Texas football has a big matchup this Saturday against Oklahoma State. Every game is a must win for the Longhorns. Here are five ways Texas can pull off the upset.
Sam Ehlinger
Ehlinger is the best player on this team and the leader. Texas can win this game if he is playing great. The guy that played outstanding the first four weeks didn’t show up against Baylor, but the Longhorns still got the win. Ehlinger must play lights out if Texas is going to have any chance at pulling off this upset.
The Longhorns played too complacent and weren’t pushing the tempo. Then the Bears started to score some points, but there just wasn’t enough time left on the clock. Ehlinger and the Longhorn offense needs to come out with a rapid-fire offense against the Cowboys. It starts with scoring a touchdown on the offense’s first drive of the game.
Running game
Texas doesn’t really have a main running back. Keaontay Ingram is the one the Longhorns use frequently, but Ehlinger is Texas’ leading rusher this season. No matter who leads the game in carries or yards, a running game is essential to team success.
The running game helps control the clock and will keep the Cowboys offense off the field. It will also help that defense out. The Longhorn defense performed well against Baylor, but it needs to have a repeat performance to help Texas get the win.
Texas defense
This defense needs to step up in a big way. Oklahoma State is a way better opponent than Baylor and will be a tougher matchup. Putting pressure on the quarterback is a good starting point for this game, but most importantly, the Longhorns need to keep the points allowed to a minimum. It’s going to be a high scoring game, but the Longhorn defense needs to keep Oklahoma State under 35 points this game.
The offense can go out and score 40-plus points in this game, but it shouldn’t be forced to. Forcing turnovers will be a huge factor in how this game goes and this defense needs to start creating some, if Texas has any chance at a Big 12 Championship.
Stopping Chuba Hubbard
Hubbard has ran for 90 or more yards in all of Oklahoma State’s games this season. Texas’ defense must figure out a way to stop Hubbard, who averages just over five yards per carry. Slowing him down is vital part of this game and Texas need to force Spencer Sanders to beat them with his passing.
Sense of Urgency
Texas has come back from deficits multiple times this season. Often it is at the end of games, and that can’t happen all the time. If Texas falls behind early, the offense needs to play with a sense of urgency. There needs to be a combination of two-minute drives and using no-huddle plays during its longer drives. This sense of urgency needs to happen sooner rather than later if Texas football hopes to win this game.
