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Snap Judgments: No. 7 Texas finishes strong, puts away No. 18 Missouri

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1 hour ago, Jeff Howe said:

I've got a little bit more to add.

Survive and advance. The Longhorns accomplished the job today.

can I add something?

This game HAS to be good for recruiting. The season is certainly not over by any stretch, but this was big IMO for recruiting. I guess we'll see if I'm right later on.

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28 minutes ago, taxsaver said:

can I add something?

This game HAS to be good for recruiting. The season is certainly not over by any stretch, but this was big IMO for recruiting. I guess we'll see if I'm right later on.

Recruiting hasn't been an issue, IMO.

Not sure why people are complaining about not running the ball more. Our early runs were successful due to out leveraging the front, not controlling the LOS.

Both of our 3 and outs were run focused drives. Our ceiling as an offense is with Arch controlling the pace with Sark giving him easy short to intermediate throws. Our OL lacks the ability to move people, especially when the other team is trying to stop it from happening.

Great to see Sark setting Arch up for success and Arch finding his rhythm because of it. That's a great sign for the rest of the season.

BYU is out. 10-2 with only 1 win over the playoff field isn't going to be that impressive. Don't see LSU getting in after this lopsided loss even if they beat us next week.

I get the slide in the interception.

Curious on OTF thoughts though. You said he should’ve scuffed instead. What time left/time out count is a deciding factor? I’m leaning towards if you’re sliding Tin the situation he was in. You do it around the 15. You give yourself a chance at a first down and you’re still close enough for basically an extra point range FG

2 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

I've got a little bit more to add.

Survive and advance. The Longhorns accomplished the job today.

Great job @Jeff Howe Didn't get to watch this one but listened to Master Craig Way as I worked..... brought back some memories of you two together and the win is icing on the cake.

The OL was better today which was good to see. Still plenty of room for improvement, but at least it didn't appear that Arch was running for his life on every drop back. And there were holes for Raleek often enough for him to have a solid day.

4 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

I've got a little bit more to add.

Survive and advance. The Longhorns accomplished the job today.

They did a little more than survive, they dominated the second half.

2 hours ago, HookemChappy said:

Complimentary football. Offense, defense ST and refs

Complementary football!!

It is not afternoon high tea.

🤘🏻🤘🏼🤘🤘🏽🤘🏾🤘🏿

Maybe Texas needed those two losses, to light the fire and passion. Arch, is becoming a leader and qb that takes criticism and scrutiny. Performs in November, honestly no other qb in the nation could handle that. He does, never complains to the public about others, shoulders the responsibility on him.

Be honest, there again no expert, but that is what makes a nfl qb. Hopefully, he carries it over to next week against LSU. He is not perfect, he loses Coleman , smothers and goosby, to injury but yet has better games without them. We as Texas fans are the harshest critics of Texas Football. Arch hasn't folded.

Can I just say, that Siani was above average at RT. He looks like a liability at LT. Seen him get blown back way too much. Otherwise I think the game went fine. Was a bit iffy on the O for 2 1/2 quarters but they pulled it off at the end.

D was struggling early but got it going eventually. Would've loved some more sacks but what can you do.

Whoever evaluated this P from the portal needs to be fired imo lol. Dude has been wonky all year. The K was a great pick up though.

Great to get the win and lets go beat LSU like Bama did.

As close ro complementary ball as weve seen all season. ST is still struggling tremendously. Couple of other things. Arch is so much better when he spreads the ball around and does not lock onto 1 target (Cam). Sark has finally dialed up a few screens in down and distance circumstances that slowed the backers down and put something else on tape that was different. Even as beat up as this defense rhey epitomize elite. Limited play from arguably the best player in CFB, Secondary beat up etc. Biles has been a wrecking ball, Raptor returning to form, Cryer filling and delivering blows as well as getting guys in the right spot, and last but not least the DL to include Ends have been fantastic.

4 hours ago, Roy Hinojosa said:

They did a little more than survive, they dominated the second half.

even the 3rd quarter?

16 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

Trailing 20-13 with 4:52 left in the third quarter after Missouri’s Naeshaun Montgomery ripped off a 75-yard touchdown, Texas did something I’ve longed to see under Steve Sarkisian.

The Longhorns scored the game’s final 21 points, with 14 in a dominant fourth quarter in Saturday’s 34-20 win over the Tigers in Columbia.

No. 7 Texas (7-2, 4-2 SEC) out-gained 18th-ranked Missouri (6-3, 3-3) by 102 yards (144-42) after falling behind. It played complementary football with Will Muschamp’s defense, which finished strong in the Longhorns’ fourth win of the season over an Associated Press Top 25 opponent.

***

After the Tigers pulled ahead, the Texas defense forced the following outcomes on Missouri’s last five possessions:

— Six plays, punt

— Three-and-out

— Three-and-out

— Three plays, forced fumble (the only turnover forced by the Longhorns)

— Turnover on downs

***
Whether Arch Manning (28-for-38, 297 yards and three touchdowns) fumbled or threw an incomplete pass on third-and-10 from the Tigers’ 39-yard line late in the third quarter will be hotly debated. Still, Emmett Mosley V deserves credit for recovering the football to set up Manning’s game-tying touchdown pass to Jermaine Bishop Jr.

The fortunate sequence gave the Longhorns a chance to close out a quality opponent on the road. Unlike Texas’ wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss, which came down to the last play, the Longhorns were in the victory formation on the last snap of a two-touchdown win over a club that was in the College Football Playoff discussion heading into the weekend.

***
Warren Roberson was picked on throughout the game. While watching the game at OTF Headquarters with Bobby Burton and Rod Babers, Rod reiterated what he mentioned during the second quarter of the “Watch With Us:” If you’re getting picked on as a defensive back, you need to make the opponent pay for it by making a play at some point.

Roberson stepped up when it mattered most.

With Missouri vying for a tying score, Roberson laid the wood to Cayden Lee on third-and-5 catch inside the final two minutes of regulation. Graceson Littleton snagged the loose ball and returned it to the 6-yard line (he should’ve finished off the run in the end zone for a touchdown, but Raleek Brown closed out the scoring three plays later, forcing the Tigers to burn their remaining timeouts).

***
My only legitimate gripe from Saturday’s win is that I can’t believe Sarkisian when he describes the brand of football he wants Texas to play as one that wants to establish the run and play with a physical edge on the ground.

The Longhorns successfully ran the football on Saturday. Brown (85 yards rushing, 23-yard receiving and two touchdowns) had four carries for 36 yards by the 6:43 mark of the first quarter; he had three combined carries in the second and third quarters.

Thankfully, Sarkisian went to Brown in crunch time, putting the ball in his hands five times on a six-play, 54-yard drive, which ended with a 23-yard touchdown catch (Sarkisian drew up a beautiful wheel route for Brown out of the backfield on a score that put Texas ahead for good, 27-20, with 5:03 to play).

***
Manning wasn’t perfect on Saturday, but he’s doing a better job of executing the formula Sarkisian has found that’s worked during the team’s current three-game winning streak. Although the Longhorns still had protection issues on attempted deep shots, the quick game got Manning into a rhythm and opened up the intermediate and deep throws he connected on down the stretch.

***
Even when adjusting Missouri’s rushing yards to exclude sacks, Texas held the Tigers to 94 yards (4.1 yards per attempt). Missouri's 84 net yards (3.5 yards per carry) are the second-fewest for the Tigers this season, with SEC rushing leader Jamal Roberts (66 yards, 3.5 yards per attempt) recording his third-worst outing of the season.

Only three of Missouri’s 23 non-sack rushing attempts went for 10 or more yards.

Even after Ryan Niblett fumbled a kickoff return and Mac Chiumento (36 yards per punt) struggled to flip the field, the Longhorns didn’t lose the kicking-game battle. Missouri missed two field goals and Texas blocked a punt, with Jonathan Cunningham doing the honors in the second quarter.

***

The Longhorns achieved what should’ve been one of their primary objectives on Saturday by winning in the red zone.

Texas went 4-for-4 in the red zone and scored 20 points inside the Tigers’ 20-yard line, improving to an SEC-best 16-for-16 (11 touchdowns) in conference play. Missouri scored only 10 points on three red-zone trips, including a missed field goal.

***

I loved Bo Mascoe's tackle on Lee late in the first half. Lee’s forward progress denied Jelani McDonald a potential long return on a forced fumble. Still, Mascoe denied the Tigers a potential 2-for-1 scoring opportunity by fighting through a block to stop Lee short of a first down on a well-defended perimeter screen.

***

The guys dealing with injuries who tried to play deserve a tip of the cap.

— Littleton had four tackles and set up Brown’s game-ending touchdown run with a fumble return.

— Colin Simmons didn’t look anywhere close to 100 percent healthy. Nevertheless, anybody who wondered whether the future first-round pick would pack it in and preserve his health for the 2027 draft has their answer. It means something to Simmons to wear the burnt orange.

— Ryan Wingo had six catches for 53 yards, including a 12-yard reception two plays before Brown’s go-ahead touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

— Kade Phillips had two tackles and spelled Roberson. He came in for a struggling Roberson and finished off a first-half drive that ended with Missouri missing a field goal.

***

When the Tigers had the ball in a tie game with 9:42 remaining, Juice Cryer’s tackle for loss and Colton Vasek’s sack of Austin Simmons (23-for-43, 252 yards and two touchdowns) led to a critical three-and-out. The offense turned favorable field position into the go-ahead touchdown drive.

***

Good things happened when Sarkisian tried to get the ball to Bishop, who wasn't targeted in the first half. Bishop was targeted five times in the second half, recording four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Bishop also drew a defensive pass interference call on a deep ball, which might've been a touchdown if he hadn't been grabbed.

***

Saturday's win means the rest of the regular season. The Longhorns head to Baton Rouge to face LSU next Saturday, playing with house money; as long as Texas doesn't get blown out, the CFP selection committee has positioned the Longhorns to get into the 12-team field with a 9-3 record.

That's only possible because Texas put its foot on Missouri's throat when it mattered.


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Great read, Jeff. Really like your reference to the 'correct formula' to make the offense more effective, and it came against a Mizzou team with a pretty darn good D. Proud of the players.🤘

17 hours ago, ClubWhatever said:

Punt team is still an abortion. Kickoff return not much better.

Agree

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