No. 8 Texas will travel to Houston on Saturday to kick off the second half of their season. The Longhorns had an open week to rest up and correct their mistakes after collapsing late against Oklahoma in a 34-30 loss. Despite the setback, Texas still has a path to reach the Big 12 Championship Game and has an outside shot of making the College Football Playoff.
On the other hand, Houston is coming off a thrilling victory over West Virginia after throwing a game-winning Hail Mary as time expired. The win was their first as members of the Big 12 and revenge for head coach Dana Holgorsen, who was previously with the Mountaineers.
When the former Southwest Conference rivals meet this weekend for the first time in over 20 years, tensions will be riding high. Three factors will be critical for the Longhorns as they look to finish the season strong.
Stop the passing attack
Like any Holgorsen-led team, Houston will try to beat you by passing the ball. The Cougars are currently fifth in the conference in passing yards, averaging 276.5 yards per game. Their quarterback, junior Donovan Smith, is no stranger to the Longhorns. Last year while at Texas Tech, Smith threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns in an upset win against Texas. The Longhorn secondary will also need to look out for sophomore wide receiver Samuel Brown. The dynamic receiver is in the midst of a breakout year for the Cougars, as he has hauled in 37 receptions for 549 yards. By containing the duo of Smith and Brown, the Longhorns’ defense will make Houston’s offense uncomfortable.
Take care of the football
In the loss against Oklahoma, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw two costly interceptions and lost a fumble while scrambling. The first interception was on the second play from scrimmage and led to a Sooner touchdown. The second occurred in the red zone after a long, promising drive. Both interceptions happened in the first quarter and shifted the momentum strongly in Oklahoma’s favor. Early in the second quarter, Ewers fumbled after taking a hit near midfield. All three of the Longhorns’ turnovers from the game played a tremendous part in the loss. Holding onto the ball and winning the turnover battle will be crucial for Texas on Saturday.
Finishing the drive
Last but not least is Texas’ red zone offense, or lack thereof. Through six games, the Longhorns rank tied for 70th in red zone conversion rate at 83.3% percent. In 24 attempts, Texas has scored only 11 touchdowns and nine field goals. The lack of touchdowns has been a game-changer so far this season. For example, the Longhorns had the ball on Oklahoma’s one-yard line with a chance to tie the game early in the fourth quarter, yet failed to score any points in four tries. If Texas wants to prove they are a legitimate contender, they will have to start scoring touchdowns at a higher clip in the red zone than where they are at currently.
