Texas overcomes sluggish start with swarming defense, rushing offense to top Wyoming, 31-10

When leaving Tuscaloosa with a 34-24 victory over Alabama in hand, Texas knew that in order to keep the season on a lofty trajectory it would have to play a quality football game seven days later. The Longhorns’ contest versus the Wyoming Cowboys started at 7 p.m. on Saturday, but Steve Sarkisian‘s team, potentially still riding high from the win over the Crimson Tide, took its sweet time putting away a well-coached but less talented opponent.

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The Longhorns fell behind early versus Wyoming, surrendering a 62-yard scoring run on the first drive of the game. From that point on, the Texas defense led the program to its first 3-0 start in 11 years. Texas allowed only 229 yards over the final 57:15, a cushion the team needed before UT scored three touchdowns in the final 15 minutes to put Wyoming away 31-10.

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Sarkisian said postgame that his team played versus Wyoming as if it were distracted by the accolades it received leading up to kickoff for its achievements in Tuscaloosa. That was evident on the very first drive, as a missed assignment in run defense by Anthony Hill allowed Wyoming’s Harrison Waylee to run down the Texas sideline 62-yards for a game opening score.

It was also evident in how the Texas offense started slowly. Before even taking a snap, the Longhorns committed a penalty. Then, Quinn Ewers failed to pick up where he left off last week, tossing three consecutive incompletions that hinted at how his night would go.

While Texas was uneven to start to say the least, it never appeared flustered facing the experienced Cowboys. That composure was key ahead of the defense settling in versus a Wyoming offense that utilized a number of personnel packages and formations to open up the run game and take pressure off backup quarterback Evan Svoboda, who started in place of Andrew Peasley.

Once the Longhorns forgot about the previous week and started taking the task in front of them seriously, they dominated the final 48 minutes of the game.

Wyoming had five first-half possessions after the opening score. All of them ended in punts. Jahdae Barron, who led the Longhorns with nine tackles, made the essential third-down pass breakup or tackle on three of them. He’d add one more drive killing tackle during the fourth quarter.

Barron was the leader of an inspired defensive effort that received its most difficult test in the third quarter. The Cowboys moved down the field, with the drive eventually become 10 plays in length, and then 15.

On the 16th play of the drive, Barryn Sorrell recorded a sack of Svoboda to knock Wyoming out of the go-for-it zone and bring on kicker John Hoyland. His successful kick would tie the game at 10 but it would also be the last time Wyoming would score.

After that field goal, the Longhorn offense would figure out how to operate versus an unfamiliar Wyoming scheme and put the game on ice.

First, Xavier Worthy took a quick pass from Ewers 44 yards to make it 17-10. After another defensive stop, Ewers rushed it in from five-yards out to make it 24-10.

The Longhorn defense would complete the scoring with a Jerrin Thompson pick-six on the first play after Ewers’ run. It was his second interception of 2023 and the fifth of the season for Texas.

Admitting there was plenty to correct from the performance, Sarkisian was pleased with the fact that his team showed it could win a football game in a different manner than in previous weeks. Texas played a complete game versus Alabama, lighting up the scoreboard with successful deep passing attempts. Those types of attempts were few and far between Saturday, placing most of the burden for scoring on the run game.

Jonathon Brooks answered the bell with 21 carries for 164 yards, keeping the Longhorn offense moving down the field and setting up opportunities for scoring plays, including a second quarter touchdown reception by defensive lineman Byron Murphy.

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Texas now has a 3-0 record for the first time since 2012, a campaign that also included a victory over Wyoming. The Longhorns head to Baylor next week to begin Big 12 play one last time as a member of the conference.

Sarkisian gave his team praise postgame for being versatile. It took time for the Longhorns to showcase that versatility, but once they did the game ended with a Texas victory ahead of the beginning of one last season in the Big 12.