Happy New Year Longhorn Fans!
The Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs meet in New Orleans tomorrow night in the Sugar Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for 7:45 p.m., and the game will be broadcast around the world on the flagship channel of the World Wide Leader – ESPN.
The Sugar Bowl was first played January 1, 1935. It is among three bowls that are second oldest behind the Rose Bowl: the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Sun Bowl all started in 1935. The game was played in Tulane Stadium until 1975, when the Superdome opened. In 2006, after Katrina, the game was played in Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. It was always the unofficial bowl of the SEC, and that was formalized in 1976. The tie-in with the Big 12 began in 2015. So now, if the Sugar Bowl isn’t hosting a CFP semifinal game, the champions for the Big 12 and SEC play, unless they are in the College Football Playoffs, in which case the applicable runner-up gets the Sugar Bowl bid. Thus, Texas and Georgia tomorrow night.
The last time Texas played in a true New Year’s Day bowl, Dusty Mangum kicked a game winning field goal to beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl 38-37. Many had questioned whether Texas deserved to be playing in that game, but Vince Young and Mack Brown and rest of the Texas Longhorns proved their worth.
Georgia is 11-2, with their only losses being a road loss to Louisiana State, 16-36, and a one score loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the $EC Championship game (28-35). Texas is 9-4, and the Longhorns are 12.5 point underdogs. Over/under is 58.
As ESPN has been reminding us since the game was announced, this will be the meeting of two storied programs. For both teams, this will be their 55th bowl game – Texas and Georgia are tied for second in all-time bowl appearances (behind who else, Alabama, with 69). Texas is 28-24-2, and Georgia is 31-20-3. I get into some bowl history below. The traditional conference tie-ins mean that Texas has played more Cotton Bowls than anyone else (21, with an 11-10-1 record; Texas Agricultural & Mechanical a distant second at 13 [5-8]). Georgia has 3 Cotton Bowls, and is 2-1. Georgia has played in 9 Sugar Bowls, with a 4-5 record. Texas has played in 3 Sugar Bowls, with a 1-2 record. The No. 5 Longhorns beat No. 6 Alabama on New Year’s Day 1948, 27-7. January 1, 1958, No. 11 Texas lost to No. 7 Ole Miss, 7-39. On December 31, 1995, No. 9 Texas lost to No. 13 Virginia Tech 10-28.
Texas holds a 3-1 series record against Georgia. That one loss was the 1984 Cotton Bowl, discussed below. Texas beat the Bulldogs in the 1949 Orange Bowl, 41-28, as Coach Blair Cherry’s Horns ran all over Georgia, racking up 324 yards in a big win for a team that finished the 1948 season 7-3-1. Leading rusher for Texas in Miami that day was a guy named Tom Landry, who carried 15 times for 107 yards and a score. (Rob & Hill, I also noted that H.J. Shands, Jr. had 7 carries for 43 yards for the Horns.)
Texas and Georgia played a sort of home & home in 1957-58. Texas beat Georgia in Atlanta, 26-7, in DKR’s first game as Texas head coach. In 1958, Texas beat the Dawgs in Austin, 13-8. The game winning touchdown was scored by Bobby Gurwitz, whose grandson Zane had a nice baseball career here at Texas. The quarterback for Georgia that year was guy some of you may have heard of, Fran Tarkenton.
A good crew calling the game for ESPN – Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, and Holly Rowe. There will also be a national radio broadcast on ESPN Radio. And of course, Craig Way, Roger Wallace, and Quan Cosby will have the call on the Longhorn IMG Radio Network. Here in Austin on the flagship – KOKE (99.3 and 98.5), and other stations in Bob Cole’s Austin Radio Network, including 104.9. In Tyler, KTBB 600 AM. In Del Rio, KWMC, 1490 AM.
One of the coolest things out of New Orleans since the Horns got there was this video of Andrew Beck visiting a kid in a hospital. I imagine everyone has seen this by now, but just in case:
Georgia Bulldogs
Kirby Smart coaches the Bulldogs. He played defensive back for Georgia, lettering all four years. Smart was first-team All-SEC selection as a senior, and he finished with 13 interceptions.
The Bulldogs are a very good football team. Georgia cruised through the SEC East. They opened with a 45-0 whipping of Austin Peay. The second weekend of the season they went on the road to Columbia, South Carolina, and crushed the Gamecocks, 41-17. Back between the Hedges, the Dawgs beat Middle Tennessee, 49-7; that game was 42-7 at half. Then three straight SEC wins: 43-29 over Missouri, 38-12 over Tennessee, and 41-13 over Vanderbilt.
The second weekend in October would leave the only blemish on Georgia’s regular season, as a road trip to Baton Rouge went the way of the home team, with Louisiana State winning 36-16. The Bulldogs ran the table after that. Georgia won 36-17 over a good Florida team in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The next weekend the Dawgs got a big 34-17 road win over Kentucky. The Wildcats were 7-1 and ranked No. 11 before that game, and the win clinched the SEC East Division Championship for Georgia. Their second lowest scoring game was still a win – 27-10 over Auburn. They then blasted the Minutemen, 66-27 in one of those odd November SEC out-of-conference games. Georgia closed with a 45-21 win over rival Georgia Tech.
As most predicted in August, Georgia met Alabama in the $EC Championship game. The No. 4 Bulldogs had the lead at halftime, 21-14. But the Crimson Tide and Darth Saban came back, with the final charge being led by Jalen Hurts who threw 2 fourth quarter touchdowns to win the Southeastern Conference title and vault the Tide into the playoffs.
Georgia finished ranked No. 5 in the final College Football Playoff poll. A great season which is no doubt bittersweet, as they play in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day instead of having played this past Saturday in the National Semifinals.
Georgia has a great offense – highly ranked in both total offense and scoring. They are led by two great running backs. No. 7 D’Andre Swift has 1,037 yards, averages 6.7 yards per carry, has 10 rushing touchdowns, and averages 79.8 yards per game. He is a 5-9 and 215 pound sophomore. He also has 27 receptions for 267 yards and 2 TDs. Listed as “OR” on the Dawg depth chart is No. 13 Elijah Holyfield, a 5-11, 215 pound junior. And yes, he is the son of the champion boxer Evander Holyfield. Elijah has 977 yards on 147 carries, averaging 6.5 ypc and 73.5 ypg. What’s crazy is they have three more guys with over 200 yards rushing, and quarterback Jake Fromm isn’t one of them (No. 6 James Cook, No. 25 Brian Herrien, and No. 1 Justin Fields [back-up quarterback]). As you will see below, Georgia has big play capability, ranked No. 6 in the nation with 106 rushes for over 10 yards.
Jake Fromm is not a running quarterback. He is minus 22 yards net rushing on the season. But he is a good passer. 2,537 yards, 27 touchdowns, only 5 interceptions. A 175.81 rating. I have a comparison with Sam below.
At wide receiver: Their leading receiver is No. 4 Mecole Hardman (Jr, 5-11, 183 lbs), and he is listed as OR with Terry Godwin (No. 5, Sr, 5-11, 185). Hardman has 33 catches for 529 yards, averaging a hair over 16 yards per catch, with 6 touchdowns. Godwin has 340 yards on 20 receptions, with 3 TDs. The other 2 starters are big and will give our DBs a challenge: Both are listed at 6-2 and 200 pounds. No. 9 Jeremiah Holloman has 23 catches for 387 yards and 5 TDs. No. 9 Riley Ridley has 39 catches for 509 yards and 9 TDs. No. 87 Tyler Simmons is 6 foot and 201 pounds, and he has 9 catches for 138 yards and 2 scores. Godwin has a long of 75, Simmons has a long of 71, and Holloman has a long of 65.
At tight end, two very big men, also listed on the depth chart as OR. No. 18 Isaac Nauta, 6-4 and 240 pounds, has 29 catches for 427 yards and 3 TDs. No. 89 Charlie Woerner has 9 catches for 121 yards; he is 6-5 and 245 pounds. (I suspect most of y’all know what that means, but just in case: It means either one of the players listed may start. What it also means is that when a team has a lot of guys listed as OR, they are usually really deep. Georgia has 4 positions on offense and 4 on defense where they have 2 guys who can start. In the SEC.)
The Bulldog placekicker is Rodrigo Blankenship, who is 19-23. 7-9 between 40 and 49 yards, so very solid.
Defensively, Georgia primarily runs as their base what old guys like me call a 3-4. The Bulldogs have two 300 pounders listed “OR” at DT – No. 99 Jordan Davis and No. 52 Tyler Clark, and two 300 pounders “OR” at nose, No. 5 Julian Rochester and No. 94 Michael Barnett. They are good at run defense, and really good against the pass, as you will see in the stats below.
This is a good explanation for any nerds out there:
Individually, the leading Dawg is No. 2, Richard LeCounte (5-11, 190), a starting safety. 67 tackles, 40 of them solo, with 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles. Second is WILL linebacker Monty Rice, who is another starter listed as “OR”, with Juwan Taylor. Rice (6-1, 235) has 59 tackles (25 solo), 1.5 TFL for 15 yards, and a 13 yards sack. No. 20 J.R. Reed (of course he’s from Texas – Frisco; 6-1, 194, safety), has 58 tackles (34 solo, 2 TFL, 1 sack) and 2 interceptions. No. 13 Jonathan Ledbetter (6-4, 280) has 51 tackles (13 solo, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack). Other guys who you will hear a lot: No. 30 Tae Crowder (Mike LB, 6-3, 235; 49 tackles, 15 solo, 5 TFL, 1.5 sacks); No. 44 Juwan Taylor (6-1, 218; 46 tackles, 21 solo), and No. 3 Tyson Campbell (backup DB, 6-2, 185, who has 43 tackles, 28 solo). But the guy who scares me the most is linebacker D’Andre Walker. 6-3 and 245, the senior has 11 TFL for 59 yards (7.5 sacks for 43), and 45 total tackles, 23 solo.
Texas
I don’t include Texas individual stats every week because I assume most people are keeping up with them. But for this game, just a few to get you back up to speed:
- Tre Watson has 695 yards on 167 rush attempts, 3 rushing TDs, and Tre has caught 20 passes for 137 yards and 3 TDs.
- Keaontay Ingram has 683 yards on 133 attempts with 3 rushing TDs, and he has 24 receptions for 146 yards and 2 TDs
- Lil’Jordan Humphrey leads the Horns in catches, with 79 for 1,109 yards and 9 TDs. He also has a rushing touchdown.
- Collin Johnson has 65 catches for 975 yards and 7 scores.
- Devin Duvernay has 39 catches for 524 yards and 4 TDs.
- Andrew Beck has 27 catches for 276 yards and 2 TDs.
Texas defensive stats are more impressive than those of the Bulldogs, which is not unexpected given the offenses we face in the Big 12.
The Statistics
The national rankings were as of last Thursday night. A few have moved a little, but nothing significant.
Offense
| Statistic | Texas | Georgia |
| Rushing Offense | #95 – 151.2 ypg | #12 – 251.6 ypg |
| Passing Offense | #33 – 264.8 ypg | #70 – 227.2 ypg |
| Total Offense | #52 – 416 ypg | #13 – 478.8 ypg |
| Scoring Offense | #48 – 31.3 ppg | #13 – 39.2 ppg |
| First Downs | #26 – 23.5/game | #21 – 23.9/game |
| Sacks Allowed | #63 – 26, 207 yards | #23 – 18, 109 yards |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed | #42 – 68, 296 yards | #17 – 58, 193 yards |
| Third Down Conversions | #18 – 46.3% | #11 – 47.7% |
| Red Zone Offense | #97 – 80% / 65% | #20 – 89% / 65% |
| Long Run Plays | #89 – 58, 8, 5, 0 | #6 – 106, 37, 15, 7 |
| Long Pass Plays | #24 – 134, 56, 20, 6 | #61 – 112, 43, 18, 11 |
| Long Scrimmage Plays | #38 – 192, 64, 25, 6 | #13 – 218, 80, 33, 18 |
The delta on rushing offense is huge.
Defense
| Statistic | Texas | Georgia |
| Rushing Defense | #33 – 135.9 ypg | #28 – 130.6 ypg |
| Passing Defense | #115 – 265.2 ypg | #15 – 180.5 ypg |
| Total Defense | #68 – 401.1 ypg | #13 – 311.1 ypg |
| Scoring Defense | #55 – 26.2 ppg | #15 – 18.5 ppg |
| Sacks | #44 – 30, 194 yards | #94 – 22, 141 yards |
| Tackles for Loss | #21 – 91.5, 340 yards | #113 – 58, 235 yards |
| First Downs Allowed | #67 – 20.7/game | #16 – 16.9/game |
| Third Down Conversions | #109 – 44.2% | #19 – 32.6% |
| Red Zone Defense | #15 – 75% / 54% | #104 – 88% / 55% |
| Long Run Plays Allowed | #30 – 52, 12, 3, 3 | #23 – 48, 7, 6, 5 |
| Long Pass Plays | #119 – 132, 43, 24, 15 | #31 – 94, 23, 12, 6 |
| Long Scrim. Plays allowed | #83 – 184, 55, 27, 18 | #20 – 142, 30, 18, 11 |
Other
| Statistic | Texas | Georgia |
| Turnovers | #6 – 5F, 6I, 11 | #11 – 7F, 5I, 12 |
| Turnover Margin | #27 – 18:11, 0.54 | #36 – 17:12, 0.38 |
| Penalties | #118 – 97, 834 yards | #62 – 74, 645 yards |
*Based on total number of penalties.
Match-up Comparison
| Texas Offense | Georgia Defense |
| Rushing Offense – 151.2 ypg | 130.6 ypg – Rushing Defense |
| Passing Offense – 264.8 ypg | 180.5 ypg – Passing Defense |
| Total Offense – 416 ypg | 311.1 ypg – Total Defense |
| Scoring Offense – 31.3 ppg | 18.5 ppg – Scoring Defense |
| First Downs – 23.5/game | 16.9/game – First Downs Allowed |
| 3rd Down Offense – 46.3% | 32.6% – 3rd Down Defense |
| Red Zone Offense – 80%/65% | 88%/55% – Red Zone Defense |
| LRP – 58, 8, 5, 0 | 48, 7, 6, 5- LRP Allowed |
| LPP – 134, 56, 20, 6 | 94, 23, 12, 6 – LPP Allowed |
| LSP – 192, 64, 25, 6 | 142, 30, 18, 11 – LSP Allowed |
| Texas Defense | Georgia Offense |
| Rushing Defense – 135.9 ypg | 251.6 ypg – Rushing Offense |
| Passing Defense – 265.2 ypg | 227.2 ypg – Passing Offense |
| Total Defense – 401.1 ypg | 478.8 ypg – Total Offense |
| Scoring Defense – 26.2 ppg | 39.2 ppg – Scoring Offense |
| First Downs Allowed – 20.7/game | 23.9/game – First Downs |
| 3rd Down Defense – 44.2% | 47.7% – 3rd Down Offense |
| Red Zone Defense – 75%/54% | 89%/65% – Red Zone Offense |
| LRP Allowed – 52, 12, 3, 3 | 106, 37, 15, 7 – LRP |
| LPP Allowed – 132, 43, 24, 15 | 112, 43, 18, 11 – LPP |
| LSP Allowed – 184, 55, 27, 18 | 218, 80, 33, 18 – LSP |
Quarterbacks
| Rating | Comp | Att | Picks | % | Yards | Avg | TDs | |
| Ehlinger | 148.45 | 256 | 398 | 5 | 64.32 | 3,123/418 | 240.23 | 25/13 |
| Fromm | 175.81 | 186 | 272 | 5 | 68.38 | 2,537/-22 | 195.15 | 27/0 |
If Texas has an edge, it is Ehlinger. So if you wonder why I have the crazy prediction, Sam is one of the reasons. I think we may ride to victory on his shoulders.
It is always interesting to read what another team’s bloggers have to say about the Horns. I used to include this kind of stuff much more often, and probably need to get back to that. I have spent the last few years trying to focus on my own writing, and less time on the blogs. Also, with so much to write about each week, less time stalking the opponents But this is very interesting from DawgSports.com, the SB Nation blog for Georgia, talking about the Texas offense. Interesting and depressing.
“They’re 41st in offensive success rate (defined generally as the percentage of 1st down plays that net 50% of the necessary yardage for a first down, second down plays that net 70% of required first down yardage, and third/fourth down plays that actually gain a first down). That’s not terrible, but again, Georgia is 3rd nationally behind only Alabama and Oklahoma. Where the Longhorns’ offense really falls flat statistically speaking is IsoPPP+. What is IsoPPP+ you ask? According to Football Outsiders:
An explosiveness measure derived from determining the equivalent point value of every yard line (based on the expected number of points an offense could expect to score from that yard line) and, therefore, every play of a given game. IsoPPP looks at only the per-play value of a team’s successful plays (as defined by the Success Rate definition above); its goal is to separate the explosiveness component from the efficiency component altogether.
Put another way, a team can be efficient, but it’s hard to just stack 15 play drives on top of each other. At some point a good defense will get a stop. To score, especially on a good, deep defense, you’re probably going to need to rip off some big plays among those merely “successful” plays. Enter IsoPPP+.
The Longhorns rank 110th nationally in this measure of overall offensive explosiveness. Some of that I think is owing to an offensive line that has been a little inconsistent. The issue is not a lack of playmakers, as we’ll discuss in a moment.”
I am a bit concerned that with our limited explosive power the tough Georgia defense is going to wreak havoc. Worth a read:
It doesn’t take a lot of complex analysis to realize Texas is facing a really good football team. Offensively, they are big and run the ball really well. Better than anyone we have played this year. The Texas run defense is going to have be at a whole new level. In Todd we Trust. On the other side of the ball, their defense will be the best we will have faced, by a large margin. We have to keep Sam Ehlinger on the field, and he has to play a great game. I trust he will.
So, my prediction: It is really close, with both teams in the 20’s, and one of us wins it on a late score. I am hoping it is Dicker the Kicker. But I also think there is a chance Texas surprises everyone and wins by double digits. Why? No, I am stone cold sober. Because Texas has absolutely nothing to lose, and our guys should be so loose that they all play great games.
Late Sunday night, not many previews up on the Interwebs.
Wescott Eberts on Burnt Orange Nation:
A good preview from Cody Daniel on BON:
Official Texas Preview:
https://texassports.com/news/2018/12/10/no-14-14-football-preview-vs-no-6-6-georgia-jan-1-2019.aspx
The Texas Game Notes:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/12/12/2018_Texas_Football_Notes_14_Bowl.pdf
Here is the link to the Georgia Sugar Bowl media guide. A mere 132 pages.
Not sure Georgia understands the Big 12. “Fifth-ranked Georgia will face No. 15 Texas in the 2019 Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans at 8:45 p.m. ET on ESPN. Georgia (11-2) will represent the SEC while Texas (9-4) hails from the Big 12. Both teams won their respective divisions before falling in their conference championship games on Dec. 1.” No, not how it works fellows.
Here is the digital guide from Texas Athletics:
https://spark.adobe.com/page/Nk1qpHsoYTu3A/
Thanks Seniors
What a great bunch of kids on this team. I love this: Senior Lap:
Recruiting
This new system with an early National Signing Day in December has changed the recruiting world. It will be interesting to see if anything changes in the college football landscape. I suspect that if anything, the Haves and Have Nots will remain the same, if not intensify. What is certain is that more and more kids will be missing out on half of their senior year of high school as the enroll early. Texas has 9 kids who will be on campus in January.
The full class:
https://texassports.com/news/2018/12/19/football-adds-21-for-2019-on-national-signing-day.aspx
A short review from Scipio Tex. After this post, Woodfin signed, so we have two offensive lineman plus one running back. We are a bit thin in those positions.
The 1984 Cotton Bowl
Before the loss in the BCS National Championship to Alabama on January 7, 2010, which ended the Golden Decade, the toughest Longhorn loss in my lifetime was the Cotton Bowl loss to Georgia on New Year’s Day, 1984.
Fred Akers had taken over from Darrell K Royal in 1977, and he had achieved a large measure of success. Not enough for an expectant Texas fan base, for whom the annual goal was a Southwest Conference Championship, New Year’s Day in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl, and a national championship. In his first season, Akers had nearly done that, taking an undefeated and top ranked Texas team to Dallas, and losing to Joe Montana and the No. 5 Fighting Irish 38-10. That Longhorn team was filled with talent and some good friends, including Randy McEachern and Ronnie Miksch. I drove up from Tyler to see Earl Campbell and the Horns win a national title, only to freeze my butt off and see Notre Dame dominate my beloved Horns. That was the team that also had Johnny Ham Jones, Johnny Lam Jones, Steve McMichael, and Brad Shearer, to name a few. The No. 2 Land Thieves were beaten that night in the Orange Bowl by Arkansas, but No. 3 Alabama whipped Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, 35-6. But the AP and UPI voters made Notre Dame number 1, and Texas finished the season No. 4 in the AP and No. 5 in the UPI.
In 1978, Akers and the Horns finished tied for second in the SWC and beat Maryland in the Sun Bowl. 1979 was even more disappointing, as we finished third in the conference and lost to Washington in the Sun Bowl. That was followed by a tough 1980, finishing 7-5 with a Bluebonnet Bowl loss to North Carolina. 1981, Texas got back on track, completing a much better season with a 14-12 win over No. 3 Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. Some slippage in 1982, as the Southern Methodists were running wild, and Texas finished second in the SWC. Another Sun Bowl, and a rematch with the Tar Heels ended badly, 26-10.
But 1983 was our year. That was the season that opened with the win at Auburn (Tigers were ranked #5, Texas #3). Texas would move to No. 2 in both polls after that, and the Horns ran the table. I have a link below to the first of three great posts by Stephen Ross, which I recommend. This was one of the greatest Texas defenses ever. As Ross notes, 9 of the 11 starters were drafted, and the other two were juniors – Jerry Gray and Tony DeGrate. Per Ross, half the starters from that team would eventually be drafted by the NFL. Texas won every game that season, and mostly with defense. No. 5 Auburn had only scored 7 points. No. 8 OU just 16. No. 9 Southern Methodists 12. North Texas and Rice scored 6. The only team to break 20 was Baylor. Arkansas, Tech, and Houston were all held to a field goal. In the regular season, that mighty Texas D allowed 9.5 points per game. That great defense was complimented by good offense. We averaged 25.5 points per game (this year’s Horns average 31.3). Just out of curiosity, I looked to see where that Texas defense would stack up in today’s world: No. 1, by a large margin (Mississippi State finished No. 1, allowing 12 ppg; Clemson is second allowing 12.9).
Entering the fourth quarter of the 1984 Cotton Bowl, that was all the Georgia Bulldogs had: a field goal. Jeff Ward had kicked 3 for Texas, and the way our defense was playing, 9 points looked pretty good. Then disaster, as Craig Curry muffed the Georgia punt, and the Bulldogs recovered on the Texas 23. Georgia would finally get in the endzone, and Texas lost 10-9.
No. 1 Nebraska would lose to No. 5 Miami that night in the Orange Bowl. No. 3 Auburn barely beat Michigan in the Sugar. Texas fields that punt, and Fred Akers has his National Title. Instead, Miami gets it, the Horns finished at No. 5, and Texas entered a dark and difficult era.
Akers would not win another conference title, and after failing to make a bowl game in 1986 (5-6 overall, 4-4 in SWC), he was gone. The long simmering tensions between the DKR loyalists and alums who had been on the other side swung back to the Royalists, as David McWilliams became head coach. Texas had a tough run under McWilliams, other than that amazing Shock The Nation year. In 1990, Texas had the sole loss to Colorado and finished the regular season with a 28-27 win over Texas Agricultural & Mechanical and a Number 3 ranking. That year ended with another brutal Cotton Bowl loss, the Miami blow-out, 46-3. (Which is why on one of our group texts on Thursday night, when one of my buddies said he thought Wisconsin should’ve taken a knee against Miami, I responded “Wish the Badgers had gone for 2!”; yes, still bitter). Again, not sure how things would have worked out, but Colorado beat Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, and they were the AP No. 1, and Georgia Tech beat Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl, and they were the UPI/Coaches No. 1.
https://www.barkingcarnival.com/2018/12/26/18155035/1984-cotton-bowl-field-of-broken-dreams-pt-1
College Football Playoffs
Things went pretty much as expected Saturday night in Miami, as Alabama held off the Land Thieves to secure their 4th appearance in the CFP Finals in 5 years. The Tide rolled to a 45-34 win, despite Kyler Murray’s heroic efforts. 308 yards passing, 109 yards rushing. It wasn’t enough. Alabama is good.
Things did not go well for Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. I know Clemson is good, but so are the Irish. I really thought that was going to be a good game. But Dabo had his Tigers hitting on all 8 cylinders and they crushed the Irish 30-3. Trevor Lawrence is the real deal. He keeps that stuff up for 3 more years, and Clemson is going to win a lot of games.
Alabama and Clemson play on January 7. The lined opened Alabama -7, but is already -6. Over/under is 59.5. Should be a heck of a game. With another trophy in Tuscaloosa.
Since we switched from the BCS to the CFP, Alabama has been in the final four every year. Clemson has been in 4 out of 5 years, and this will be their third final. Oklahoma has made it 3 times and lost all 3. The only other teams: Ohio State (2 appearances, won it all in 2014), Florida State, Oregon, Michigan State, Georgia, Washington, and now Notre Dame, all with one appearance.
Time to go to an eight team playoff. Conference champions from the Power 5 get a bid, unless the champion has 3 losses. Highest ranked Group of 5 team gets in. You fill out the rest with the current selection process. Quarterfinals are home games for the higher seeded team. Then the semifinals are bowl games as currently structured, with the National Championship game like it is now.
Bowl Games
A few of the games of interest from the past few weeks.
Wake Forest beat Memphis 37-34.
Army destroyed Houston, 70-14. And on Monday, we learned that UH fired Major Applewhite. Rumor is that Holgorsen is top choice for the Cougars.
Texas Christian and Cal played a barn burner, with the Frogs winning 10-7 in overtime.
Duke put a whipping on Temple, 56-27.
One of the better games was the Texas Bowl, as Vanderbilt and Baylor put on a show, with the Bears prevailing 45-38.
Last Friday night was bad for the conference, as Mike Leach and Washington State defeated Iowa State 28-26. Not all that unexpected. What did surprise me was the 34-18 Syracuse win over West Virginia. True, Will Grier didn’t play for the Mountaineers, but I thought they would still win that one.
Auburn was up on Purdue 56-7 at halftime. Final was 63-14, and it could have been a lot worse.
Florida put a big beating on Michigan, 41-15.
Monday’s Games
A full day of football on New Year’s Eve.
Cincinnati and Virginia Tech play in the Military Bowl. 11:00 a.m. on ESPN. Cinci favored by 6.5, and the over/under is 53.
Stanford and Pitt play in the Sun Bowl. CBS at 1:00 p.m. Stanford favored by 4, and the over/under is 52. I like the Cardinal in this one.
Michigan State and Oregon meet in the Redbox Bowl. Being played in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. 2:00 p.m. on FOX. Oregon favored by 1.5, and the over/under is 47.5.
Oklahoma State and No. 23 Missouri meeting in the Liberty Bowl. 2:45 p.m. on ESPN. Tigers favored by 8.5, and the over/under is 73.5. Hoping the Okie Aggies can win this one.
No. 22 Northwestern and No. 17 Utah in the Holiday Bowl. Traditionally a good bowl game, this one should be interesting. 6:00 p.m. on FOX Sports 1. Utes favored by 7, and the over/under is 46.
The Taxslayer Gator Bowl features North Carolina State and Texas Agricultural & Mechanical. 6:30 p.m. on ESPN. Aggy favored by a touchdown, and the over/under is 55.5. Should be a good game, and I suspect the boys from College Station will win this one.
New Year’s Day
The first game of the day is the Outback Bowl. No. 18 Mississippi State and Iowa. 11:00 a.m. on ESPN2. Bulldogs favored by 7.5, and the over/under is 41. Hail State.
Great game at noon. No. 11 Louisiana State and No. 8 UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. Central Florida, as we all know, is undefeated. Will be very interesting to see how this one turns out. ESPN. LSU favored by 7.5, and the over/under is 57.
Citrus Bowl is also at noon, with No. 14 Kentucky and No. 12 Penn State. ABC. Nittany Lions favored by 6.5, and the over/under is 47.
The Granddaddy of Them All has a traditional Pac-12 vs. Big 10 match. No. 9 Washington and No. 6 Ohio State kick-off in the Rose Bowl at 4:00 p.m. CT. Seems early for a Rose Bowl game. Buckeyes are only favored by 6.5, which surprises me. Over/under is 57.5. I think Ohio State wins this big.
What Texas Didn’t Do Well: The Fourth Quarter
I put this together after the loss to the Land Thieves in the Big XII Championship Game. I was bitterly disappointed, along with the rest of Longhorn Nation. I had aspirations of putting out a pre-bowl season email, which obviously never materialized.
| Game | Score Entering 4th Quarter | Final Score | Delta |
| Maryland | 29-24 Texas | 34-29 Maryland | -10 |
| Tulsa | 21-7 Texas | 28-21 Texas | -7 |
| Southern Cal | 37-14 Texas | 37-14 Texas | 0 |
| Texas Christian | 24-16 Texas | 31-16 Texas | +7 |
| Kansas State | 19-7 Texas | 19-14 Texas | -7 |
| Oklahoma (RRS) | 45-24 Texas | 48-45 Texas | -18 |
| Baylor | 23-17 Texas | 23-17 Texas | 0 |
| Oklahoma State | 31-21 OSU | 38-35 OSU | +7 |
| West Virginia | 31-27 Texas | 42-41 WVU | -5 |
| Texas Tech | 27-10 Texas | 41-34 Texas | -10 |
| Iowa State | 24-3 Texas | 24-10 Texas | -7 |
| Kansas | 21-0 Texas | 24-17 Texas | -14 |
| Oklahoma (Big 12 CG) | 27-27 (Texas scored 13 in 3rd) | 39-27 OU | -12 |
Of note: In the K State game, we led 19-0 at half and never scored again. In the Baylor game, Texas led 23-10 at half and didn’t score again.
So, a negative 76 overall point differential, and overall we were outscored 90-14 in the fourth quarter. What hurts the worst is the Championship Game against the Land Thieves. The call that led to the safety on Ehlinger was brilliant – Tre Brown came untouched, and just not much could be done about that.
So, if we are going to beat the Georgia Bulldogs tomorrow night, I think Coach Herman and his staff are going to have solve the fourth quarter problem.
Requiescat in pace
Austin lost two very special people recently. Betty Grubbs and Richard Overton.
Betty Grubbs
Betty Grubbs was one of the most loyal Longhorn fans around. She sat on the top row of Section 8 at Disch-Falk Field, above my seats. She was at almost every game, including most of the games last season. She was 100 years old. One my favorite traditions was stopping to say hi to her before every game. As you can see, she scored the game. She also sat on the row behind me at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium, and saying hi to Betty was always part of the pre-game (or at least start of game) ritual. I will miss her very much.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?n=betty-grubbs&pid=191006861
Richard Overton
Heaven gained a special hero last week. Richard Overton passed at the age of 112. The oldest living U.S. veteran, and according to one report, the oldest living man in the country. He was quite famous. He attributed his long life to enjoying his cigars and whiskey every day. Two of my favorite photos from the many tributes to Mr. Overton.
Kate the Chemist
One of my favorite social media accounts is the Instagram of Dr. Kate Biberdorf, a Chemistry Professor at the University. (As most readers know, @jimnicar is top of my list for cool accounts that aren’t sports or news; and don’t forget, you can follow me on Twittter – @tctayloratx. I regularly tweet stuff I regret later.)
New Orleans
The Big Easy is one of my three favorite travel spots in the U.S. I had planned to try and get this email out before the weekend and include some of my favorite spots and recommendations. But, we were blessed to have all of the family home all Christmas week, and so that plan didn’t work. Anyway, most Longhorn fans have good NOLA experience, so I trust all who have made the trip to the Big Easy are having a big time. But just in case you have not hit some of my “never miss” spots: Lunch at Galatoire’s. A cocktail at Old Absinthe House before an afternoon stroll on Bourbon Street, taking in the sights and ending with a Pete’s Special on the patio at Pat O’Brien’s. The World War II Museum. Clancy’s for dinner one night. Brunch at Brennan’s. An Old Fashioned or three at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. Evening cocktails at the Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt.
Texas Basketball
The Longhorn basketball team has finished the non-conference schedule with an 8-4 record. The Horns should really be 10-2, as at least a couple of the losses really should have gone the other way: Radford and VCU should have been wins for Texas, and I think we should have beaten Providence as well. 11-1 with a win over North Carolina and the sole loss being to Michigan State would sure be nice. Even 10-2.
Conference play starts Wednesday night in Manhattan with K State. 8:00 p.m. on ESPNU. The Wildcats are 10-2. First home game is this Saturday night, as the Horns host West Virginia. 8:00 p.m. on ESPN2.
Thank You & Happy New Year
Thanks to everyone for your emails this year. I hope you enjoyed this season’s writings, and I hope to get a few out in the weeks ahead for basketball and baseball. I think 2019 will be that turnaround year in Longhorn sports we have been waiting for. Less than 7 weeks until first pitch!
I leave you with this wonderful clip from the commencement address Lou Holtz gave in 2015 at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. My son Charles reminded the family of this great speech the other evening at dinner.
Happy New Year Horns Fans, and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2019!
God Bless Texas.
Tim Taylor
Tailgating before Home Football Games:
The Juan Heisman Tailgate
Lot 38, East of Sid Richardson Hall.
HOOK EM HORNS!!
© Timothy C. Taylor, Sr. 2018. All Rights Reserved (as to original material).
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