After last week's outcome in South Bend, the staff at Inside Texas is admittedly hesitant in picking UT games in Week 2. And for good reason. Thankfully the Rice owls enter Austin with some hungry young pups (freshmen) ready to feed. Predictions, over/unders, and upset of the week in CFB in the IT Roundtable.
1. Texas-Rice score, outcome:
Eric Nahlin - 27-13, Texas. Rice's quarterback is an athletic and intelligent leader. He'll make a play or two and extend some drives and keep Rice in the game for most of the day. Texas will look to get the ground game going and complement that with some quick action in the passing game. It won't always be pretty but there's too much skill speed to not make some big plays. I think the defense will play a much more sound game. They should have much more luck getting to the passer and Rice lacks dynamic athletes for the secondary to lose sleep over. Rice has some nice running backs capable of making defenders miss but if they're forced to go the length of the field Rice will struggle.
Justin Wells - Texas 20, Rice 13. The UT defense focuses on the run and attempts to suffocate Jackson, Rice. Texas gets a TD late in victory.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Texas 35, Rice 14.
Ian Boyd - Texas 35-20, the UT skill players have a chance to actually utilize their speed and it proves too much for the Owls to handle.
Chris Hall - Texas 28, Rice 24. Rice is better than most people would hope and the score is too close for comfort. But the Texas offense looks better overall (relaxing sigh) and the defense makes some exciting highlights as well.
Sean Adams - Texas 24, Rice 13.
Bill Frisbie - Texas 27, Rice 16. I keep having flashbacks from Oct. 7, 1989. It’s 4th-and-goal from the four, and Texas trails Rice by six with less than four minutes left. D A quarter-century later, I’m wondering if Peter Gardere has any eligibility left. (I had lunch with Peter the Great a while back and I asked about his disputed, game-saving TD run. He might have been down just short of the goal line but managed to roll into the end zone, he said with a grin. “I still catch grief today from Rice people,” he told me). For the first time since then, Rice is poised to atone for the one that got away. Ain’t gonna happen, but Saturday’s home-opener won’t be the customary beat down of the Owls.
Mike Blackwell - Texas 28, Rice 24. I'm having a hard time imagining how this game will play out after watching last week's game.
Michael Pearle - Texas 24, Rice 14. It won't be a romp, but the Horns have too much of a talent edge to lose to the Owls
Clendon Ross - Texas 27, Rice 17. The Jerrod Heard era begins after a very short but tantalizing glimpse in South Bend. Well, tantalizing is a strong word. Less bad than the other option is a better description. I'm grasping here because the hopes for a season of progress now hinge on a new player caller and an unpolished redshirt freshman QB probably running for his life behind a bad OL. But, hey, it's gotta be better than what we've seen the last two games, right? The step down in competition should help. If not, well, we can all look forward to the trip to Shanghai on Nov. 13 to watch Shaka Smart's UT debut.
2. Who gets the most snaps at QB; Swoopes or Heard?
Eric Nahlin - Heard.
Justin Wells - Swoopes might start, but Heard finishes.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Heard.
Ian Boyd - Heard, Jerrod gets the call and Rice hangs around long enough to keep Swoopes from entering the game.
Chris Hall - Swoopes will play some, but it's clear after this game that the coaching staff is moving on. Heard will be the man the rest of the year.
Sean Adams - Jerrod Heard.
Bill Frisbie - Heard.
Mike Blackwell - Heard, if you hire a new play-caller, then I think it goes without saying that you want someone new.
Michael Pearle - Swoopes. I'll believe Jerrod is taking over when I see it with my own eyes.
Clendon Ross - Heard. But I don't see the coaches giving up on Swoopes. I bet he plays a lot.
3. Does Texas hold Rice to over/under 300 total yards?
Eric Nahlin - Over, but I don't think it will often result in points. They averaged right at 400 yards per game last year. Not bad considering they put 367 on Notre Dame and 481 on Notre Dame. Texas is still getting new defenders' feet wet and will play a bunch more youngsters in backup roles.
Justin Wells - Over. Rice will push for just over 300+ yards but UT's defense will bend but not break in the red zone.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Under. The Texas front 7 steps up.
Ian Boyd - Over, the Owls move the ball at times but fail to convert red zone trips.
Chris Hall - Over. This young Longhorn defense still has a ways to go, but they get better this week. Rice will move the ball (more so than anyone will like) but they don't score enough points. An overall confidence building experience for Texas.
Sean Adams - Under. The added focus for the Texas defense to the run-game keeps the Owls under three bills.
Bill Frisbie - Rice gets over 300 yards against a young, bend-don’t-break Texas defense.
Mike Blackwell - I think, hopefully, the difference in the level of athletes of Rice and Notre Dame will reflect in yardage gained: under for the Owls.
Michael Pearle - The Owls go over 300 yards.
Clendon Ross - Over, the Owls will get their yards against a still/healing DL and a group of linebackers that aren't shaving yet.
4. Who leads in sacks/TFL; freshman or upperclassman? Who ?
Eric Nahlin - Sacks: Freshmen. TFL's: Freshmen. The Malik Effect helps on the field too.
Justin Wells - Sacks; Jefferson. TFL; Poona Ford. Because Malik Jefferson and because the Poona.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Malik leads all categories. End of stats.
Ian Boyd - The Predator collects an Owl skull for his collection.
Chris Hall - Tie; 1 Malik Jefferson (underclassman) & 1 Tank Jackson (upperclassman). The Predator begins to build his highlight reel.
Sean Adams - Freshman. Sacks; Malik Jefferson. That was easy.
Bill Frisbie - Freshman MLB Malik Jefferson is the sack-leader for the second week in a row. Sophomore DE Naashon Hughes leads the team in TFL.
Mike Blackwell - Freshman, Malik Jefferson. Duh.
Michael Pearle - Sacks: Malik; TFLs: an on-the-mend Ridgeway.
Clendon Ross - I picked Hassan Ridgeway last week. REALLY bad pick. Let's go with one of the few players on defense who looked competent last week: Malik Jefferson.
5. Upset of he week in CFB:
Eric Nahlin - Houston over Louisville. Eh, probably won't happen but I'd definitely play the line if I were gamboling gambler. Houston played Louisville tough two years ago. I think this Houston team is better than that one and Louisville is worse, which, when it comes to sports, doesn't mean squat. As one of my friends light-heartedly put this game, "it's the Charlie Strong Replacement Bowl." What a jerk.
Justin Wells - The lesser UT over OU. Butch's boys out-athlete the Sooners and Baker Mayfield.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Oregon upsets Michigan State.
Ian Boyd - Tennessee over OU. I know OU is only giving a point but watch for the Vols to smash them.
Chris Hall - #25 Miss St. over #14 LSU. Dak Prescott is back, and so is the SEC West craziness. They'll beat each other up again during the season and struggle in their bowl games as a result.
Sean Adams - Iowa State over Iowa. Yeah Big 12.
Bill Frisbie - BYU over Boise State…because BYU tends to upset people the second Saturday in September.
Mike Blackwell - Tennessee over Oklahoma - Vols are at home, hard to win there.
Michael Pearle - Hard to believe it'd be much of an upset, but unranked BYU knocks off No. 20 Boise State.
Clendon Ross - I had Northwestern over Stanford last week. Before I erased it and picked Charlie Strong's former team over Auburn. Trust me. My first instinct this week is Arkansas State over Missouri but I'll go opposite my pick last week: Houston over Louisville.
3. Does Texas hold Rice to over/under 300 total yards?
Eric Nahlin - Over, but I don't think it will often result in points. They averaged right at 400 yards per game last year. Not bad considering they put 367 on Notre Dame and 481 on Notre Dame. Texas is still getting new defenders' feet wet and will play a bunch more youngsters in backup roles.
Justin Wells - Over. Rice will push for just over 300+ yards but UT's defense will bend but not break in the red zone.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Under. The Texas front 7 steps up.
Ian Boyd - Over, the Owls move the ball at times but fail to convert red zone trips.
Chris Hall - Over. This young Longhorn defense still has a ways to go, but they get better this week. Rice will move the ball (more so than anyone will like) but they don't score enough points. An overall confidence building experience for Texas.
Sean Adams - Under. The added focus for the Texas defense to the run-game keeps the Owls under three bills.
Bill Frisbie - Rice gets over 300 yards against a young, bend-don’t-break Texas defense.
Mike Blackwell - I think, hopefully, the difference in the level of athletes of Rice and Notre Dame will reflect in yardage gained: under for the Owls.
Michael Pearle - The Owls go over 300 yards.
Clendon Ross - Over, the Owls will get their yards against a still/healing DL and a group of linebackers that aren't shaving yet.
4. Who leads in sacks/TFL; freshman or upperclassman? Who ?
Eric Nahlin - Sacks: Freshmen. TFL's: Freshmen. The Malik Effect helps on the field too.
Justin Wells - Sacks; Jefferson. TFL; Poona Ford. Because Malik Jefferson and because the Poona.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Malik leads all categories. End of stats.
Ian Boyd - The Predator collects an Owl skull for his collection.
Chris Hall - Tie; 1 Malik Jefferson (underclassman) & 1 Tank Jackson (upperclassman). The Predator begins to build his highlight reel.
Sean Adams - Freshman. Sacks; Malik Jefferson. That was easy.
Bill Frisbie - Freshman MLB Malik Jefferson is the sack-leader for the second week in a row. Sophomore DE Naashon Hughes leads the team in TFL.
Mike Blackwell - Freshman, Malik Jefferson. Duh.
Michael Pearle - Sacks: Malik; TFLs: an on-the-mend Ridgeway.
Clendon Ross - I picked Hassan Ridgeway last week. REALLY bad pick. Let's go with one of the few players on defense who looked competent last week: Malik Jefferson.
5. Upset of he week in CFB:
Eric Nahlin - Houston over Louisville. Eh, probably won't happen but I'd definitely play the line if I were gamboling gambler. Houston played Louisville tough two years ago. I think this Houston team is better than that one and Louisville is worse, which, when it comes to sports, doesn't mean squat. As one of my friends light-heartedly put this game, "it's the Charlie Strong Replacement Bowl." What a jerk.
Justin Wells - The lesser UT over OU. Butch's boys out-athlete the Sooners and Baker Mayfield.
Jesus Shuttlesworth - Oregon upsets Michigan State.
Ian Boyd - Tennessee over OU. I know OU is only giving a point but watch for the Vols to smash them.
Chris Hall - #25 Miss St. over #14 LSU. Dak Prescott is back, and so is the SEC West craziness. They'll beat each other up again during the season and struggle in their bowl games as a result.
Sean Adams - Iowa State over Iowa. Yeah Big 12.
Bill Frisbie - BYU over Boise State…because BYU tends to upset people the second Saturday in September.
Mike Blackwell - Tennessee over Oklahoma - Vols are at home, hard to win there.
Michael Pearle - Hard to believe it'd be much of an upset, but unranked BYU knocks off No. 20 Boise State.
Clendon Ross - I had Northwestern over Stanford last week. Before I erased it and picked Charlie Strong's former team over Auburn. Trust me. My first instinct this week is Arkansas State over Missouri but I'll go opposite my pick last week: Houston over Louisville.
