Two key goal line stands are Longhorns early Christmas gift to fans

The Longhorns defense have had two remarkable goal line stands in the past three games that have propelled Texas to the CFP Quarterfinals.

We know the Texas Longhorns defense is good. The only QB that’s had a really good game against the Horns was Clemson’s Cade Klubnik. Texas’ defensive backfield has a Thorpe Award winner in Jahdae Barron.

But even great defenses can go an entire season without the kind of goal line stand UT has had in two of the last three games.

Against rival Texas A&M, the Aggies were knocking on the door to cut the Texas lead to three points with just over six minutes left in the game. A&M had the ball 1st and Goal from the Texas 5-yard line. The Aggies ran the ball four times against the Texas defense.

1st & Goal at TEX 5
(6:21 – 4th) Marcel Reed run for 3 yds to the TEX 2
2nd & Goal at TEX 2
(5:40 – 4th) Amari Daniels run for 1 yd to the TEX 1
3rd & Goal at TEX 1
(5:05 – 4th) Amari Daniels run for no gain to the TEX 1
4th & Goal at TEX 1
(4:39 – 4th) Timeout Texas A&M, clock 04:39
4th & Goal at TEX 1
(4:36 – 4th) Amari Daniels run for a loss of 3 yards to the TEX 4

The Ags got the ball to the one-yard line on 2nd down, but that was it. Two straight stuffs, culminated by Ethan Burke wrapping up A&M RB Amari Daniels behind the line of scrimmage.

The stop ended any hope of an Aggies comeback and secured UT its first trip to the SEC Championship Game in Texas first year in the conference. The Aggies have never been to the SEC Championship Game, which made it extra sweet.

It was a defining moment for a defense that has been a little underrated by the national media most of the season. But the UT defense wasn’t done.

Against the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the college football playoffs, Klubnik had quickly driven the Tigers to the Texas 10-yard line. A roughing the passer penalty gave Clemson a first and goal at the five to cut the Horns lead to one score with just over eight minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers did try to pass on first down, which was incomplete. Klubnik then ran the ball to the one-yard line on 3rd down setting up another 4th and goal from the one situation.

1st & Goal at TEX 10
(8:49 – 4th) Klubnik, Cade pass incomplete to Moore, T.J., PENALTY TEX roughing passer (Simmons, Colin) 5 yards to the TEX5, NO PLAY, 1ST DOWN CLEMSON.
1st & Goal at TEX 5
(8:46 – 4th) Cade Klubnik pass incomplete to Bryant Wesco Jr.
2nd & Goal at TEX 5
(8:41 – 4th) Cade Klubnik run for 4 yds to the TEX 1
3rd & Goal at TEX 1
(8:09 – 4th) Timeout Clemson, clock 08:09
3rd & Goal at TEX 1
(8:05 – 4th) Cade Klubnik run for no gain to the TEX 1
4th & Goal at TEX 1
(7:24 – 4th) Keith Adams Jr. run for a loss of 1 yard to the TEX 2

Clemson tried almost the same play A&M tried, with the same result. Clemson’s Keith Adams ran smack dab into UT’s Bill Norton. Like the stop against the Aggies, the game was effectively over.

It is one thing to be a good defense. It’s quite another to stand tall when your opponent only needs one-yard under the immense pressure of stemming a fourth quarter comeback when all the momentum is on the other side of the ball. Texas has done it not once, but twice.

It really is the gift that keeps on giving.