The Texas Longhorns beat their Big 12 rival in the Oklahoma Sooners in 2018. Does Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger have what it takes to be the hero again?
Last season saw the Texas Longhorns upset their bitter rival in the Oklahoma Sooners down in Dallas 48-45 in the Red River Showdown. Sure, it was a lot about the strong leg of Cameron Dicker the Kicker, famously spoken into existence by Gus Johnson on the FOX early afternoon telecast. But let’s not forget about who helped keep the Longhorns in that game: Sam Ehlinger.
Ehlinger is in his junior season in his hometown of Austin. As a sophomore, he led the Longhorns to 10-4 record, including a dominating performance over the Georgia Bulldogs in the Allstate Sugar Bowl over in New Orleans. So far through five games, it looks as though Ehlinger has picked up right where he finished the 2018 campaign.
In his first five starts of the season, Ehlinger has completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 1,448 yards, 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He is averaging a solid 8.4 yards per attempt through the air and boasts a 169.8 passing efficiency rating. Let’s not forget what he can do with his legs, as he has 51 carries for 236 yards and three rushing touchdowns on the season.
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Ehlinger is the big, strong quarterback Texas will need to finally be back. They could be back this year, but the Longhorns already lost a home game to Joe Burrow‘s LSU Tigers a few weeks back. In a high-stakes game to keep their College Football Playoff dreams alive versus Oklahoma, will Ehlinger provide the magic to boom the Sooners in Dallas yet again?
Well, he’s going to have to if Texas wants any chance in this game. Oklahoma will have a new starting quarterback from last time, as former Alabama Crimson Tide star Jalen Hurts opted to transfer to Norman after he lost his starting job to Tua Tagovailoa down in Tuscaloosa.
There isn’t any stage that Hurts will be afraid of. He’s played in every hostile environment, so the Cotton Bowl could be a piece of cake for him. Then again, this will be the toughest Big 12 opponent Hurts will have gone up against. Jalen, you’re not in Kansas anymore and the Mad Hatter won’t be nomming on some grass in this one like a hungry, hungry steer in his Lawrence pasture.
Like Ehlinger, Hurts is known to make a play or two with his legs. But upon arriving in Norman, Hurts has become more prolific of a passer than many thought possible for him while he was at Alabama. It’s a testament to Lincoln Riley as a head coach and the student mentality that Hurts brings with him to the gridiron and classroom every single day.
Hurts may not be the pro prospect of his Oklahoma predecessor Kyler Murray, but few quarterbacks have won as Hurts has throughout his college career. But there’s just something special about Ehlinger in Austin.
He gives off a little bit of that Tim Tebow magic, or at the very least, a little bit of what made Dak Prescott so damn captivating while at Mississippi State. The Longhorns have already had a guy that can win at a high level in a big stage with both his arms and legs. That guy was Vince Young, but Ehlinger doesn’t have to be Young to beat Oklahoma again; he just needs to be himself.
No, Ehlinger doesn’t have to play perfect football to beat Oklahoma again, although playing near-perfect football wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for him and the ‘Horns. But he’ll need some help from his teammates. Can the Longhorns defense help Texas be at least plus-two in the turnover battle? Will they be able to hold strong when Hurts opts to scramble on third-and-long?
Simply put, the margin for error will be thin for Ehlinger and the Longhorns, but not razor-thin. This is the No. 11 team in the country, going up against a bitter rival at No. 6 that has been told how wonderful it is all season long. Texas already has a battle scar this season via LSU. How sure are we that Oklahoma will be ready to bring the heat? Texas will be ready at 11:00 a.m. CT.
But even if Ehlinger plays out of his mind, that still may not be enough to bust the Sooners on Saturday afternoon in the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma has dominated the Big 12 in recent years for a reason. Texas is making this rivalry more compelling, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be the favorites to win this one. Ehlinger and the ‘Horns must embrace the underdog mentality to win. But will they?
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