Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders recalls his favorite college play

Ja’Tavion Sanders shares his favorite play from his time at Texas.

Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders had a great career in Austin. His time on the Forty Acres saw Sanders develop into one of the best tight ends in college football.

One highlight play above the others stands out to Sanders from his time at Texas. He recounted the play that turned the tide against Alabama early in the 2023 season as his favorite play.

“Probably that big play against ‘Bama — it was a 50-yard gain. We had two deep posts on the outside, and we were running so many deep crosses with me just running. I sailed a deep crosser, put my foot in the ground, and took it high — we call that a thumb route.”

The play answered a 13-0 run from the Alabama Crimson Tide who erased a 10-point deficit from earlier in the game. The fourth quarter highlight put the Longhorns in a position to take back the lead and win on the road. It was one of a handful of plays the tight end made to help secure a playoff berth for Texas in 2023.

Sanders ends his career as one of the best tight ends in program history. In two years on the field, he caught 99 passes for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns at Texas.