This game features two teams in the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys that believe in running the football. The difference is the execution. The Cowboys feature a two-headed monster in Chuba Hubbard and LD Brown. The Longhorns were expected to roll with the three-back rotation of Keaontay Ingram, Roshon Johnson and Bijan Robinson. Unfortunately for Texas not all three have been available for each game with fumble issues, and injuries to Roschon and Bijan.
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Running Back Tale of the Tape
Looking at the projected starters for this one. How do they stack up in the running game and total touches overall.
Ingram | vs | Hubbard |
6-0 | Ht | 6-0 |
222 | Wt | 208 |
Junior | Class | Junior |
51 | Carries | 94 |
245 | Yards | 478 |
4.8 | YPC | 5.1 |
0 | TDs | 5 |
62 | Touches | 97 |
348 | Yards | 492 |
1 | TDs | 5 |
Back up Tale of the Tape
Johnson-Robinson | vs | Brown |
59 | Carries | 37 |
265 | Yards | 227 |
4.5 | YPC | 6.1 |
2 | TDs | 1 |
66 | Touches | 40 |
338 | Yards | 256 |
3 | TDs | 1 |
Oklahoma State has the clear advantage when it comes to the run game. Hubbard started off the season slow but he has started heating up for the Cowboys offense. Brown does his job when called upon to relieve Chuba. As a whole the OSU offense ranks 19th in yards per game at 216.3 yards per game. Texas is 42nd with 174.8 yards per game. Ehlinger accounts for 34% of their output.
Overall the edge is to Oklahoma State, the Longhorns and head coach Tom Herman want to run the ball efficiently. That might be the tallest of tasks this week against the Cowboys defense. They give up 127 yards rushing per game. Overall they have the 19th ranked defense in the country.
Those number could be inflated due to playing Kansas and West Virginia. Against the Iowa State Cyclones that defense gave up 185 yards to Breece Hall. He did have one run that went for 70 yards. Outside of that run that still accounts for 6.1 yards per carry.
For Texas to beat Oklahoma State they will need a balanced attack and that starts with the running back stepping up.
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