Tag: Texas Football

Report: Texas QB Quinn Ewers Expected to Declare for 2025 NFL Draft

Reports say Quinn Ewers will play final game at DKR on Saturday.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is expected to enter the 2025 NFL Draft following this season, according to two sources who spoke to Chip Brown of 247Sports. If accurate, Saturday’s game against Kentucky (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC) would mark Ewers’ final regular-season home game as a Longhorn.

When asked Monday about the possibility of it being his final home game, Ewers remained noncommittal. “Who knows?” he said. “I’m just trying to win this week.”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian also weighed in during Monday’s media session, saying, “No idea,” when asked about Ewers’ future.

Ewers has been a pivotal player for Texas this season, completing 68.4% of his passes (169-of-247) for 21 touchdowns, six interceptions, and one rushing score. The redshirt sophomore has thrown a touchdown pass in 21 consecutive games, a streak that ranks second in school history behind Colt McCoy’s 29-game streak from 2007 to 2009.

Among Ewers’ highlights this season was a dominant performance in a 49-17 win over Florida, where he threw five touchdown passes—all at least 20 yards. The feat places him alongside elite company, as only three other SEC quarterbacks—Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (2019), Georgia’s Aaron Murray (2011), and Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott (2014)—have achieved it since 1996.

With Ewers at the helm, the Longhorns have secured 10 consecutive true road wins, a streak they aim to continue in the coming weeks. As speculation around his NFL future grows, all eyes will be on Ewers and the Longhorns when they take on Kentucky on Saturday.

This report is based on information first published by Chip Brown of 247Sports.

Former Texas football coach Tom Herman fired after less than two seasons at FAU

Former Longhorn Head Coach, Tom Herman is out at FAU as Head Coach.

Former Texas Longhorns football coach Tom Herman was relieved of his duties as Florida Atlantic University head coach, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Herman, succeeded Willie Taggart at FAU in 2023, he went 6-16 as the head coach of the FAU Owls. The firing comes amid FAU’s five-game losing streak that included an 18-15 overtime loss to Temple on Saturday.

“I extend my appreciation to Tom Herman for his dedication to our university and our student-athletes,” Florida Atlantic Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White said in a statement on their website. “I informed Tom of my decision this morning and then met with the staff and team. We firmly believe in our ability to win championships and compete for bowl games, and that remains our standard.”

Tom Herman was the Head Coach of the University of Texas football program from 2017-2020, taking over the program from former Coach Charlie Strong. Herman was the Head Coach of the University of Houston Cougars, prior to joining the Longhorns staff.

In the years since his departure he has held various roles, including a stint at the Chicago Bears as a assistant coach. Herman was compensated nearly 15.3 million dollars from UT Athletics at the time of his departure, estimates on X (formerly Twitter) suggest he is entitled to around 4 million from FAU. Herman has received a combined 19.4 million in funds estimated from firings in the last five years.

Perhaps it’s time for Tom Herman to follow the wise words of former LSU Head Coach Ed Oregon.

Everything Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said on the field after beating Hogs

Steve Sarkisian speaks out after tough win by the Texas Longhorns in Fayetteville over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Win and move on. That was the mentality of the Texas Longhorns on the road in Arkansas. The Longhorns did enough to hold off the Hogs 20-10.

The Horns dominated the first half, but only had a 10-0 lead to show for it at halftime. After a third quarter UT field goal, Arkansas put together two scoring drives and two defensive stops to cut the lead to 13-10.

Texas responded with a touchdown, a forced fumble and a final drive that ended with three kneel-downs to secure the win.

After the game, ABC’s Katie George asked Texas coach Steve Sarkisian about that final drive.

“It was just one of those days. They were going to make us earn it. We weren’t going to get many chunk plays. So we had to be really efficient. I thought that was a really efficient drive on the ground. Hit a couple passes. Great catch by (Matthew) Golden for the touchdown.” Steve Sarkisian

The ABC sideline reporter then asked about the defense.

“Our defense played fantastic. Jahdae Barron had a great game as well. Alfred Collins had a great day. That’s a really explosive offense, so to hold these guys to 10 points on the road, that’s a heck of a job.” – Steve Sarkisian

Finally, George asked Sark about going on the road in the SEC.

“You guys saw the environment today. It was a tough one. Proud of our guys. It’s not easy to go on the road in this conference for sure.” – Steve Sarkisian

After SEC’s failure, 2 major CFB fan bases throw objects on the field

More college football fans are throwing bottles on the field after seeing the SEC’s decision to overturn Texas’ penalty against Georgia

College football fans are back to throwing trash on the field a week after the SEC rewarded Texas Longhorns fans for littering the field. Last week, SEC officials handed Texas a favorable (albeit correct) call against the Georgia Bulldogs after a delay caused by trash on the field.

The timing of the reversal of the pass interference call against Texas is what caused outrage from Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. Officials changed the call after the lengthy delay, which served as a reward for the Texas fans that elected to throw trash. The decision to reverse the penalty was unprecedented and the rest of college football is facing the consequences.

This week, Colorado fans threw objects on the field after a touchdown was called back due to taunting. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took to the microphone to address the stadium and get fans to stop.

A water bottle was thrown on the field after after a targeting call in the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Nebraska Cornhuskers game. Jason Mowry/Getty Images

Colorado was not the only offenders. Ohio State Buckeyes fans threw bottles and more on the field after a controversial targeting call against Nebraska. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day screamed and complained to officials following the call to no avail. In both cases, the officials did not change their minds after the home fans applied pressure.

This unruly behavior is exactly what happens after the SEC set the precedent for changing a call after fans threw trash on the field last week. Yes, fans that threw bottles face consequences and the schools are punished, but the SEC officials’ decision to change the call in the Georgia-Texas game is simply something you almost never see in sports and served as an avenue to convince fans they can influence the decision on a critical penalty.

High Stakes in Nashville as Ewers, Longhorns look to rebound against surging Vanderbilt

Texas Longhorns face a crucial SEC game vs Vanderbilt as they look to rebound and strengthen their CFP hopes ahead of the November 5 rankings reveal.

As the No. 5 Texas Longhorns prepare for their first conference road trip of the season against No. 25 Vanderbilt, head coach Steve Sarkisian expressed confidence in quarterback Quinn Ewers after a strong week of practice. Sarkisian praised Ewers’ focus and execution, suggesting the junior signal-caller is in top form heading into a pivotal SEC matchup.

“I thought Quinn’s had a really good week of work. I think he’s really dialed into the game plan. I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Sarkisian noted during his weekly media availability. “I’m looking forward to him getting another opportunity as a competitor to go back out and compete at a high level.”

Texas is looking to rebound after a disappointing 30-15 home loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, a result that has left the Longhorns in the spotlight. Sarkisian acknowledged as much on Wednesday, emphasizing that his team “has something to prove” following the setback.

Saturday’s 3:15 p.m. CT matchup in Nashville will be no easy task, as Vanderbilt enters on a three-game win streak, including a signature 40-35 victory over then-No. 1 Alabama. Commodores head coach Clark Lea made it clear this week that his team is preparing for Texas’ entire offensive system, which may include backup quarterback Arch Manning, a nod to the recent history of injuries at the position.

“I believe that this is a system on offense that doesn’t change dramatically with respect to who’s taking the snaps,” Lea said Tuesday. “So, we’re preparing to defend the system. Obviously, both quarterbacks have played, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see both. They’ve got injury history there, and you just never know.”

While Sarkisian remains committed to Ewers as the starter, Lea’s comments highlights the growing attention being placed on Manning’s potential role. Manning, the highly-touted sophomore, brings a more mobile dynamic to the field, a contrast to Ewers’ pocket-passing style. It’s clear that Manning’s athleticism and ability to push the ball vertically have drawn intrigue from opposing defenses, even as Ewers continues to lead the offense.

Tuesday, November 5th, will be a night all college football fans have circled on their calendars, as the College Football Playoff Committee unveils its first rankings of the season.

This game in Nashville carries significant weight for the Longhorns in the SEC standings. A win could propel Texas further in their quest for a College Football Playoff spot, while a loss could deal a serious blow to their postseason hopes.

Though the LSU-Texas A&M showdown may grab more attention, the Longhorns’ performance will be closely watched as they aim to rebound from their defeat to Georgia and keep their CFP ambitions alive in their first year in the Southeastern Conference.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian talks loss to Georgia, controversial penalty reversal

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian shares what he said to officials during the controversial waived penalty against Georgia

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian did not think Texas played its best game against the Georgia Bulldogs, but Sarkisian gives a lot of credit to UGA.

“Unfortunately we didn’t play our best football tonight,” said Sarkisian. “But we were still competitive. Hopefully we get another crack at (Georgia).”

Georgia and Texas could meet in the SEC championship game. Georgia holds a tiebreaker edge over Texas and is higher in the SEC standings than the Longhorns, but both teams only have one SEC loss.

“That’s a good football team. Credit to Kirby and their staff and their players being ready to go in the first half. And like I said, they’ve been the standard in college football now for about five, six, seven years,” Sarkisian said.

Georgia has won two national championships over the last three seasons, but the Bulldogs played with a sense of desperation and desire that Texas could not match on Saturday.

“I thought we played them really well in the second half. But we just, when you get behind the eight ball with the way we played the first half, it’s a lot to overcome,” added Sarkisian.

Georgia outscored Texas 23-0 in the first half. Texas made the game interesting in the second half, but never threatened to take a lead. The Longhorns lost 30-15.

“I was literally just asking the official what he saw to warrant DPI (defensive pass interference). And then at that moment, the trash came on the field,” said Sarkisian on the conversation the officials during the controversial penalty reversal.

“All of us, Longhorn Nation, I know we can be better than that. The fact that we’re able to get that stopped and get that taken care of and then regroup, then they overturn that call, give us an opportunity to get a short field and punch one in and close it to a one-score game,” continued Sarkisian.

Texas’ touchdown following the interception cut Georgia’s lead to eight points. However, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and the Bulldogs marched down the field to retake a 15-point lead on the next drive.

Georgia’s offense was not the problem for the Longhorns. The Bulldogs relied on their defense, which forced four Texas turnovers to set up the Georgia offense.

Linebackers Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams headline Georgia’s ferocious pass rush, which totaled seven sacks and prevented Texas from finding any offensive rhythm.

“I think No. 13 (Williams) being healthy helped them. He hadn’t played there for a while. I think he played nine snaps last week and then came back tonight ready to go, and he’s a problem,” said Sarkisian.

“No. 11 (Walker) is a physical player off the edge as well at linebacker,” added Sarkisian. Walker finished the first half with three sacks and seven tackles.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

“You don’t have the top one or two recruiting classes in the country for six straight years and not have good defensive personnel,” said Sarkisian. “They’ve got good players, and like I said, they’ve got a good scheme.”

Georgia rises in US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 8

Georgia football ascends up the Coaches Poll and are the SEC’s highest ranked team after earning a massive win at Texas

The Georgia Bulldogs are the No. 2 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll. after their 30-15 road win over the previous No. 1 Texas Longhorns. Georgia received a pair of first place votes after their dominant win. Georgia looked like one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the country in their overwhelming defensive performance against Texas.

Only the No. 1 Oregon Ducks are ranked ahead of Georgia. The undefeated Ducks received 51 of 53 total first place votes. Following Georgia is the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions and No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes. No. 5 Miami rounds out the top five.

Texas dropped to No. 6 after their loss to Georgia. The Longhorns still have a great chance to make the College Football Playoff.

Georgia is the only team in the country with a pair of top 10 wins. The Bulldogs have wins over No. 6 Texas and No. 9 Clemson. UGA’s lone loss of the season came to No. 15 Alabama, who just lost to Tennessee, who is now ranked No. 8. Alabama dropped significantly in the SEC standings.

Here’s a look at the full US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 8

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon 7-0 1,323 (51)
2 Georgia 6-1 1,238 (2)
3 Penn State 6-0 1,197
4 Ohio State 5-1 1,107
5 Miami (FL) 7-0 1,087
6 Texas 6-1 1,082
7 LSU 6-1 946
8 Tennessee 6-1 916
9 Clemson 6-1 907
10 Iowa State 7-0 829
11 Notre Dame 6-1 809
12 BYU 7-0 740
13 Indiana 7-0 651
14 Texas A&M 6-1 641
15 Alabama 5-2 554
16 Kansas State 6-1 488
17 Missouri 6-1 486
18 Ole Miss 5-2 444
19 Boise State 5-1 379
20 Pittsburgh 6-0 359
21 Illinois 6-1 347
22 SMU 6-1 249
23 Army 7-0 185
24 Navy 6-0 115
25 Vanderbilt 5-2 37

Schools Dropped Out

No. 22 Michigan; No. 25 Nebraska;

Others Receiving Votes

UNLV 28; Syracuse 27; Washington State 25; Duke 7; Memphis 6; Liberty 6; Wisconsin 3; Tulane 3; Cincinnati 2; Nebraska 1; Arizona State 1;

Kirby Smart roasts officials after controversial call in UGA’s win

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has a lot to say about the controversial penalty officials waived off in the Texas game

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart did not hold back on his criticism of the officials following Georgia’s 30-15 win over the Texas Longhorns.

“They tried to rob us with calls in this place,” said Smart after Georgia’s road win. What calls is Smart referencing?

During the second half, Georgia wide receiver Arian Smith initiated contact with Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron, who intercepted Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. However, the play was called back for a defensive pass interference penalty on Barron. Was this penalty the wrong call? Yes, but the game had a lengthy delay because Texas fans threw bottles and trash on the field after the penalty’s announcement.

During the delay, the officials huddled. After the bottles were cleaned up several minutes later, the officials reversed the pass interference penalty against Texas. As a result, the interception stood, and Texas had the ball inside Georgia’s red zone.

College football replay officials are not like those in the NFL. They are not able to change or waive off obvious calls that are spotted from replay. However, in this case the SEC crew elected to change its decision, which rewarded Texas fans for buying time by throwing trash on the field.

“Yeah, he (the official) just said the guy got it wrong,” said Smart when asked about why the officials changed the call. “The guy called it on the wrong guy, which it took him a long time to realize that. So it’s one of those things that I don’t know what I’m allowed to say or not say, so I won’t comment because I want to respect the wishes of the SEC office.”

“I will say they’ve established a precedent that if you throw a bunch of stuff on the field and endanger athletes, that you’ve got a chance to get your call reversed. That’s unfortunate,” continued Smart.

The officials also assessed Georgia with two targeting penalties in the second half.

Winners, losers from Georgia’s big win at Texas

Four winners and three losers from Georgia football’s great road win over Texas

The No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs earned their best win of the season with a 30-15 road victory over the No. 1 Texas Longhorns. At times, it felt like Georgia had to beat Texas and the officials, but the Dawgs were determined to get the win.

Texas threatened to make the game interesting in the second half, but Georgia’s defense ultimately overwhelmed Texas’ offensive line. Now, Georgia will have a bye week before facing Florida in Jacksonville.

Who are our winners and losers from Georgia’s road win at Texas?

Winner: Linebacker Jalon Walker

Jalon Walker almost single-handedly took over this game in the first half. Walker recorded seven tackles and three sacks in the first half. Texas’ offense never found a rhythm against Georgia’s strong pass rush. Walker looks like a first-round NFL draft pick along with Mykel Williams, who looked much healthier after battling an ankle injury.

Winner: Cornerback Daylen Everette

Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette forced two turnovers in the first half. He forced a Quinn Ewers fumble on a sack and recovered the fumble after a mad scramble for the ball. Everette also intercepted Ewers with savvy disguised coverage in the first half.

Winner: Coach Kirby Smart

Kirby Smart showed Georgia excels in the “nobody believes in us” role. Georgia played its best game of the season and man did the defense look improved against a strong offensive line with a healthy Mykel Williams.

Loser: Quarterback Carson Beck’s turnovers

Jahdae Barron of the Texas Longhorns intercepts a Carson Beck pass. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Look, Carson Beck managed the game well and led Georgia on a touchdown drive when the game was a one-score contest in the second half.

However, Beck continued to piled up interceptions. He threw three against the Longhorns and has eight interceptions in his last three games after throwing just six interceptions last season.You have to give Beck credit for his third-down scramble in the fourth quarter and for earning a difficult road win.

Winner: Running back Trevor Etienne

Brett Patzke-Imagn Images

Trevor Etienne scored all three of Georgia’s touchdowns. The Florida transfer finished the evening with 22 total touches for 110 total yards. Etienne is one of Georgia’s top weapons in both the running and passing game.

Losers: Defensive backs Dan Jackson and Joenel Aguero

Georgia defensive backs Dan Jackson and Joenel Aguero both played great games against Texas, but both players were ejected in the second half for  targeting penalties. As a result, Jackson and Aguero are suspended for the first half against Florida.

Georgia DB Dan Jackson ejected, faces suspension

Georgia football safety Dan Jackson will be suspended for the first half against Florida after being ejected against Texas

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Dan Jackson was ejected from the Texas Longhorns game for targeting. Since Jackson’s penalty came in the second half, he will be suspended for the first half of Georgia’s next game.

Who does Georgia play next? The Bulldogs have a bye in Week 9 before they play the Florida Gators on Nov. 2.

Georgia played freshman defensive back KJ Bolden more snaps in Jackson’s absence. The Bulldogs will likely start Bolden and Malaki Starks at safety in the first half against Florida. Bolden has already played a bunch of snaps this season.

Entering the Texas game, Jackson had 31 total tackles, one interception and a fumble recovery. Jackson’s combination of production and experience will be missed against Florida.