Nov. 6, 2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN

Michigan State earned Big 10 credibility last weekend in a dramatic finish against rival Michigan. As the only undefeated team remaining in the Big 10, the conference is Michigan State’s to lose. While the Spartans will face off against Ohio State and Penn State later this month, their performance this weekend could serve as a harbinger of their performance in future tighter games. The Boilermakers, who upset then-No. 2 Iowa in October, have proved they are not an opponent to look past.

The one-loss Cowboys will travel to Morgantown this weekend to take on West Virginia, which is 4–4 on the season. The teams promise a competitive offensive matchup as both programs have scored just under 30 points per game. While Oklahoma State has an impressive season record, the Mountaineers have shown improvements in the past few weeks with victories over Iowa State and TCU.

No. 7 Oregon at Washington Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC After Oregon’s overtime loss against Stanford in early October, the Ducks simmered down. Yet Oregon, who shook up a then-No. 3 ranked Ohio State team early this season and has dominated the Pac-12, is making a strong statement for its playoff consideration. Running back Travis Dye has emerged as a power player for the Ducks, helping to an offensive average of about 36 points per game. Oregon’s case could be strengthened by a strong performance against Washington, which beat Stanford in Week 9. While Washington is 4–4 on the season, the Huskies have held their opponents to an average of 18.9 points per game.

friday, November 5, 2021

HEISMAN WATCH

5 By Ethan Ferguson

@ethan_ferguson6

As the college football season progresses to Week 10, fans have realized anything can happen within Heisman discussions and rankings. Although quarterbacks continue to be the focal point, some running backs have begun to shake up the Heisman contention race. Players such as Kenny Pickett and Matt Corral experienced critical losses in Week 9 that could have potentially dropped their position in the running. Yet, aside from Pickett’s and Corral’s possible departures from the Heisman race, four players continue to stand out.

Kenneth Walker III

Kenneth Walker III is the sole reason that the Paul Bunyan Trophy stayed in East Lansing last weekend. Coming off his best game of the season, Walker has progressed immensely in the Heisman conversation. Against No. 6 Michigan in Week 9, Walker was able to lead the Spartans to a 37-33 comeback win with five rushing touchdowns and 197 yards. Michigan State remains undefeated this season at 8–0 and handed rival Michigan its first loss of the season. In 23 attempts, Walker averaged 8.6 yards per carry with his longest being a 58-yard touchdown that tied the game for the Spartans. Walker’s speed and ability to break tackles has been the key to the junior’s success, and his talent was put on display Saturday. Michigan State finds competition against Purdue on Saturday, which defeated then-No. 2 Iowa 24-7 earlier in the season.

C.J. Stroud

Although redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud was only able to record one touchdown on the stat line against No. 20 Penn State last week, his talented passing was on display totaling 305 yards of offense. With a 64.7% completion rate on 34 attempts, Stroud led the Buckeyes to a decisive 33-24 win in a ranked matchup. No. 5 Ohio State will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, on Saturday to take on the Cornhuskers where Stroud will look to produce a Heisman-worthy performance once again.

Welcome back,

Students!

Bryce Young

Coming off a bye week, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young still continues to be the frontrunner in the Heisman debate. With a conference matchup against LSU on the horizon come Saturday, Young will look to continue producing solid, steadfast performances in SEC play. When looking at conference play this season, Young has a 67.2% completion rate with 1,569 passing yards and 16 total touchdowns. The Tigers have struggled this season against the passing attack, and a matchup against Alabama certainly doesn’t work in their favor. If Young is able to deliver and have an acceptable game Saturday in Tuscaloosa, he’ll surely remain the Heisman favorite.

Caleb Williams

After being awarded the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, there’s no doubt as to why true freshman Caleb Williams continues to be in discussions surrounding the Heisman. The Week 9 stars aligned for No. 4 Oklahoma against Texas Tech, as the Sooners comfortably beat the Red Raiders 52-21. Williams passed for six touchdowns and just over 400 yards. His longest touchdown of the day was a 67-yard out route to sophomore Marvin Mims — and was also his longest of the season. Continuing Oklahoma’s undefeated season, the Washington, DC, product has 1,189 total yards, 14 touchdowns and only one interception. With Oklahoma scheduled for a bye week in Week 10, the Sooners look to Week 11’s crucial matchup with No. 14 Baylor who mounted a comeback win against Texas last week.

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S T N E N O P P O

DOUBLE COVERAGE

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BREECE HALL

Junior running back Breece Hall continues to be a threat on the field. Hall led the nation in rushing yards during the 2020 FBS season and has continued his dominant running performances this year. He currently leads the Big 12 in rushing yards (123.1) and rushing touchdowns (12). Hall also has five 100-yard rushing games this season with a career high 197 yards against Kansas State. Despite the Cyclones’ loss to West Virginia, Hall was off to a rapid start in the first quarter and could rattle the Texas defense Saturday if he carries a similar energy from his 197-yard performance. Hall is another factor in Iowa State’s aggressive offense, and opposing defenses must shut down the Cyclones’ running game as soon as possible. The Texas defense has struggled greatly this season, and Hall will be yet another tough challenge for the Longhorns to contain Saturday.

CHARLIE KOLAR

Tight end Charlie Kolar makes his starting quarterback’s life just a little bit easier. Kolar is arguably Iowa State’s most decorated tight end in school history, holding the school’s records for most career receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches by a tight end. Kolar was recently named as one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, an annual honor given to the nation’s best collegiate tight end. The key to reducing Kolar’s impact in Saturday’s game is to prevent him from connecting with Purdy. However, the senior tight end can be difficult to stop due to his large size and swift movement. Kolar is another major piece in the Cyclones’ offense that the Texas defense must be able to contain if the Longhorns want to prevent themselves from being beaten through the air.

XAVIER HUTCHINSON

Purdy has found a consistent connection in wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson. A transfer from Blinn College, Hutchinson was named 2020’s Big 12 Newcomer of the Year with 771 yards on the season. Hutchinson currently has the most receptions in the Big 12 with 52 for 590 yards and five touchdowns. The senior has also shown an ability to keep a level head in frustrating situations. Last week, Big 12 referees called on Hutchinson for supposedly taunting an Oklahoma State safety on a Cyclone touchdown. While the penalty was frustrating for the Cyclones, Hutchinson caught a touchdown pass just two plays later. His abilities to be a reliable target for Purdy and maintain mental collectedness could be a threat to a Texas team riddled by mental blocks.

BROCK PURDY

Although “Brocktober” came to an end with an Iowa State loss, senior quarterback Brock Purdy has had an impressive month of play regardless. Purdy ended October with a 76.6% completion rate and zero interceptions. The Gilbert, Arizona, product’s most impressive performance last month came on Oct. 23 when Purdy and the Cyclones gave Oklahoma State its first loss of the season. Purdy is 14–1 as the Cyclones’ starting quarterback in Big 12 games at home, meaning the numbers are not on Texas’ side, to say the least. Even though “Brocktober” is over, Texas must find a way to shut down Purdy in order to put an end to a three-game losing streak.

friday, november 5, 2021

RUNNING IN UNISON TEXAS FEATURE

The Big 12 running back club exists, and it starts with Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall’s friendship. By Kaitlyn Harmon @kait_harmon

wo-thirds of the Big 12 running back club are getting back together. The similarities between Texas running back Bijan Robinson, TCU running back Zach Evans and Iowa State running back Breece Hall transcend playing the same position within the same conference. At one point within the running backs’ careers, all three backs reached out to one another on social media. After connecting, phone numbers were exchanged, friendships were created and encouragement and support flourished. “We’re still running backs and we’re still humans outside of football that just like to encourage each other and keep making each other better,” Robinson said. As a sophomore, Robinson currently ranks eighth among all NCAA running backs for the most rushing yards on the season with 967. In Big 12 play, Robinson averages 133.6 rushing yards per game and is a defining piece of the Texas offense. The Tucson, Arizona, product has 11 rushing touchdowns on the season, one less than his good friend Hall. Hall ranks sixth in NCAA rushing yards at 985 yards with 12 touchdowns. According to NCAA record books, Hall is the highest rated back in the Big 12, sitting behind top running backs from Syracuse, Michigan State, Central Michigan, BYU and Missouri.

blaine young

Robinson and Hall will face one another on opposing sides of the ball come Saturday in Ames, Iowa, while Robinson is looking to outperform and outscore Hall, there is nothing but mutual respect between the two young backs. “We just say keep grinding and keep the focus,” Robinson said. “No matter what the situation is, know that you just know that God has a plan … we were just talking about (how) it’ll be just fun playing against each other this upcoming week, and so it’s just fun to get to play against a guy like that.” According to Robinson, the two backs chat frequently and did so Sunday after a Saturday of tough matchups in Baylor and West Virginia. With both programs’ losses in Week 9, offenses and defenses alike are coming with a vengeance to win in Week 10. However, it’s not Big 12 trash talk going into Saturday’s matchup between the Longhorns and the Cyclones, but rather encouragement. A Wichita, Kansas, product, Hall chose the Cyclones over Kansas State. In his third season with the Cyclones, the back rushed for a season-high

/ the daily texan file

against the Wildcats in Week 6 with just under 200 yards. Hall averages 149.4 yards per game against Big 12 opponents on the season, and will face a Texas defense on Saturday that loves to give up yardage on the ground. And to Texas’ disadvantage, Hall is smart in the run game. What Robinson most admires about Hall’s game is his ability to be patient. According to Robinson, Hall is patient in how he sits in the “back behind the line of scrimmage” and how “he reads and sets up blocks.” But where Robinson benefits the most from his friendship with Hall isn’t just banter and encouragement — it’s motivation. “He’s another great running back in college football, and (to) just see that he’s in the Big 12 conference, for me, I look at him and I watch some of his game and some of his tape, and try to mimic some of the things he does,” Robinson said. Iron sharpens iron, and Robinson is surely being sharpened by Hall’s dominating performances. copyright collin maguire/iowa state daily, and reproduced with permission

longhorns in the nfl By Payne Williams

Adrian Phillips Adrian Phillips helped secure the New England Patriots a tight upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Down 16-17 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter and the ball in the hands of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Phillips intercepted a pass intended for tight end Jared Cook, taking it all the way back to the endzone for six. Phillips capitalized on miscommunication between Herbert and Cook, helping lead New England to upset one of the AFC’s best. Phillips’ game-changing play was his third interception of the season, tying the former Texas safety for second-most interceptions in the league. The Longhorn also finished the game with three tackles and two deflected passes.

jordan hicks Cardinal Jordan Hicks shined in Thursday night’s highly anticipated NFC matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals. The former Texas linebacker racked up 12 total tackles, seven of which were solo tackles, enough to lead the Cardinals in both categories. Hicks’ highlight of the game came on two consecutive goal-line stops. On first-and-goal from the Arizona one-yard line, Packers running back Aaron Jones took the handoff up the middle, and after the official’s initial ruling of Jones’ touchdown, the call was reversed and Hicks was responsible for the stop. The following play saw no greater outcome for Green Bay, but Hicks quickly filled the gap and stopped Jones again before he could even make it back to the line of scrimmage. Hicks and the Cardinals stopped Green Bay from scoring any points on the drive, forcing the Packers to turn the ball over on downs. While Arizona took its first loss of the season, Hicks took control of the defense and helped hold down one of the most potent offenses in the league.

DOUBLE COVERAGE

@paynewilliams5

brandon jones While the Miami Dolphins’ lost to divisional rival Buffalo Bills, former Longhorn safety Brandon Jones played as a point of emphasis in the Miami defense. Jones came blitzing off the edge several times, eventually landing a shot on Bills quarterback Josh Allen, forcing an incompletion intended for star wide receiver Steffon Diggs. Jones recorded one tackle for a loss which came on the Bills’ two-point conversion attempt at the end of the game. The Longhorn’s Sunday performance was second among Miami defenders in tackles with five. Nearing the midpoint of the NFL season, Jones has established a niche in a strong Miami secondary which utilizes Jones’ speed to come off the edge in various blitz packages.

geoff swaim Tennessee Titans tight end Geoff Swaim hit pay dirt in Sunday’s wild victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The former Texas target was the first Titan to reach the end zone and officially get the ball rolling to bring Tennessee out of a 14-0 deficit and eventually a 34-31 win over its divisional rival. Swaim scored early in the second quarter on a 6-yard catch from quarterback and former Aggie Ryan Tannehill on his way to four catches for 23 yards on the day. Swaim may see a larger role in the coming weeks with Tennessee’s star running back and the NFL’s leading rusher Derrick Henry likely out for the rest of the regular season, forcing the Titans to lean more on the passing game. photos by shelby tauber, eddie gaspar, elisabeth dillon/daily texan file and copyright texas athletics, and reproduced with permission

TEXAS

friday, november 5, 2021

By Vicente Montalvo

@VMont20

Texas football will travel to Ames, Iowa Saturday to play in one of the most hostile environments in all of college football. The Longhorns will get the opportunity to play in a primetime game for the first time since their home game against Rice back in September. Having suffered three-straight losses in conference matchups, Texas is likely out of the Big 12 title race. However, the Longhorns still have an opportunity to compete for a bowl game with two more wins.

… the offense breaks down the Cyclone defense Iowa State has one of the best defenses, not just in the Big 12, but in all of college football. The Cyclone defense is allowing an average of 101.9 yards on the ground per game and more impressively, 189.6 yards through the air on average per game. The Texas offense must be prepared to have a multi-layered attack if the Longhorns wish to win the game. The Cyclones boast one of the best defenses Texas will play all season, and having been through eight contests already, the offense should be well tested and ready to help bring a victory back to Austin. … Bijan Robinson bounces back after a poor Week 9 performance Last week, Baylor did a great job at stopping sophomore star running back Bijan Robinson from doing virtually anything. In Robinson’s least efficient game of the season, the sophomore recorded season worsts, having a longest run of nine yards and averaging 2.5 yards on the ground. To give Robinson a chance, the offensive line needs to create holes

WINS IF.... for the 1,000-yard rusher to run through. Throughout the season, Longhorn faithful have seen what Robinson is capable of with his quick acceleration and shifty moves. Look to see how Robinson grows into the game as he tries to lead Texas to a desperately needed conference road win. … the Longhorn defense stops Breece Hall After having a slow start to the season, Iowa State junior running back Breece Hall has been on a tear, showcasing his dual-threat ability. Hall is currently 15 yards away from rushing for 1,000 yards for the second-straight season. An all-around back, Hall has surpassed 100 yards rushing and receiving in six straight games. Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski must have the defense ready to stop the featured back if the Horns look to escape Ames with a win. If Longhorns swarm the running back and tackle him in open space, then Texas will celebrate its first win in Ames since 2017.

loses IF....

… the offense goes missing in the second half The Longhorns have struggled tremendously in recent weeks in maintaining offensive efficiency all four quarters. In its last three games, Texas has been outscored 75 to 27 in the second half. If head coach Steve Sarkisian and staff want to compete and close out the season on a positive note, they need to keep the offense rolling the second they come out of the locker room for the two final quarters. As learned in previous contests, Texas faithful should not get too excited if the Longhorns achieve a big lead early on. Instead, be cautious and wait until late in the game to discern if a celebration is in order. If the offense can’t get the run-pass option going, it will be a long and quiet flight back to Austin.

… Brock Purdy has a big night Iowa State senior quarterback Brock Purdy is not having the season many expected him to have. The early season Heisman hopeful struggled in early weeks before finding his rhythm under center. After throwing three interceptions in the second game of the season, Purdy has limited his turnover rate to one in his last six contests. If a receiver is not open downfield, the experienced quarterback is consistently ready to run for some yardage via a quarterback keeper. He might not be competing for the Heisman Trophy, but Purdy is still one of the best quarterbacks in the country and the Longhorn defense should prepare for him.

blaine young

/ the daily texan staff

BIG 12

DOUBLE COVERAGE By Nathan Han

@NathanHan13

POWER RANKINGS

1. OKLAHOMA SOONERS Freshman quarterback Caleb Williams shined yet again in the No. 4 Sooners’ 52-21 rout of Texas Tech. The win brought Oklahoma to 9–0 on the season, with a clear path to the Big 12 Championship Game and a College Football Playoff berth. However, the Sooners have their toughest stretch of football still left to play after a bye this Saturday, with future opponents in No. 14 Baylor, Iowa State and No. 11 Oklahoma State.

2. BAYLOR BEARS Back-to-back impressive wins over BYU and Texas gave the No. 14 Baylor Bears a big boost after the team’s loss to Oklahoma State. While Baylor has exceeded all of its preseason expectations, the Bears’ ceiling could be even higher with a Big 12 championship within grasp if the Bears manage to take down Oklahoma in their meeting on Nov. 13. First, Baylor will have to take care of business against a TCU program without now-former head coach Gary Patterson.

3. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS The No. 11 Cowboys rebounded from a close loss to Iowa State with a 55-3 blowout of Kansas. Taking care of the Jayhawks was a good sign for Oklahoma State, after the Cowboys’ struggles in Week 9. Much like Baylor, Oklahoma State controls its own destiny, most of which relies on a win against a top ranked Oklahoma team when the two rivals meet on Nov. 27.

4. IOWA STATE CYCLONES After a 38-31 letdown loss to West Virginia in Week 9, the Iowa State Cyclones are 5–3. Yet despite the loss and a 5–3 record, the Cyclones are the only team above .500 within the Big 12, and are in prime position to bounce back with a reeling Texas team visiting Ames, Iowa, where Iowa State is 3–1.

5. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS Skylar Thompson has the potential to shake up the Big 12. After returning from a knee injury, the senior quarterback is flashing an improved arm on top of his ability with the run-pass option and keeping the ball for himself. Kansas State is on a roll as a result, with back-to-back wins over Texas Tech and TCU.

6. WEST VIRGINiA MOUNTAINEERS After kicking off conference play with three straight losses, the Mountaineers are back on track after a big win over then-ranked No. 22 Iowa State in Week 9. The Mountaineers badly needed the win heading into a tough end of season stretch that includes No. 11 Oklahoma State this Saturday, before matchups in Texas and Kansas State.

7. TEXAS LONGHORNS The Longhorns are close, but there’s no tally for close in conference standings. After dropping three straight games, the Longhorns are squarely out of conference contention. There’s still games left to play to secure a bowl bid, including Saturday’s matchup against Iowa State, but the Longhorns will not find themselves in the Big 12 Championship Game come December.

8. TEXAS TECH RAIDERS The 5–4 Red Raiders just didn’t have enough gas left in the tank in a 52-21 blowout loss to Oklahoma. Texas Tech heads into the bye week in Week 10 looking to reconfigure offensive and defensive schemes to prevent a discouraging loss again. The bye is a break interim head coach Sonny Cumbie badly needs to secure a bowl game bid with Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Baylor still left on the schedule.

9. TCU HORNED FROGS Goodbye, Gary Patterson. The head coach who terrorized the Horns for many years is packing his bags in Fort Worth and looking for a new head coaching stint. Like Patterson, the Horned Frogs’ chances at salvaging the season after a devastating Week 9 loss to Kansas State are gone.

10. KANSAS JAYHAWKS The Jayhawks saw a brief bit of daylight after almost taking down the Sooners in Week 8. But then, Kansas lost in typical Kansas fashion to Oklahoma State and remains last in the Big 12 with a 1–7 record on the season. Back to last it is.

friday, november 5, 2021

KAITLYN’S

KNOCKOUT By Kaitlyn Harmon | @kait_harmon

ntering Week 10, the Longhorns are on a threegame losing streak for the first time since 2016, when Texas faced three consecutive losses to California, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. If the Longhorns wish to change their fate and prevent a four-game loss, Texas needs to tighten up skills on both sides of the ball. What lies in Texas’ way of finishing games is the receiving core, among other things. Against now-ranked No. 14 Baylor last Saturday, Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian blew an opportunity to either tie the game 2424 or take the lead 28-24 in the fourth quarter. Starting quarterback Casey Thompson attempted to convert on 3rd-and-11, but failed with an incomplete pass. After going three and out, kicker Cameron Dicker then attempted a fake punt, running the ball for two yards to Baylor’s 47-yard line. After a turnover on downs, the Bears found their way into the end zone to advance to 3121 with less than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. A poor play call ultimately resulted in Texas’ even 4–4. Against Oklahoma State in Week 8, Texas had the opportunity to take the lead over the Cowboys late in the fourth quarter. With a little over four minutes remaining, the Texas offensive line had no gas left in the tank as Thompson scrambled for dear life, resulting in backto-back quarterback keepers. On 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-3, Thompson ran the ball for a loss of 2 yards and no gain. On Texas’ next possession, the Longhorns had yet another opportunity to create a come-

blaine young

back. Tied 32-32, Thompson threw an interception with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. For the first time at Red River against Oklahoma, Texas held the lead until the fourth quarter. With just under 12 minutes to go until the play clock hit triple zeros, the Longhorns led 41-33. On a drive that could have been the final knockout punch to a No. 6 ranked Oklahoma team, Texas surrendered after going three and out. With an incomplete pass to Jordan Whittington, Dicker was forced to punt the ball to Oklahoma’s 40-yard line. The Sooners would tie the game 41-41 on their next possession. Xavier Worthy attempted to receive the kick return and fumbled, turning the ball back over to the Sooners. As history has it, the Sooners maximized upon their possession by finding their way into the end zone to advance the game to 48-41. Upon Texas’ next drive, Thompson failed to complete passes to Marcus Washington and Bijan Robinson. Texas’ matchups against Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma tallied 41 incomplete passes for a completion percentage of 58.29%. The poor rating could be attributed to one of two things — a weak and gassed offensive line or a receiving core with hands like butter.

/ the daily texan file

But the answer to why Texas has a hard time getting the job done is the latter of the two. Worthy, Texas’ star receiver, is the 47th ranked wide receiver for receptions on the season with 33. The freshman has 657 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. Whittington, Worthy’s fellow receiver, has recorded 24 receptions for 359 yards and three touchdowns on the season. To cap out the Texas receiving core, Moore has tallied 22 receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns through Week 9. While the three-man receiving duo’s stats are not entirely impressive, they’re also not at the bottom of the pack. There is no doubt that the Longhorns’ receiving core is talented, but that talent is not being maximized upon to not lose games. However, Texas’ biggest problem and the reason why the Longhorns have failed to finish with a win three games in a row is perhaps overly ambitious play calling. While it is applaudable to convert on a fourth down or to fake a punt like Dicker in Week 9, sometimes riskiness does not win games. If Texas wants to save itself from a four-game losing streak for the first time since 2010, the Longhorns need to maximize upon points whenever possible and the receiving core needs to step up to ensure a Texas victory.

NOTES FROM THE OPPONENT

By Matthew Boncosky @mboncosky

The Daily Texan spoke with Matt Belinson, sports editor at the Iowa State Daily, ahead of Texas’ trip to Ames, Iowa, this weekend.

The Daily Texan: What has worked for head coach Matt Campbell against Texas in the past two years, and how does he hope to make it three wins in a row? Matt Belinson: For the most part, in the (past) two years that (Iowa State has) played Texas, the explosiveness of the offense for Texas has been in relative check, and I think that has to be the main focus this week … if you’re Iowa State, you just have to keep doing what you’ve been doing against Texas. DT: What do critics get wrong about senior quarterback Brock Purdy?

MB: He’s not going to throw for 400 yards a game, he’s not going to throw four touchdowns and he’s not going to light your secondary up. What he’s going to do is he’s (going to) be efficient. He’s going to take what the defense gives him. I think the misconception that people have is that that type of quarterback is not necessarily one that you can win with … and I disagree with that notion. I think he’s proven that he’s been able to win games for this team with that style of play.

DT: Where does junior Breece Hall rank among the best running backs in the country? MB: One thing that stands out about Breece, and it’s similar to what makes Bijan (Robinson) special, is his ability to cut in the open field, find those holes and

stay very patient. I wouldn’t say he’s an explosive runner just in terms of speed … but Breece has a different toughness … I think he has to be at least a top-three running back in the country just based on the last few years. DT: Why is Iowa State such a tough, late-season matchup for any team? MB: At Iowa State, it’s never going to be, ‘We can just walk into a season with our talent and we’ll win games.’ This is a team and a program that, (as) the season goes on, they know how to play with each other, they know what their strengths are, and I think as long as Matt Campbell is here, and as long as the Big 12 powers … stay where they are, I don’t see that changing. DT: What’s the home-field advantage like in Ames, Iowa? MB: Every home game this year has been a sellout at Jack Trice (Stadium). Sixty thousand-plus (fans) and I expect it to be that way on Saturday … I’m sure Iowa State fans are more than willing to let Texas and its fans know how disappointed they were with the perceived disrespect in the Texas-Oklahoma decision to leave for the SEC, so I’m sure the crowd will be rowdy pretty much from the opening kick to the end of the game. DT: What are your predictions for the game?

MB: On paper, you could maybe make an argument that Texas has more overall talent, but I think Iowa State has the edge in experience which is why I think Iowa State is going to win this game. I’ll say Iowa State wins 27-20.

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