Welcome to a special edition of the Austin Horns Fan Dispatch. This week’s edition has a preliminary look back at the Cotton Bowl and a preview of the national championship game. I will have a final edition sometime in the next couple of weeks.
The 2024 Texas Longhorns
2024 will go down as one of the greatest seasons in Texas Longhorn football history in which they did not win a conference championship or a national championship. Texas concludes the season with a 13-3 record, a first place regular season finish in the Southeastern Conference, an appearance in the SEC title game, and two wins in the College Football Playoffs, and second consecutive final four (the only team to repeat this season). The Peach Bowl win puts Texas alone as the only program to have won all of the New Year’s Day Six bowls. I expect when the final polls come out, Texas will be ranked third. Our players received a slew of individual awards and as many as ten could be drafted and play in the NFL next season. Our defense was the best it has been since we won the national championship in 2005. Maybe better. Quinn Ewers had another great season, capping an incredible career on The Forty Acres with back-to-back CFP semifinal appearances. We had a great tight end in Gunnar Helm, also the best since we won the title under Mack Brown with David Thomas. It was a wonderful season, and for that, I am very grateful.
No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes, 28, No. 3 Texas Longhorns 14
What a football game. The score doesn’t reflect how close the game really was. The soul-crushing strip, scoop, and score on that fourth down play will haunt us for awhile. The only explosive pass play the Buckeyes completed was the 75-yard screen pass to Henderson at the end of the second quarter. That one play was 26% of the Ohio State passing yardage, but it was a gut punch that robbed the Longhorns of the momentum and, in my opinion, had a major impact on the outcome of the game.
The defense shutdown Jeremiah Smith, as he finished with just the one catch for 3 yards. But Will Howard was very accurate most of the night, and he made plays to the rest of the talented Buckeye receivers, especially Tate who seemed to get open a lot. Ohio State was averaging 169.1 yards per game rushing. Texas held them to 81 yards, I believe their third lowest total of the year (64 yards against Nebraska, 77 against Michigan).
Against the No. 1 pass defense, allowing just 152.4 yards per game, Quinn Ewers threw for 283 and two touchdowns. A bunch of those were explosive plays – Helm had a 34 yard catch, Golden a 27 and a 24, Bolden 24 yards, Wingo 22, and Blue 26. We moved the ball, we just didn’t get the scores. Frankly, the slow start really hurt, because the defense was holding down the Buckeyes. Texas of course went for it on fourth and 3 on our first possession and didn’t convert. The next four possessions all ended with punts. I sure was optimistic after that first touchdown.
The Cotton Bowl was like every other game we have seen the Longhorns play in the Sarkisian Era: No Quit. Never. Sark’s teams are fighters, never giving up.
We are, I believe and hope, in the early years of a great epoch of Texas Longhorns football. The Ewers years have ended, heralding the beginning of this epoch, and Manning era will carry us to more championships. The Manning Era starts in 222 days in Columbus, Ohio, when Texas will exact revenge against The Ohio State University on August 30 to open the 2025 campaign.
Quinn Ewers
I am heartened by all the articles, posts, and emails about Quinn and his great legacy at The University of Texas. Quinn Ewers goes into the Longhorn records and history books as one of the five greatest quarterbacks in Texas history. Ewers and Colt McCoy are the only men to ever lead the Longhorns to consecutive 12-win seasons (and in Quinn’s case – a 12-win season followed by a 13-win season). He won 27 games as a starter – the same as Sam Ehlinger. The names ahead of them? Colt McCoy (45 wins), Vince Young (30), and Bobby Layne (28).
Some others, if my math is correct (always a crapshoot). Bear in mind all of Quinn’s stats are based on a 3-year career at U.T.
- Ewers is third all-time in career passing yards, with 9,128, behind McCoy with 13,253 and Ehlinger with 11,436
- Ewers is third all-time in touchdown passes, with 68. McCoy is first with 112, Ehlinger second with 94,
- Ewers is third in completions, with 737 (McCoy 1,157; Ehlinger 923).
At the Ced & Ed College Football Preview Lunch in August, Bob Ballou told us to enjoy watching Quinn Ewers play this season, because he is a special talent. So true Ballou. We saw Quinn Ewers lead Texas back to the College Football Playoff semifinals. He won us our first conference championship after one of Texas’ longest such droughts, and Texas is clearly one of the best programs in the nation, again, as it should be. Without Mr. Ewers, we might not, probably would not, be where we are today.
A great video tribute to Quinn from my friend Justin Nash:
https://x.com/NashTalksTexas/status/1878619313260884469
If you didn’t read Cedric Golden’s great article. “Why Texas football fans owe Quinn Ewers a debt of gratitude”, I commend it to you. If you don’t have a subscription to the Statesman, let me know and I will try and send the article to you.
Texas football owe Quinn Ewers thanks (and a backslap)
If it is true (as reported by Chip Brown, I believe), that Ewers turned down $8 million dollars to go play college football at another school in 2025, then one cannot question Ewers’ bona fides and loyalty to The University of Texas.
My great friend Terry Mitchell posted this letter to Quinn after the loss. Amen.
To Quinn Ewers —
You don’t know me and probably never will, but I thought I should send this note to tell you how I feel after the 2024 Texas football season.
Thank you.
Thank you for being an incredible competitor and a world class quarterback. The hard work and dedication were evident every time you set foot on the field.
More importantly, thank you for being the fine man you are — never criticizing, never questioning, leading your teammates, and holding your head high even if things did not go your way.
And even more importantly, you are a man of faith. With that faith, you know that football, as fun and important as we all seem to think it is, is not the focus of life. It simply is a mechanism by which you can show your love for your Father and his Son through your actions and how you treat other people — like your teammates and even your competitors. (Remember: “Tell everyone you are a Christian; use words if you have to. . . ”)
This loss hurts right now. You are not alone in this pain: Marty (Akins) never won the big one. Randy (McEachern) never won one. Colt (McCoy) never won one. Sam (Ehlinger) never won one. Literally dozens of other UT quarterbacks did not win the big one. Yet each of these quarterbacks would not trade their brotherhood of teammates, the lessons they learned and the memories of their careers for anything in the world. Their time at UT was worth it. You will have a lifetime of friendships made here.
And trust that God will use your experience for good — to grow you; to allow you to mentor others; allow you to change lives — you know, the truly important stuff.
Hold your head high. You are a great young man.
You are my quarterback. Thank you for your tremendous work this year and the many blessings you have given to Longhorn Nation.
Well said Terry.
College Football Playoff National Championship Game
No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish v. No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes
Notre Dame (14-1) and Ohio State (13-2) will play for the national championship Monday night in Atlanta. 6:30 p.m. on ESPN. Ohio State opened as 9.5 point favorites. As of very early Monday morning, the Buckeyes are favored by 8.5. The over/under is 45.5. The money lines are Ohio State minus 380, Notre Dame plus 290.
ESPN Analytics:
BCF Toys
| FEI | OFEI | DFEI | SFEI – Adj | |
| Notre Dame | No. 2: 1.31 | No. 10: 0.40 | No. 1: 0.89 | No. 28: 0.05 |
| Ohio State | No. 1: 1.68 | No. 2: 0.75 | No. 2: 0.88 | No. 18: 0.08 |
| NAY | OAY | DAY | |
| Notre Dame | No. 6: 0.200 | No. 21: 0.550 | No. 3: 0.350 |
| Ohio State | No. 1: 0.274 | No. 4: 0.608 | No. 2: 0.334 |
| NPD | OPD | DPD | |
| Notre Dame | No. 3: 1.89 | No. 8: 3.06 | No. 3: 1.17 |
| Ohio State | No. 1: 2.35 | No. 3: 3.51 | No. 2: 1.16 |
| NPP | OPP | DPP | |
| Notre Dame | No. 6: 1.82 | No. 18: 6.45 | No. 6: 4.63 |
| Ohio State | No. 1: 3.06 | No. 2: 7.27 | No. 1: 4.21 |
| PVE | OVE | DVE | SVE | |
| Notre Dame | No. 2: 0.96 | No. 16: 0.27 | No. 1: 0.70 | No. 55: 0.02 |
| Ohio State | No. 1: 1.19 | No. 3: 0.52 | No. 2: 0.65 | No. 46: 0.03 |
Worth noting that Ohio State’s numbers dropped in almost every category after our game. They dropped in rank in a couple of places (e.g., No. 1 to No. 2 in OPP).
In BCF’s F+ ratings (Brian Fremeau’s FEI ratings combined with Bill Connelly’s SP+ ratings), Ohio State is No. 1 and Notre Dame is No. 4.
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Ohio State | Notre Dame | .725 | 8.8 | 29.0 | 20.2 | 49.2 |
College Football Insiders:
Offense
| Statistic | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Ohio State |
| Rushing Offense | #14 – 210.8 ypg | #66 – 163.2 ypg |
| Passing Offense | #102 – 194.3. ypg | #25 – 265.1 ypg |
| Total Offense | #52 – 405.1 ypg | #30 – 428.3 ypg |
| Scoring Offense | #6 – 37.0 ppg | #12 – 35.8 ppg |
| Third Down Conversions | #61 – 41.3% | #57 – 41.6% |
| Red Zone Offense | #79 – 83% / 72% | #38 – 88% / 77% |
Defense
| Statistic | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Ohio State |
| Rushing Defense | #41 – 133.0 ypg | #3 – 80.2 ypg |
| Passing Defense | #2 – 165.3 ypg | #1 – 161.1 ypg |
| Total Defense | #9 – 298.3 ypg | #1 – 251.1 ypg |
| Scoring Defense | #2 – 14.3 ppg | #1 – 12.2 ppg |
| Third Down Conversions | #5 – 29.8% | #30 – 34.7% |
| Red Zone Defense | #8 – 72% / 54% | #2 – 61% / 42% |
Other
| Statistic | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Ohio State |
| Turnovers | #32 – 15 – 7F, 8I | #32 – 15 – 5F, 10I |
| Turnover Margin | #3 – 32:15 +17 | #44- 16:15 +5 |
| Penalties (per game) | #74 – 6.0 | #10 – 4.4 |
After watching the Ohio State defense shut down the Texas running attack, I am a bit concerned about how Marcus Freeman is going to help his Irish find the endzone. The No. 102 pass offense against the No. 1 pass defense is not a good match-up for Notre Dame. But outside of that, I think the Fighting Irish match-up fairly well. Riley Leonard is a fighter, and he knows how to find the endzone. 19 passing touchdowns, 16 rushing. Jeremiyah Love is one heck of a running back (averaging 7.1 yards per rush), with 1,122 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Notre Dame is justifiably the underdog. Ohio State has the more talented roster (their receivers are much better than I realized). But Notre Dame is hot. Thirteen straight wins, with the last three being 27-17 over No. 8 Indiana, 23-20 over No. 2 Georgia, and 27-24 over No. 4 Penn State.
I thought Texas was going to beat Ohio State. I really did. But we needed a couple of breaks we didn’t get, and a call we really needed (the non-call when Collins was held). Texas needed a little more luck.
Which is why I am picking Notre Dame to upset Ohio State, 27-24. The luck of the Irish.
I will be cheering for Notre Dame tonight! With all of the Dean’s. Go Irish!
Ohio State and Notre Dame
Two of college football’s greatest programs.
ESPN’s FPI Index:
Bill Connelly’s SP+
Quote of the Week
My great friend Scott Ferguson shared this quote from Pope John Paul II:
Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.
From The Holy See’s homily, Baltimore, October 8, 2995.
Jim Nicar
1950: An overhead view of the UT Austin campus from the north, with the Texas Capitol and downtown Austin at top. The open space at upper left is the intramural field, where Jester Center stands today.
From Jim’s Post on January 14, 2025.
Follow Jim on X
Picture of the Week
The first full moon of 2025.
From JType’s Instagram Post on January 15, 2025.
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Tim Taylor P.O. Box 5371 Austin, Texas 78763-5371