Longhorns Ruin Aggies’ Holiday Weekend
AUSTIN — That’s how you ruin your rival’s holiday weekend. No. 16 Texas handed No. 3 Texas A&M its first loss this season with a 27-17 win at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on Friday night in the second installment of the revived Lone Star Showdown.
The Longhorns (9-3, 6-2 SEC) spoiled A&M’s bid at their first undefeated regular season since the 1994 campaign. The Aggies (11-1, 7-1) will instead settle for their first trip to the expanded College Football Playoffs. Their in-state rivals may now join them.
Here are five thoughts from the game:
The Longhorns might’ve kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive with Friday’s win. They would’ve surely been eliminated with a loss. What’s left to be determined is if a win vs. previously undefeated A&M (and ranked wins vs. Oklahoma and Vanderbilt) are enough to convince the playoff committee to grant a three-loss team entry into the 12-team bracket.
The Stakes
The Aggies needed to win — or both No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 10 Alabama needed to lose — to clinch their first-ever trip to the SEC championship game. The Rebels beat Mississippi State 38-19 earlier in the day to eliminate the second option.
Their playoff hopes remain intact with just one loss. Friday’s loss certainly cost them a first-round bye, though, but home field advantage in the first round remains a possibility.
The Turning Point
The Longhorns tried to move the ball through the air in the first half (nearly two third of their offensive plays were passes) but flipped their philosophy early in the third quarter and were rewarded.
Running back Quintrevion Wisner broke a 48-yard run to start the first Texas drive of the third quarter and to move the Longhorns into field goal range. He rushed for 37 yards on four carries in the next drive and helped set up quarterback Arch Manning’s 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Wingo in the endzone that gave Texas a 13-10 lead.
Manning’s Big Second Half
The battle of a present-day Heisman Trophy contender (Reed) and a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite (Manning) was ultimately won by the latter.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning completed just eight of his 23 first-half pass attempts for 51 yards in large part because his wide receivers failed to gain much separation from A&M defenders.
He might’ve cost the Longhorns a chance to tie the game on their first third-quarter drive. At A&M’s 19-yard line, on 2nd and 11, Manning skipped a pass into the endzone in a situation where he had open field to potentially pick up a first down on the ground.
The A&M Offense Stalled
The Aggies were the more proficient offense in the first half and took a 10-3 lead into halftime thanks to quarterback Marcel Reed’s dual threat abilities and his explosive wide receivers.
Things stalled in the third quarter. The Longhorns took the lead because of it.
The Aggies ended each of their three third-quarter drives with a punt and totaled just 35 yards of offense in the period. Reed, who finished with 251 total yards of offense, completed just two passes for five yards in the third quarter.
A Quiet First Half
The two teams combined for five punts, one blocked field goal and 125 total yards of offense in a scoreless first quarter.
The Longhorns ended each of their first three drives with a punt, averaged just 2.3 yards per play and faced a third down of eight yards or longer five times. They converted just one.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the Longhorns’ win over the Aggies was a significant upset that ruined their rival’s holiday weekend. The Longhorns’ ability to adapt their offense and capitalize on the Aggies’ mistakes ultimately led to their victory.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The final score of the game was 27-17 in favor of the Longhorns.
Q: What were the stakes of the game?
A: The stakes of the game were high, with the Aggies seeking to clinch their first-ever trip to the SEC championship game and the Longhorns looking to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Q: Who was the standout player for the Longhorns?
A: Running back Quintrevion Wisner was the standout player for the Longhorns, rushing for 155 yards and helping to set up several scoring opportunities.
Q: What was the turning point of the game?
A: The turning point of the game was when the Longhorns flipped their philosophy and started running the ball more, which led to a 48-yard run by Wisner and a 29-yard touchdown pass to Wingo.
