It’s halftime in Austin. The Texas Longhorns lead the Kansas Jayhawks, 13-7. The margin should have been far wider.
The Texas offense had a better first half than the score might indicate. Jonathon Brooks exploded like we predicted. He crossed the 100-yard mark early in the second quarter as the Longhorns pounded the Jayhawks run defense into the ground.
For the most part, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers had a good half adding 162 passing yards to the rushing total. Despite the Texas offensive explosion, Kansas rode good fortune back into the game.
The Jayhawks’ only score came on a recovery of the team’s own fumble. Texas safety Jalen Catalon dislodged the ball from Kansas quarterback Jason Bean before his running back Daniel Hishaw took the fumble to the end zone.
Defensively, Kansas benefitted from opportunistic stops, but the stops were more on the Longhorns failures than the Jayhawks’ making plays. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian probably would have liked to have called less bubble screens and stuck to the run on the day.
Texas scored 13 points on 342 total yards in the first half. It wasn’t the level of efficiency you would like to see from the No. 3 team in the country.
The Jayhawks baited Ewers into his first interception of the season at the end of the half. Ewers ended early action 14-for-18 with 162 passing yards and an interception.
Despite all the missed opportunities the Longhorns lead at half, 13-7. The team will need a much better second half to ensure a win.