Texas football: Tom Herman’s biggest sin came in 2OT vs. Oklahoma

Tom Herman had Oklahoma on the ropes in overtime, but he missed a chance to put them away by going for two.

When you’re trying to win a hotly contested rivalry game, sometimes you have to be bold. Tom Herman wasn’t, and it cost the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Showdown vs. Oklahoma.

Texas was having their way with Oklahoma’s defense in overtime. The Sooners were demoralized as Sam Ehlinger scrambled through the defense for a 25-yard score two plays into the second overtime period.

A two-point conversion would have ended the game and no one would have bet against Ehlinger getting it done.

Instead, Herman opted to kick the extra point, sending the game into a third and then a fourth overtime. The Longhorns lived to fight another down, but they ultimately lost the war, 53-45.

Tom Herman should have gone for two against Oklahoma in 2OT.

Here’s the thing: Herman had a quarterback who was cooking and he was possibly playing for his job. A win over Oklahoma would have been a major feather in the cap for a head coach on the hot seat.

A loss, dropping Texas to 2-2 on the season, won’t quiet the calls for Herman to be removed.

Sure, Herman could get credit for the way his team fought back. Really though, Ehlinger deserves all of the praise for that. He put the team on his back and dragged them back. If his head coach had given him that one shot to end it right there and then it could have changed everything.

Instead, the Longhorns got out of the third overtime with a prayer and the quarterback had a pass intercepted in the fourth overtime to end it.

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