The Biggest game of the weekend started out with a bang in Austin! The stadium was electric with the rowdy students and enthusiastic fans! Alabama was coming into the game with a giant target on their back. Add in the coach connection of Saban and Sarkisian and you’ve got yourself one smash mouth backyard brawl! The game had a ton on questionable calls, deja vu injuries, and toughness from the Longhorns!
First Quarter
Texas won the toss and deferred so Alabama was given the ball to start the game. The Longhorns defense started out stout by holding the Crimson Tide to a field goal on their first possession. Quinn Ewers looked sharp, calm and ready to punch Alabama in the mouth! He was letting it fly, hitting sophomore Xavier Worthy with several deep passes down the sideline. Ewers found Worthy down the sideline on a beautiful throw for 46 yards. Everyone keep an eye on Worthy, with his speed and toughness he seems to be a breakout star! In a potentially huge swing of momentum, Ewers was hurt trying to throw the ball away on a play which was ruled roughing the passer, forcing Hudson Card into the game. Ewers had a shoulder injury and would not return to the game. The score was Alabama 10, Texas 3.
Second Quarter
In the second quarter the longhorns scored on a 1 yard run by Bijan Robinson. They seemed to move to a more conservative approach when Card came in to run the offense. They finally took the training wheels off and Card connected on a 42-yard pass to Robinson. The Crimson Tide committed two pass interference penalties and Worthy was unable to come down in the end zone. The Longhorns still had a chance to finish the half with some momentum, but kicker Bert Auburn missed a 20-yard field goal as time expired. Texas missed a big opportunity to take the lead on a two-minute drive to end the half. Going into half-time the score was tied 10-10!
Third Quarter
Then the third quarter madness of the safety, incomplete pass, or whatever that was. Both teams stalled on offense and the defenses stood strong. Things seemed to get heated on the field this quarter and overall, the game had a ton of Albama penalties. The Longhorns would score another field goal from Burt Auburn taking the lead 13 to 10 headed into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The Longhorns hit a field putting the Longhorn’s ahead 16-10. Alabama seemed to find some stride in the fourth quarter and Bryce Young found a way to get the Crimson Tide back on top. Alabama will go on to score a touchdown 17-16 with 8:29 left in the game. After a few changes in possesion Texas would come back! Card finds Casey Cain for a big play over the middle for a 29-yard gain in Alabama territory with under two minutes to go. Texas would have to settle for a 49-yard field goal with a little over a minute to go and take the lead 19-17. Bryce Young then took the game into his hands, like any clutch quarterback should do and got in position to score. Alabama would kick a winning field goal to hang on 20-19 over the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns went toe to toe with the number one Crimson Tide and earned respect back to the program! If Ewers was not injured the outcome could have been different but until next year I guess! Texas brought Alabama back to Earth and looked like a team with a tremendous amount of upside. Watch out for the Longhorns, Hook’em Horns!