The Run Defense
When it comes to one of the key difference makers in this game, it was the run defense. They were able to bottle up Leddie Brown, but the entire run game for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Brown averaged just 3.1 yards per carry on the afternoon. While he didn’t look completely healthy, he was visibly upset on the sideline due to their inability to run the ball.
It wasn’t just Brown, his backup Alec Sinkfield averaged 0.8 yards per carry and Jarret Doege was at -1.8 ypc. As a whole the unit couldn’t get anything going on the ground against the Longhorns defensive front. Ta’Quon Graham, Moro Ojomo, T’Vondre Sweat and Joseph Ossai made sure to do their jobs. That allowed both Juwan Mitchell and DeMarvion Overshown to do their jobs as the two leading tacklers for the defense.
When the run defense is as good as it has been over the last two games, Texas has a chance to win any game. Especially when you couple that with the fact that the Horns were also able to get their running game rolling. That is a recipe for success from Texas.