(QB Quinn Ewers – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Quinn Ewers, RB CJ Baxter, RB Jaydon Blue, OC Jake Majors, OG DJ Campbell, OG Hayden Conner, OT Kelvin Banks Jr., DE Ethan Burke, DE Barryn Sorrell, DT Vernon Broughton, LB David Gbenda, LB Anthony Hill Jr., CB Malik Muhammad, NB Jahdae Barron, BS Derek Williams Jr., FS Michael Taaffe, and PK Bert Auburn.
Key Players Departing:
RB Jonathon Brooks (Panthers R2), WR Adonai Mitchell (Colts R2), WR Jordan Whittington (Rams R6), WR/PR Xavier Worthy, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders (Panthers R4), OT Christian Jones (Cardinals R5), DT Byron Murphy II (Seahawks R1), DT T’Vondre Sweat (Titans R2), LB Jaylan Ford, CB Terrence Brooks (Illinois transfer), CB Ryan Watts (Steelers R6), SS Jerrin Thompson (Auburn transfer), KR Kellan Robinson (Jaguars R5), and PT Ryan Sanborn.
(WR Isaiah Bond – AP Photo)
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: WR Isaiah Bond (Alabama transfer), LB Colin Simmons (Duncanville, Texas), and WR Ryan Wingo (St. Louis, Missouri).
4 Star Recruits: OT Brandon Baker (Santa Ana, California), CB Kobe Black (Waco, Texas), DS Xavier Filsaime (McKinney, Texas), RB Jerrick Gibson (Bradenton, Florida), DS Andrew Mukuba (Clemson transfer), TE Amari Niblack (Alabama transfer), and EDGE Trey Moore (UTSA transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 RICE W 37-10
G02 @ #3 Alabama W 34-24
G03 WYOMING W 31-10
G04 @ Baylor W 38-6
G05 #24 KANSAS W 40-14
G06 vs. #12 Oklahoma L 30-34
G07 @ Houston W 31-24
G08 BYU W 35-6
G09 #23 KANSAS STATE W (OT) 33-30
G10 @ TCU W 29-26
G11 @ Iowa State W 26-16
G12 TEXAS TECH W 57-7
B12 #18 OKLAHOMA STATE W 49-21
PLA vs. #2 Washington L 31-37
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 12-2 (1st in Big XII/Big XII Champions)
Home: 6-0
Away: 5-0
Neutral: 1-2
B12: 8-1
Non-B12: 4-1
Head Coach: Steve Sarkisian
Texas: 25-14
Career: 71-49
Bowls: 2-4
(RB CJ Baxter – American-Statesman/USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Quinn Ewers (272-394, 3479 yards, 69.0%, 8.8 avg., 22 TD, 6 INT)
Rushing: CJ Baxter (138 car., 659 yards, 4.8 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: CJ Baxter (24 rec., 156 yards, 6.5 avg., 0 TD)
TD’s Scored: CJ Baxter/Quinn Ewers (5)
Sacks: Ethan Burke (5.5)
Tackles: Anthony Hill Jr. (67)
Tackles For Loss: Ethan Burke (9)
Interceptions: Michael Taaffe (3)
Pass Deflections: Jahdae Barron (6)
Forced Fumbles: Ethan Burke/Justice Finkley/Anthony Hill Jr. (1)
Kick Returns: Jaydon Blue (3 ret., 80 yards, 26.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Bert Auburn (29-35 fg/fga., 83%, 56-56 xp/xpa., 143 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Quinn Ewers (RS JR/TR)
RB: 4 CJ Baxter (SO)
WR: 7 Isaiah Bond (JR/TR)
WR: 2 Matthew Golden (JR/TR)
WR: 11 Silas Bolden (JR/TR)
TE: 85 Gunnar Helm (SR)
LT: 78 Kelvin Banks Jr. (JR)
LG: 76 Hayden Conner (SR)
OC: 65 Jake Majors (RS SR)
RG: 52 DJ Campbell (JR)
RT: 56 Cameron Williams (JR)
KR: 2 Matthew Golden (JR/TR)
PK: 45 Bert Auburn (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Ethan Burke (JR)
DT: 95 Alfred Collins (SR)
DT: 15 Bill Norton (GR/TR)
DE: 88 Barryn Sorrell (SR)
LB: 33 David Gbenda (RS SR)
LB: 0 Anthony Hill Jr. (SO)
NB: 7 Jahdae Barron (SR)
CB: 13 Jay’Vion Cole (JR/TR)
CB: 5 Malik Muhammad (SO)
FS: 13 Andrew Mukuba (SR/TR)
BS: 2 Derek Williams Jr. (SO)
PR: 11 Silas Bolden (JR/TR)
PT: 39 Michael Kern (FR)
(LB Anthony Hill Jr. – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 COLORADO STATE RAMS | Texas won (46-0) the only prior meeting between schools in 1975.
09/07 @ Michigan Wolverines | Texas won (38-37) the only prior meeting between schools in 2005.
09/14 UTSA ROADRUNNERS | Texas won (41-20) the only prior meeting between schools in 2022.
09/21 ULM WARHAWKS | Texas leads the series 2-0. The Longhorns won (52-10_ the last meeting between schools in 2022, and they won (59-20) the inaugural meeting in 2009.
09/28 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS | The series is tied 2-2. The Longhorns won (38-11) the last meeting between schools in 1999.
10/12 vs. Oklahoma Sooners | Texas leads the series 63-51-5. The Longhorns are 3-8 since 2014, and their last series win (49-0) was in 2022.
10/19 GEORGIA BULLDOGS | Texas leads the series 4-1. The Longhorns won (28-21) the last meeting between schools in 2019, and their only series loss (9-10) was at the prior meeting in 1984.
10/26 @ Vanderbilt Commodores | Texas trails the series 3-8-1. The Longhorns lost (12-13) the last meeting between schools in 1928, and their last series win (13-6) was at the prior meeting in 1927.
11/09 FLORIDA GATORS | Texas leads the series 2-0-1. The Longhorns won (26-0) the last meeting between schools, and they won (12-0) the prior meeting in 1939.
11/16 @ Arkansas Razorbacks | Texas leads the series 56-23. The Longhorns lost (21-40) the last meeting between schools in 2021, and their last series win (52-10) dates back to 2008.
11/23 KENTUCKY WILDCATS | Texas won (7-6) the only meeting between schools in 1951.
11/30 @ Texas A&M Aggies | Texas leads the series 76-37-5. The Longhorns won (27-25) the last meeting between schools in 2011, and their last series loss (17-24) was at the prior meeting in 2010.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Away: 4-0
Neutral: 2-1
SEC: 8-0
Non-SEC: 7-1
Overall: 15-1 (3rd in SEC/5th Seed – Eliminated in Semifinals)
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