Texas heads to Waco to finish out 2015 on Saturday. The staff at Inside Texas does our best to predict the outcome from McLane Stadium, and our season's final Upset Pick of the Week. We're going out with a bang in 2015 at the Inside Texas Roundtable.
1. Texas-Baylor score/outcome:
Justin Wells - Baylor 45, Texas 27. Horns score. Baylor scores more.
Eric Nahlin - Baylor 42, Texas 21.
Ian Boyd - Texas shows promise early before offensive turnovers ruin the game in the second quarter and Baylor pulls away with a 34-10 beating.
Chris Hall - Baylor 35 - Texas 24; Longhorns are too beat up to make this any closer of a game. Baylor has too much still to play for to let it be any closer of a game.
Bill Frisbie - Baylor averages 50 ppg; Texas averages 27. BAYLOR 50 - TEXAS 27
Mike Blackwell - Baylor 35, Texas 21 - my frustration and bitterness will probably be evident in my answers to all of these questions.
Michael Pearle - Baylor 41, Texas 24. The Horns play loose and hang for three quarters, but the tattered Texas D can't stop Corey Coleman & Co from running away with it.
Clendon Ross - Facing an opposing offense led by a third-string QB and we should be anticipating a potential shutout. Or at least a shutdown performance. Instead, I'm concerned that Baylor will score 60-plus points on Texas. And with this, um, inconsistent Longhorn offense (I'm trying to be positive out of sympathy for the soon-to-be departed offensive 'braintrust'), I don't see any way the Horns can hang in this one barring a barrage of Bear turnovers (and even that didn't matter vs. West Virginia). Baylor 50, Texas 18.
2. What does Tyrone Swoopes have to do to help UT win?
Justin Wells - Complete basic throws in the passing tree and convert a few third downs. If he does this, it'll at least be close.
Eric Nahlin - Hit the deep ball a couple or nine times.
Ian Boyd - Beyond avoiding turnovers and converting a few runs he needs to actually connect on some deep passing strikes early to open things up.
Chris Hall - Be effective through the air. Methinks the 18-wheeler package will be rolling and Texas will run the ball well. But Swoopes will have to make some key passes if Texas is to win.
Bill Frisbie - Get to know Chris Warren III very well.
Mike Blackwell - Not pass. Seriously, I think the coaches see him as the "passing" quarterback, and yet he completes less than half of the passes he throws. Texas needs to pass zero times - none. Not once. Evidently, the two passes in the playbook are shuttle passes to receivers in the backfield, and bombs/prayers.
Michael Pearle - Make sure he tucks it safely into Chris Warren's belly, and also maybe connect on a few deep shots to John Burt.
Clendon Ross - Tyrone needs to be on the money on four or more 50-yard passes. (And the receivers need to hold on to the ball. And make it all the way to the end zone. With the ball.)
3. Who is the most important Texas DB versus BU?
Justin Wells - Kendall Briles.
Eric Nahlin - Jason Hall in run support.
Ian Boyd - Whichever one is the worst coverage player that Texas puts on the field. If they do what I think they will it'll be John Bonney that draws Baylor's attention.
Chris Hall - Not Dylan Haines. With Haines out, we'll see more of DeShon Elliott. But I'm not sure it matters at this point. This will statistically be the worst defense in Texas history. (They have played A LOT of great offenses, though).
Bill Frisbie - Dylan Haines, of all people. The former walk-on leads the team in INTs and is No. 2 in program history in defensive return-yardage. This includes his not being a liability in the Red Zone.
Mike Blackwell - Do the Longhorns have DBs? If I hear the term "DBU" one more time, my head is going to explode.
Michael Pearle - Duke Thomas has to play great for the Horns to have a chance.
Clendon Ross - All of them. Any number of Baylor receivers can torch this secondary. So every one of them needs to turn in an A performance.
4. Do you expect a sellout (30K strong) at McLane Stadium on Saturday?
Justin Wells - Sure. How hard is it to sellout a HS stadium?
Eric Nahlin - That place holds 30k? Does that count the teams as well.
Ian Boyd - I do, they'll still get off on a chance to take down Texas.
Chris Hall - Oh yeah. Baylor still loves to beat Texas. They'll relish it as long as they can.
Bill Frisbie - No, because Texas fans will not travel to this game as they have in the past. Texas fans have seen enough.
Mike Blackwell - Yes, the Bears will pack the house to enjoy the slaughter.
Michael Pearle - Of course. Baylor fans will turn out in droves to see Briles try and embarrass the state's flagship U.
Clendon Ross - The stadium will be sold out, even given Bear fans' disappointment at what once looked like a championship season. They can collectively laugh at the once mighty Longhorns.
5. Upset Pick of the Week:
Justin Wells - Trojans drop the Cardinal. Helton ball, y'all.
Eric Nahlin - North Carolina over Clemson.
Ian Boyd - USC over Stanford is the most obvious call, but I like to imagine them getting blown out while USC message boarders curse Pat Haden's name. One of these playoff teams probably sees their season ruined, how about Iowa taking down Michigan State and shocking all of us who assumed the B1G East champ was a lock?
Chris Hall - Iowa over Michigan State. The Hawkeyes play their best game in their biggest game of the year.
Bill Frisbie - North Carolina over Clemson.
Mike Blackwell - USC over Stanford.
Michael Pearle - North Carolina over Clemson.
Clendon Ross - I see the betting line favorites winning in all of the conference championship games.
Texas heads to Waco to finish out 2015 on Saturday. The staff at Inside Texas does our best to predict the outcome from McLane Stadium, and our season's final Upset Pick of the Week. We're going out with a bang in 2015 at the Inside Texas Roundtable.
1. Texas-Baylor score/outcome:
Justin Wells - Baylor 45, Texas 27. Horns score. Baylor scores more.
Eric Nahlin - Baylor 42, Texas 21.
Ian Boyd - Texas shows promise early before offensive turnovers ruin the game in the second quarter and Baylor pulls away with a 34-10 beating.
Chris Hall - Baylor 35 - Texas 24; Longhorns are too beat up to make this any closer of a game. Baylor has too much still to play for to let it be any closer of a game.
Bill Frisbie - Baylor averages 50 ppg; Texas averages 27. BAYLOR 50 - TEXAS 27
Mike Blackwell - Baylor 35, Texas 21 - my frustration and bitterness will probably be evident in my answers to all of these questions.
Michael Pearle - Baylor 41, Texas 24. The Horns play loose and hang for three quarters, but the tattered Texas D can't stop Corey Coleman & Co from running away with it.
Clendon Ross - Facing an opposing offense led by a third-string QB and we should be anticipating a potential shutout. Or at least a shutdown performance. Instead, I'm concerned that Baylor will score 60-plus points on Texas. And with this, um, inconsistent Longhorn offense (I'm trying to be positive out of sympathy for the soon-to-be departed offensive 'braintrust'), I don't see any way the Horns can hang in this one barring a barrage of Bear turnovers (and even that didn't matter vs. West Virginia). Baylor 50, Texas 18.
2. What does Tyrone Swoopes have to do to help UT win?
Justin Wells - Complete basic throws in the passing tree and convert a few third downs. If he does this, it'll at least be close.
Eric Nahlin - Hit the deep ball a couple or nine times.
Ian Boyd - Beyond avoiding turnovers and converting a few runs he needs to actually connect on some deep passing strikes early to open things up.
Chris Hall - Be effective through the air. Methinks the 18-wheeler package will be rolling and Texas will run the ball well. But Swoopes will have to make some key passes if Texas is to win.
Bill Frisbie - Get to know Chris Warren III very well.
Mike Blackwell - Not pass. Seriously, I think the coaches see him as the "passing" quarterback, and yet he completes less than half of the passes he throws. Texas needs to pass zero times - none. Not once. Evidently, the two passes in the playbook are shuttle passes to receivers in the backfield, and bombs/prayers.
Michael Pearle - Make sure he tucks it safely into Chris Warren's belly, and also maybe connect on a few deep shots to John Burt.
Clendon Ross - Tyrone needs to be on the money on four or more 50-yard passes. (And the receivers need to hold on to the ball. And make it all the way to the end zone. With the ball.)
3. Who is the most important Texas DB versus BU?
Justin Wells - Kendall Briles.
Eric Nahlin - Jason Hall in run support.
Ian Boyd - Whichever one is the worst coverage player that Texas puts on the field. If they do what I think they will it'll be John Bonney that draws Baylor's attention.
Chris Hall - Not Dylan Haines. With Haines out, we'll see more of DeShon Elliott. But I'm not sure it matters at this point. This will statistically be the worst defense in Texas history. (They have played A LOT of great offenses, though).
Bill Frisbie - Dylan Haines, of all people. The former walk-on leads the team in INTs and is No. 2 in program history in defensive return-yardage. This includes his not being a liability in the Red Zone.
Mike Blackwell - Do the Longhorns have DBs? If I hear the term "DBU" one more time, my head is going to explode.
Michael Pearle - Duke Thomas has to play great for the Horns to have a chance.
Clendon Ross - All of them. Any number of Baylor receivers can torch this secondary. So every one of them needs to turn in an A performance.
4. Do you expect a sellout (30K strong) at McLane Stadium on Saturday?
Justin Wells - Sure. How hard is it to sellout a HS stadium?
Eric Nahlin - That place holds 30k? Does that count the teams as well.
Ian Boyd - I do, they'll still get off on a chance to take down Texas.
Chris Hall - Oh yeah. Baylor still loves to beat Texas. They'll relish it as long as they can.
Bill Frisbie - No, because Texas fans will not travel to this game as they have in the past. Texas fans have seen enough.
Mike Blackwell - Yes, the Bears will pack the house to enjoy the slaughter.
Michael Pearle - Of course. Baylor fans will turn out in droves to see Briles try and embarrass the state's flagship U.
Clendon Ross - The stadium will be sold out, even given Bear fans' disappointment at what once looked like a championship season. They can collectively laugh at the once mighty Longhorns.
5. Upset Pick of the Week:
Justin Wells - Trojans drop the Cardinal. Helton ball, y'all.
Eric Nahlin - North Carolina over Clemson.
Ian Boyd - USC over Stanford is the most obvious call, but I like to imagine them getting blown out while USC message boarders curse Pat Haden's name. One of these playoff teams probably sees their season ruined, how about Iowa taking down Michigan State and shocking all of us who assumed the B1G East champ was a lock?
Chris Hall - Iowa over Michigan State. The Hawkeyes play their best game in their biggest game of the year.
Bill Frisbie - North Carolina over Clemson.
Mike Blackwell - USC over Stanford.
Michael Pearle - North Carolina over Clemson.
Clendon Ross - I see the betting line favorites winning in all of the conference championship games.
