Texas Longhorns Football is Back!
Yes, back at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. The 2019 campaign opens at home Saturday night against the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. We all know how things turned out the last time Bevo and the Horns met up with bulldogs.
Sam Ehlinger
Probably the best thing you will see this week is Sam Ehlinger’s contribution to The Player’s Tribune. Get ready emotionally. Most of y’all know the story. But most of you have never heard it told by Sam and his mom Jena. If you don’t read another line in this email or click another link, please watch this.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/videos/sam-ehlinger-texas-football-in-my-blood
Best Unofficial Texas Longhorn 2019 Preview
Trevor Thomas has a channel on YouTube to which I subscribe. He makes great videos, and this is no exception. Worth 2 minutes and 12 seconds of your time!
Bulldogs vs. Longhorns
No. 10 Texas kicks off the season in DKR Texas Memorial at 7:00 p.m. Saturday night. This will be the first ever meeting with Louisiana Tech. The game will be broadcast around the world on the Longhorn Network, with Lowell Galindo on the PxP and Ahmad Brooks providing analysis and support. Taylor Davis is the sideline reporter, and I believe she is new to the LHN gig (bringing 5+ years of experience at ESPN). On the radio with the Voice of the Longhorns, Craig Way (PxP), Roger Wallace with the color, and my friend Quan Cosby on the sideline. Listen in Austin on the Flagship Station of the Texas Longhorns, 104.9 the Horn, and on KOKE, 99.3. You can catch the Horns in Big Spring on KBST 1490, in Joe Holt’s hometown of Henderson on KWRD 1470, In Paris on KFYN (1420 AM and 104.3 FM – hey Late Night and Dextro – did y’all have FM radio in Paris when you were in high school?), and in Tyler on KTBB 600 AM (which broadcast from the Blackstone Hotel back in the day). Satellite – Sirius 134 and XM 199.
Texas is favored by 20.5, and that is where the line opened. Over/Under is 55. Texas and the Over. Heck, our wide receivers and safeties might account for 55 points Saturday night.
The Official Preview:
Link to download the Game Notes.
https://texassports.com/documents/2019/8/25//2019_Game_Notes_1_LA_Tech.pdf?id=13364
Frank Denius Family Texas Athletics Hall of Fame
Today, Friday August 30, is the grand opening of The Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame. What was the food court in the north end zone is now a stunning tribute to the Excellence of Texas athletics. A sneak preview:
More in next week’s newsletter, but I hope most of y’all get by there tomorrow or Saturday and check it out.
Texas Hall of Honor Class of 2019
The University has put out a great series available on TexasSports.com from the 2019 Hall of Honor Inductees of “What it Means to be a Longhorn”. This year’s class includes Texas football greats Derrick Johnson, Ragan Gennusa, Brian Orakpo, Brian Robison, and Bryant Westbrook. Plus my friend Seth Johnston, All-American shortstop who made four trips to Omaha and brought home to Austin (and Boerne) two National Championships. Seth had 115 hits his senior year, a Longhorn record (along with record for at bats – 304).
Seth:
Ragan Gennusa.
21 minute 2018 season highlights:
The Rebirth of Texas Football with some good highlights.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns
This is a huge game. Huge because our expectations are sky high. Huge because Texas needs to open with a win. Huge because Louisiana Tech is perhaps a lot better team than most of you realize. This is not a creampuff. A legit team coached by a coach with the bluest of bloodlines.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Football
Sometimes this “job” is fun and entertaining and intellectually stimulating. Other times, I research teams and schools like Louisiana Tech.
When I started my research, I did what most of us do, and I used the google. Scroll down about half a page on the search results, and then you get the box that says “People Also Ask”. The Google analytics and algorithms are informative. The first and second questions People Also Ask:
What division is Louisiana Tech football?
Is Louisiana Tech a Division I school?
As I say, I don’t make this stuff. Just the facts, ma’am.
The third question: Where did Terry Bradshaw play his college football? Well, there you go, a good question. Terry Paxton Bradshaw, from Shreveport, Louisiana, did play for the Bulldogs! [Trivia gold nugget find of the week: One time early on, Terry was second on the depth chart at quarterback behind Phil “Roxie” Robertson, who would later become famous as the inventor of the Duck Commander duck call, and you may have seen him on Duck Dynasty. Cajun Royalty!]
I will get to the point in a minute, but I decided to ask Google a question: Is Terry Bradshaw a jerk? Well, lo and behold, about 849,000 results (0.50 seconds). I won’t bore you: yes, he is.
Terry is 71, and he is talking smack about young Sam Ehlinger.
https://www.si.com/college-football/2019/06/27/terry-bradshaw-sam-ehlinger-aint-good-texas
Bob Ballou captured it in a tweet, and this is the easiest place to see Terry being Terry.
Like most Texans my age, I grew up watching Bradshaw and the Steelers beat the Cowboys and the Oilers and break our hearts. So I didn’t need much more fuel to fire my desire to see Terry’s alma mater get their butts beat, but I am all-in on beating the living daylights out of the Bulldogs on Saturday.
On a more positive note, LaTech is coached by Skip Holtz. Skip is of course the son of our one-time nemesis Lou Holtz. I have long since gotten past any animosity toward Lou Holtz (my well documented dismissal of anti-Notre Dame feelings, after I welcomed a Domer as my son-in-law, Dr. Mark Dean).
It turns out that despite Lou Holtz’s predilection towards a slight slur and some spittle, he’s a heck of a speaker.
First, this great speech, which I highly recommend. I think I have had this in here before, because I remember looking up the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Second, this speech he gave to the Texas football team in 2015. Pretty good.
Also of familial importance: Those of you who pay attention may recall for a few years seeing a kid on the Texas sidelines in the QB group, sometimes with a clipboard, sometimes with headphones. That was Trey Holtz, who spent five seasons as a preferred walk-on with the Longhorns, 2012 to 2016. Trey is the son of Skip and the grandson of Lou.
The Bulldogs started playing football in 1901. Since then, they have 3 (Division II) national championships and have won 25 conference championships. As a point of reference, Texas Agricultural & Mechanical claims three national titles (emphasis on “claims”) and has eighteen conference titles. So on paper and historically, Louisiana Tech is a better football school than Texas Agricultural & Mechanical.
I didn’t recognize the names of any of their coaches except Skip’s immediate predecessor, Sonny Dykes. However, two are in the College Football Hall of Fame: Joe Aillet, and William Henry Dietz
The Bulldogs play in Conference USA. C-USA is one of those conferences that has seen some turnover in the last few years. So much so, that while I am sure most of you (especially those who also follow college hoops) know that members of the conference include Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, and Rice. C-USA also now claims UTEP and UT San Antonio, as well as Charlotte (who used to occasionally appear in your March Madness brackets as “UNCC” or “UNC Charlotte” – they wear green), Florida Atlantic (the FAU Owls, who Texas played a few years ago), Florida International (the Panthers), Middle Tennessee (regular March Madness participant), Southern Mississippi, UAB (University of Alabama Birmingham, whose mascot is the Blazers but whose football team is a veritable phoenix, having recently avoided extinction), and Western Kentucky (the Hilltoppers – also often seen playing basketball in March).
So, as you may have discerned, C-USA has some good basketball schools. Marshall’s Thundering Herd has some good football lore and history, which I shall save in the event we should ever get them on the schedule (but of course, our own Minister of Culture and now a “professor of practice” in RTF at the Moody College, Matthew McConaughey, starred as Jack Lengyel in 2006’s “We Are Marshall”; good flick). Brett Favre went to Southern Miss. But all in all, I view C-USA as one of the weaker conferences in the Group of 5.
Last season, the Bulldogs went 8-5. An opening season win in front of 13,457 at South Alabama, 30-26, followed by a home win against Southern, 54-17. Their trip south to Baton Rouge was a 21-38 loss to Louisiana State (102,321, pretty impressive). Beat North Texas in Denton, 29-27, then lost at home to UAB, 7-28. A trip to San Antonio was festive, with a 31-3 win over UTSA, and the next week they hosted UTEP in beautiful Ruston, also a win with LT scoring 31 (to the Miners’ 24). 21-13 win at FAU, then LATech took a 45-3 beating in Starkville by Mississippi State. Bulldogs beat Rice at home, 28-14, then lost to Southern Miss on the road, 20-21, concluding the regular season with a 15-30 loss to the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky. That season ending home loss was played in front of 11,459, a crowd smaller than many Texas high school games.
La Tech got to go to Hawaii for Christmas, playing the Rainbow Warriors in the Hawai’i Bowl and winning handily, 31-14. As you may have heard, Hawaii beat Arizona last Saturday 45 to 38, handing Kevin Sumlin (late of College Station) an ugly opening season loss.
Of note, that was LaTech’s fifth straight bowl win: 2017 they beat #25 Southern Methodist 51-10 in the Frisco Bowl; 2016 they beat #25 Navy 48-45 in the Armed Forces Bowl; in the 2015 New Orleans Bowl they beat Arkansas State 47-28; and in 2014 they beat Illinois 35-18 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. The Bulldogs can play decent football.
In 2018, Louisiana Tech’s basic stats looked like this, with Texas stats for 2018 in the left hand column.
Offense – 2018
| Statistic | Louisiana Tech | Texas |
| Rushing Offense | #113 – 129.6 ypg | #91 – 153.1 ypg |
| Passing Offense | #45 – 249.7 ypg | #35 – 258.5 ypg |
| Total Offense | #87 – 379.3 ypg | #58 – 411.6 ypg |
| Scoring Offense | #97 – 24.7 ppg | #45 – 31.1 ppg |
| First Downs | #68 – 20.8/game | #31 – 23.2/game |
| Third Down Conversions | #60 – 39.9% | #18 -46.4% |
| Red Zone Offense | #52 – 85%/60% | #83 – 82%/66% |
| Penalties | #30 – 4.6/g; 45.1 ypg | #98 –7.4/g; 63.9 ypg |
Defense – 2018
| Statistic | Louisiana Tech | Texas |
| Rushing Defense | #50 – 149.7 ypg | #28 – 131.4 ypg |
| Passing Defense | #28 – 191.6 ypg | #110 – 261.4 ypg |
| Total Defense | #27 – 341.3 | #67 – 392.8 ypg |
| Scoring Defense | #39 – 23 ppg | #57 – 25.9 ppg |
| First Downs Allowed | #43 – 19.1/game | #67 – 20.6/game |
| Third Down Conversions | #33 – 35.3% | #109 – 44.3% |
| Red Zone Defense | #121 – 91%/71% | #17– 76%/57% |
Not sure how much stock to put into looking at last year’s stats, as we all know how much can change from season to season for the majority of teams in college football. I think this is particularly true for most of that 80% of the teams in the middle of the bell curve.
The great and elite programs for the most part are good (or great) from season to season, with occasional dips. Thus, for example, the current College Football Playoffs. Five years under the current system, so 20 spots. Out of about 130 FBS teams, ten – 10 – have played in the CFP. Alabama has been in every year. Clemson 4 times, Land Thieves 3 times, The Ohio State University™ 2 times. Oregon, Florida State, Michigan State, Washington, Georgia, and Notre Dame have each made one appearance.
While I didn’t research, my gut tells me that out of the bottom 20 teams over the last five years, at least 10 of them have consistently been in the bottom 20 the last 5 years. Maybe Kyle Umlang will research that for me.
Thus, there is probably some value in comparing the 2018 Longhorns and the 2018 LT Bulldogs. In doing so, I draw the following conclusions, especially in light of our respective conferences: LT is a bit weak offensively, but plays decent defense outside of the redzone. If Texas has a weakness (or at least presently has an uncertainty) on defense, it is probably against the run. LT is bad running the ball, and middlin’ passing. Our defense will match-up well (bear in mind our national ranking in pass defense is skewed by the Big 12 more than just about any other team statistic). I will be surprised if the Bulldogs score more than 17-21 points. Texas should move the ball well, and I expect Sam to have a big game. I think Texas scores 41, maybe 45 Saturday night. I also have a hunch that we get a defensive score, and if so, Texas might get over 50.
As I said in my preseason email, the most critical game on the Texas 2019 Schedule is August 31 against Louisiana Tech. Even more so after a little research. They have a senior at quarterback, J/Mar Smith. Smith finished 2018 ranked #30 in the country, with 243.1 yards per game, passing for 3,160 yards, 264/461. Averaged 6.9 yards per attempt and 11.97 yards per completion. 15 TDs and 10 picks. Not bad. He has good receivers to throw to, including Adrian Hardy, who had 75 catches for 1,145 yards last year. On the Biletnikoff watch list and a preseason C-USA first teamer. If you want to know more about the Bulldogs, Cody Daniels did his homework:
Texas Depth Chart
No huge surprises with what is on here. The Offensive Line is as expected, and I am excited to see the 2019 offense. Glad that John Burt is getting to start the first game of his senior year. Really looking forward to watching Jordan Whittington, but hope it is to give Keontay a break, not because of an injury. And what is of note – what is not on the depth chart. All the media outlets have been talking about how thin the Horns are at running back after Young’s injury. Reports that Roschon Johnson, our stud redshirt freshman QB out of Port Neches-Groves, is practicing at RB. Love that guys like Johnson are team first. Says a lot.
On defense, of note that Gerald Wilbon is third on the Nose Tackle list being Coborn and Ojomo. I hear they are looking good. Stunning to look at all the defensive backs. DBU is back in session!
Previews on the Interwebs
The Texas Defense:
Texas Pregamer on the BC:
https://www.barkingcarnival.com/2019/8/28/20793808/texas-pregamer-louisiana-tech
Captains
Team Captains for the 2019 campaign were announced last week. Sam Ehlinger, Collin Johnson, Brandon Jones, Malcolm Roach, and Zach Shackelford. That is an outstanding group of fine young men and football players. And great leadership for the Horns.
Louisiana Tech University
Older Longhorn fans will recall that once upon a time Louisiana Tech had a great women’s basketball program. In the same era as the great Texas teams under Jody Conradt, the Lady Techsters were a dynasty. The Lady Techsters won three national championship titles (1981, 1982, & 1988). That is probably the only thing most of us know about LaTech, other than if you drive Interstate 20 east of Shreveport (which many of us have done and still do on occasion), you go through Ruston and see the signs for Louisiana Tech University.
La Tech opened as the “Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana”. No record if it went by IICLA for short, but who knows what rolled off people’s tongues in northern Louisiana in the latter years of the 19th century. I am guessing it didn’t, and in 1898, the state changed the school’s name to Louisiana Industrial Institute. In 1921, another change, to Louisiana Polytechnic Institute. It officially changed its name to Louisiana Tech University in 1970. It is a space-grant university, one of 52. Those Space Grant schools like to play that card.
As is often the case, there is a remote tie to the Juan Heisman Tailgate. LA Tech offers on-base degree programs through a satellite campus at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Famous alums are sparse. Terry Bradshaw is probably the most famous. Trace Adkins hails from LA Tech, as does the also aforementioned Phil Robertson. But the most famous alum, and one I like, is the Mailman, Karl Malone.
Cedric Benson
Longhorn Nation continues to mourn the untimely passing of Cedric Benson. Helmets will have his #32 on the back.
2019 Longhorn Football Prospectus: Thinking Texas Football
Not too late to get Paul Wadlington’s excellent book! Here is the link to purchase it.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/947268
Special Forces
The Longhorn special teams are called Special Forces, in honor of Frank Denius. The kickoff team is Cobra Strike: Operation Cobra was the name of the Allied operation that resulted in the break-out from Normandy, in which Frank played a crucial role in the Battle of Mortain. The punt unit is A-Team, in honor of Nate Boyer. Nate continues to represent The University well. Punt Return is the Posse, and it honors Major General Kearie Lee Berry, who survived the Bataan Death March and 40 months as a Japanese POW. Berry was inducted in the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1959. Kickoff is named simply Six, in honor of a Texas graduate who served on SEAL Team Six and died in helicopter crash in 2011. The field goal team is Sniper, in honor of great and beloved Texan Chris Kyle, the American Sniper. I will never forget the video from his burial at the Texas State Cemetery and the sound of those SEAL pins being hammered into his casket.
National Champions!
The Texas Men’s tennis team overcame the most improbable odds and impossibly foreseeable obstacle to win the NCAA Championship a couple of months ago. Tennis is a good example of a sport where long-term alumni support has helped sustain and nurture the program. When Michael Center departed the Forty Acres in the college admissions scandal, Bruce Berque took over as coach. The Horns went on a run, beat Wake Forest in the finals, and brought the trophy back to Austin. Hat tip to friends and former Texas tennis players Stewart Keller and Jim Bayless.
Walk-Ons get Scholarships
One of my favorite things that comes out of summer camp ever year is the video of some kid being surprised with a scholarship. Maybe I am becoming more emotional as I get older, but these bring tears to my eyes. So cool. The one for Mason Ramirez is awesome.
Here is another good one.
1969 National Champions
First, if you haven’t watched the 1969 documentary on Longhorn Network, plan on doing it tonight. It will have you so ready for Saturday and this season. Exceptionally well done.
Also, please consider checking out the Texas Legacy Support Network. A great cause, and a great website that has photos, stories, and more. I highly recommend it.
Polls
AP Top 25: Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Land Thieves, Ohio State, Louisiana State, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame, and Texas. Texas Agricultural & Mechanical is 12 (poetic), and Iowa State is 21.
Coaches Poll: Clemson, Roll Tide, UGa, Land Thieves, The Ohio State University™, Louisiana State, Michigan, Go Gata, L’Université de Notre Dame du Lac, and Texas. Texas Agricultural & Mechanical is 11, and Iowa State is 24.
Week One in College Football
Big XII
OSU plays OSU at OSU Friday night. Cowboys are favored by 14 over the Beavers in Corvallis. 9:30 p.m. on FS1.
Saturday morning, No. 21 Iowa State hosts Northern Iowa at Jack Trice Stadium. 11:00 a.m. on FS1. I still tweak a little when I see “Northern Iowa”. Bet Shaka does too. Dadgum Paul Jesperson.
A helluva a tackle football game in Lawrence Kansas to inaugurate the Les Miles Era, as the Jayhawks host Indiana State. No TV. 11:00 a.m. Kansas favored by a whopping 4.5 points. Indiana State ranked No. 16 in the FCS preseason Coaches Poll.
The Dukes of James Madison University head west across the mountains to Morgantown to play West Virginia. JMU is a pretty good football team (2016 FCS national champions, ranked No. 2 in the FCS Preseason Coaches Poll), and the Mountaineers are only favored by 7.
Texas Technical hosts Montana State in Lubbock. Bet that is a culture shock. Sand Aggies favored by 25. Should be whipping on the South Plains. 3:00 p.m., but best I can tell no real TV.
Baylor hosts Stephen F. Austin. 6:00 p.m. at the Bears’ place just east of I-35 and north of the Brazos River. On ESPN+. BU favored by 38 over the Lumberjacks. Ouch.
K State with Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Also at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
Texas Christian opens at Amon G. Carter Stadium with the Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 7:00 p.m.
The Land Thieves play the biggest game in Week 1 for the conference. Houston and new head coach Dana Holgorsen go to Norman for a nationally broadcast game Sunday night. 7:30 p.m. on ABC. The boys in the desert do not think Holgo’s debut will go well, as they have the Land Thieves as 23 point favorites. The over/under is 80, which is the biggest I noted in games I reviewed.
(Reminder: I use Vegas odds, so if you are a sportsman and utilizing certain applications that allow you to wager from home, the odds might vary; and remember, past results are not indicative of future performance).
Top 25
Thursday Night
No. 1 Clemson opened a can of you-know-what to open the season, beating the Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech 52-14. Dabo has it working.
No. 12 Texas Agricultural & Mechanical had no problem with the Texas State Bobcats, as Texas Agricultural & Mechanical rolled up 478 yards on offense while holding Texas State to 219 yards – only 8 rushing. That’s pretty good. But Texas State covered.
Finally, UCF showed no mercy, racking up 62 on Florida A&M. You might wonder about the Knights running up the score. They are coached by Land Thief quarterback Josh Heupel.
Cincinnati beat UC Los Angeles 24-14. Thought the Bruins might be better this year.
Friday
A couple of games tonight.
The Golden Hurricane heads north to play No. 18 Michigan State. 6:00 p.m. on FS1. Sparty favored by 23.5, and the O/U is 48.5.
Also in the Big 10, No. 19 Wisconsin on the road in Florida, as the Badgers take on Charlie Strong’s South Florida Bulls. 6:00 p.m. on ESPN. Wiscy favored by 11, and the O/U is 57.5.
Saturday
The Ohio State University™ opens at home in the Horseshoe with Florida Atlantic. I am going to guess this was on the schedule before Lane Kiffin got to Boca Raton. 11:00 a.m. on FOX. Buckeyes favored by 27.5 and the over/under is 66. I would go heavy on Ohio State.
The Cornhuskers are getting better, and they start the season at No. 24. Nebraska hosts South Alabama, 11:00 a.m. on ESPN. Nebraska favored by 36.5, and the O/U is 66.5.
No. 13 Washington at home against Eastern Washington. 2:00 p.m. on the Pac12 Network.
No. 2 Alabama goes back to their home away from home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, for a clash with Duke. 2:30 p.m. on ABC. Tide favored by 33.5, and the over/under is 56.5.
Idaho at No. 15 Penn State. 2:30 p.m. on BTN.
Battle of the Brains: Northwestern at No. 25 Stanford, 3:00 p.m. on FOX. David Shaw and the Cardinal favored by 6.5. O/U is 47.5. I am sure Stanford is good, but I might take the Cats and the points in this one.
No. 22 Syracuse opens in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is late as I write, and I would love a Cheesy Western and a Bowl With from the Texas Tavern right now. Man that would hit the spot. Anyway, the Orange and the Flames play at 5:00 p.m. ESPN+ Syracuse favored by 18, and the over/under is 68.5. Take Liberty and the points.
No. 3 Georgia and Vanderbilt kickoff 2019 $EC action in Nashville at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night. ESPN. Bulldogs favored by 22.5, and the O/U is 58.5. I guess Georgia wants to be there.
No. 6 Louisiana State opens with a night game in Death Valley. Georgia Southern goes to Red Stick and are 27.5 point underdogs. 6:30 p.m. on the $EC Network. Believe it or not, GSU and the points might be a good wager.
No. 7 Michigan at home in the Big House, hosting Middle Tennessee. 6:30 p.m. on BTN, and the Wolverines are heavy 34.5 point favorites. O/U is 54.5.
No. 11 Oregon and No. 16 Auburn play in Jerry World in what is probably the biggest game of the weekend nationally. 6:30 p.m. on ABC. Definitely one of the tightest lines, with Auburn favored by just 3.5. Over/under is 56. War Eagle!
Miami (Ohio) is a 21.5 point underdog at No. 20 Iowa. I am betting they cover. Also betting that JNU is betting too. 6:30 pm on FS1.
Mike Leach and his No. 23 Washington State Cougars open in Pullman with New Mexico State. 9:00 p.m. on Pac 12 Network. WSU favored by 31.5, and the over/under is 63.5.
We close out the Labor Day Weekend with the Fighting Irish of No. 9 Notre Dame on the road to Louisville. 7:00 p.m. on ESPN. Notre Dame favored by 19, and the O/U is 54.
Other Games of Interest
Friday night, Rice at Army. 5:00 p.m. on CBSSN. Army favored by 22.5 over the Owls.
Saturday
Ole Miss at Memphis in the Liberty Bowl. 11:00 a.m. on ABC. Tigers favored by 4.5, and the O/U is 66. Let’s go Rebs! Hotty Toddy!
Holy Cross at Navy, 2:30 p.m. on CBSSN from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
South Carolina versus North Carolina, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN, with the game in Charlotte. Mack Brown and his Tarheels are 11 point underdogs, and the O/U is 63. Good luck Mack! Hope y’all get to light that tower blue!
The Wahoos open ACC play at Pittsburgh. Tough way to start conference play, much less the season. But the Cavaliers under Bronco Mendenhall favored by 2.5. 6:30 p.m. on the new ACC Network, brought to you by the World Wide Leader.
Virginia Military Institute at Marshall, 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Thundering Herd favored by 39 over the Keydets.
Southern Methodists head to Jonesboro to play Arkansas State. 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Arkie State favored by 2.5, over/under is 56.5. Good luck Shane Buechele and Go Ponies!
Abilene Christian at North Texas. 6:30 p.m. Saturday night in Denton. Mean Green favored by a mere 20.5.
UTEP hosts Houston Baptist in the Sun Bowl. Miners favored by 17.5.
Big game in San Antonio! Inter-city rivalry, as Incarnate Word and UTSA face off. Roadrunners favored by 5.5. 5:00 p.m. at the Alamodome.
Week 1 Viewing Schedule from BON:
The Week that Will be, from HornMafia:
The Juan Heisman Tailgate
The Juan Heisman Tailgate Crew is ready! Judd Messer has done an outstanding job getting everyone organized and handling all the details for our party on Saturday. Marcus and Otis will be back, as will Texas Beer Company. Menu includes hatch chile sliders, regular sliders, venison sausage, and hot dogs. We will be there all afternoon, but the real festivities will get going around 4:00.
Gameday
Chris Del Conte and his team have done an amazing job with all the entertainment and pregame festivities. Bevo Blvd., and now Smokey’s Midway. This article appeared in the Sports Business Journal and in the Austin Business Journal. It requires a subscription. If you can’t read it, let me know, and I will try to email you a copy next week. It is really good. And well-deserved praise for CDC.
Longhorn City Limits is right below Juan Heisman, on the lawn by the LBJ Library and Fountain. This week has real star power, with Texas native Jack Ingram headlining. He is joined by Austin singer-songwriter Jane Ellen Bryant. Bryant plays at 4:00 p.m. with Ingram following at 5:30 p.m.
Don’t forget the clear bag policy.
Also, I was over at DKR Thursday evening, and the south endzone project is in full gear. Some of the routes you may have used in years past to get in and out of the stadium may be impacted. It is worth your while to check out the stadium map:
https://texassports.com/documents/2017/8/29//dkr_stadium_map.pdf?id=9191
Music
For our first game of the season, some of my favorite Texas music.
Django Walker – Texas Longhorn
Django Walker – College Life
Pat Green – Take Me Out to A Dancehall
Pat Green –Southbound 35
Cory Morrow – 21 Days
Jack Ingram – Barefoot and Crazy
Jack Ingram – Measure of a Man
Gratitude
I am grateful for all that Frank Denius and his family have done and continue to do for The University. Good to see y’all.
I failed to include both websites on this photo last week. My thanks again to Christopher V. Sherman for the use of this beautiful photo. He does great work, and you can see more at https://overaustin.com/ and at www.cvsherman.com
HOOK EM HORNS!!
© Timothy C. Taylor, Sr. 2019. All Rights Reserved (as to original material).
www.jw.com/ttaylor
On Twitter: @tctayloratx
On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tctatx
On Instagram: @tctayloratx
On Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Tim.C.Taylor
and: www.Facebook.com/Juan.Heisman
Great work Tim! Thanks!
Great work Tim. Michael and I appreciate it. Thanks!🤘