SALT LAKE CITY — Following Texas’ 28-21 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia, Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger sent Texas fans into a frenzy with four simple words.
“Longhorn Nation … we’re baaaaack,” he said during the trophy presentation.
The Longhorns had just capped off their 2018 campaign with a 10-4 record and a win over a Georgia team that lost just two games and was ranked No. 5 in the country at the time. For a program that hadn’t been to a BCS bowl or won 10 games since going to the national championship in 2009, it felt like a turning point for the program.
Going into the 2019 season, expectations were high for the Longhorns. Texas was picked to finish second in the conference, behind Oklahoma, in the Big 12 preseason media poll. With junior quarterback Ehlinger back to lead to offense and safety Brandon Jones returning, Texas started the season at No. 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll and climbed to No. 9 after the first week of the season and were talked about as a potential playoff candidate.
Was Texas about to be back this season?
Texas rattled off four of five wins to start the season, its only loss coming in a seven-point defeat at the hands of LSU, but the season soon started to unravel for the Longhorns. After a seven-point loss to Oklahoma, Texas beat Kansas 50-48, lost to TCU by 10, beat Kansas State by three and then lost two in a row to Iowa State and Baylor before blowing out Texas Tech to get to 7-5. At a school like Texas, a 7-5 record is a failure, though a win against Utah would end it on a positive note.
The Longhorns finished 5-4 in conference, tied with Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Iowa State, and finished unranked. The Alamo Bowl, which had its choice of Big 12 teams that did not get picked for the playoff or the New Year’s Six bowls, chose the Longhorns. With an hour or so drive from Austin to San Antonio, it should be a de facto home game for Texas.
Ehlinger leads Texas with 3,462 yards through the air, a 65% completion rate, 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His favorite target has been Devin Duvernay, one of the best receivers in the country. Duvernay has caught 103 receptions for 1,294 yards and eight touchdowns. Keaontay Ingram leads the team in rushing with 745 yards and six touchdowns. Texas has averaged 35 points per game. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck was demoted and wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Drew Mehringer was canned.
Jones has been the heart and soul of the Longhorns’ defense, which is allowing 29 points per game. Jones leads the team in tackles with 86 and has two interceptions. Linebacker Joseph Ossai has 81 tackles and two sacks on the season. Texas fired defensive coordinator Todd Orlando last week.
Even following a crushing Pac-12 championship game loss and being left out of a New Year’s Six bowl, Utah is still excited to play Texas, even if the Longhorns’ program isn’t at the level of prestige that it used to be.
“I’m very excited to play them. I grew up watching the Longhorns, so it will be a good honor to play against them. They’ve got a great team, they’ve got a great quarterback. I’m excited to play them,” Utah safety Terrell Burgess said.
Offensive lineman Darrin Paulo agrees.
“I’m excited just because it’s Texas. They’re a pretty good program from what I’ve heard — iconic in college football,” Paulo said.