The Texas Longhorns victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys was a huge win for the program. They are still very much in the thick of the Big 12 Championship chase after knocking off the top team in the standings over the weekend. The Longhorns currently sit at 4-2 and 3-2 in conference play. With four games left, the championship game picture isn’t any more clear now than it was two days ago.
| Teams | Conference Record | Overall Record |
| Kansas State | 4-1 | 4-2 |
| Iowa State | 4-1 | 4-2 |
| Oklahoma State | 3-1 | 4-1 |
| West Virginia | 3-2 | 4-2 |
| Oklahoma | 3-2 | 4-2 |
| Texas | 3-2 | 4-2 |
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The Longhorns have West Virginia, Iowa State and Kansas State all ahead of them on the schedule. Provided the Longhorns can go 3-0 in those games, they would likely be one half of the Big 12 Championship game matchup. Also throw their game against the Kansas Jayhawks in there. That is the easiest game left on the schedule.
Wins over the Cyclones and Wildcats would give Texas the tiebreaker for conference seeding. Plus Oklahoma State still has their matchup with Oklahoma a few weeks away. The Big 12 Conference continues to beat themselves up and that could play right into the Longhorns hands. Well, that is provided they don’t drop one of these important games over the last five weeks of the season.
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This is all meaningless if the Longhorns drop their home game to the West Virginia Mountaineers. A much taller task than many realize. After surviving the No. 1 ranked defense in the Big 12, they now face the No. 2 ranked defense in scoring (19.8). The Mountaineers also have the No. 1 ranked defense in yards per game (255.7).
WVU has two of the better defensive lineman in the conference in Dante and Darius Stills. They will give this offensive line trouble and the Mountaineers like to move them around to find the best matchups. A week ago against the Wildcats, they limited them to 41 net rushing yards. That equates to just 1.8 yards per rush on 23 attempts.
They also have one of the better linebackers in the country with Tony Fields. A player the Longhorns had their eyes on when he announced he would transfer from Arizona. Not only are they really good against the run but they have forced the most interceptions in the conference. They take advantage when you are forced to be one dimensional.
The Longhorns can’t find themselves behind the chains in this game and expect to win consistently. While Texas has shown life late in games when down, that isn’t a recipe for success against this defense.
Much like quarterback Sam Ehlinger, KSU’s Will Howard likes to run the football for the Wildcats. He and Deuce Vaughn were ineffective against this front that surrenders just under 100 yards per game rushing. They don’t get much more through the air either. This is a game where the mental toughness of this football team will be tested.
To lose this game to West Virginia after the victory over Oklahoma State wipes out any momentum they may have gained. Likely ruins any shot at a conference championship berth without some help down the road. If Tom Herman wants to quiet the rumors and change the narrative about his time in Austin, the Longhorns must win on Saturday.
The last time Texas beat Oklahoma State a week before West Virginia, they won that game as well. They will be looking for their first victory over the Mountaineers at home since 2014.