What are Longhorns fans going to get this week? The dominant Texas terror that tore through the first six games of the year or the pedestrian mess that greeted Georgia in Austin last week?
It is safe to say that Vanderbilt isn’t the same level of football team as Georgia. The Bulldogs, wobbly a few weeks ago, looked every bit like the preseason No. 1 against UT. Of course, Alabama beat Georgia then turned right around and lost at Vandy. Texas will try to reverse that outcome.
Quinn Ewers looked lost last week. The Georgia defense he faced might be the best defense Ewers has EVER faced. Certainly the quickest. Ewers struggled. The junior signal caller didn’t look great against Oklahoma in large chunks either. His ab injury might be lingering.
Getting Ewers back to “Michigan Ewers” is one of Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s main jobs heading into the back part of the season.
Jamie Gatlin’s Prediction:
Following their first loss of the season, the Longhorns are back in action on Saturday against Vanderbilt. The Longhorns enter this matchup as heavy favorites against a Commodores team that has three straight wins. For Texas, the key is to avoid a slow start.
Last week against Georgia, the Longhorns were outscored 23-0 in the first half before the offense came alive. While they played a lot better in the second half, they could not recover and fell in their toughest test of the season.
They will be highly motivated to put last week in the rearview mirror, which will make life harder for the Commodores. This is a big game for Quinn Ewers, who was pulled in the second half last week and will be without some of his top weapons. Expect the Longhorns to come out firing on all cylinders and provide a reminder of why they were ranked as the best team in the country just a few weeks ago.
Final Score: Texas 34, Vanderbilt 10
’s Prediction:
Texas has a quarterback question brewing after last week’s loss to Georgia: is it going to be Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning leading the charge? Most likely Quinn but, could it be possible we see Arch if things don’t go well? Heading into the game against Vanderbilt, a lot could depend on the home crowd vibe.
If Vanderbilt’s fans bring some serious energy—think Alabama or Georgia levels—this one might go down to the wire. But if Texas’s defense shakes them up early, it could be over by halftime. All Texas really needs is for Quinn or Arch to make a few solid plays in the first half, and they’ll be in good shape to take control after that.
Final Score: Texas 31, Vanderbilt 17
Trey Luerssen’s Prediction:
A lot depends on Quinn Ewers. How will he respond after being pulled from the Georgia game for a couple series? He responded well to start the second half. Are Texas’ issues against the Bulldogs a one off? Indicative of problems ahead? Or is Texas just vulnerable to a top five caliber team? Is Ewers still dealing with an ab injury that lingering?
Vanderbilt is much better than they have been in the past. They’re obviously on a positive trajectory and have one of the biggest wins in school history under their belts. But I don’t think they’re good enough to beat a highly motivated Texas team. The Horns might struggle with confidence early on, but they’ll shake it off and get back on track with a win.
Final Score: Texas 31,Vanderbilt24