Texas got a massive win Saturday, beating Trinidad Chambliss and the Ole Miss Rebels 34-27 in Austin
. It ends the two-game skid for Texas and puts them back into the CFP conversation going forward. The upcoming schedule will force more big-time wins but Texas found a way to stay alive for another week. As we react to the performance, it’s time to break down what we learned about the Longhorns moving forward.Run game can win Texas games late
This is the biggest positive coming out of tonight. Raleek Brown put together a 23 carry, 157 yard performance, including multiple explosive runs. Michael Terry III, with Smothers hurt and Cooper sick, stepped up for 8 carries, 41 yards and a TD run. If the offensive line can perform at that level in the run game, it will allow Manning the leeway
he’ll need down the stretch. An above average run game could give the Texas offense the foothold they need moving forward.
3rd Quarter woes still need to be fixed
Texas is getting outscored 31-3 in the 3rd quarter in SEC play this season. This game was no different, allowing Ole Miss to outscore them 14-0 and set up the eventual game-tying TD drive. Given how good Texas was in the first half, there is no reason for them to go completely quiet in the 3rd frame. Steve Sarkisian and Texas need to find a way to play, at the very least, even out of half if they want to survive down the stretch.
Avoiding mistakes is the name of the game going forward
In the first half, Texas put together the best performance of the season. The offense was efficient, the defense was incredible and they earned a 21-point lead. In the second half, you had two turnovers, a number of huge penalties and gave Ole Miss the opening to comeback in this game. Going forward, Texas has to avoid mistakes, especially with a lead. Manning needs to take care of the football, penalties need to be limited by the special teams/defense and Texas has to make teams earn it.
Will Muschamp is the most valuable addition for Texas
It can’t be said enough how important Will Muschamp has been to this team. Today, he was without his trump card in Colin Simmons and had to corral the best QB in the country. For the first time at Ole Miss, Trinidad Chambliss looked out of control for much of the game, leading to his first multi-INT game as an FBS player. Holding the Ole Miss offense to 20 points is a Herculean task and Muschamp’s mindgames made it possible.
Texas Longhorns still alive for the CFP
It’s hard to say anything super confidently about this team. It continues to be an uneven, frustrating team with massive flaws. However, looking around the country, there isn’t a team that looks dominant at this moment. The name of the game for Texas(and everyone) is survive week-to-week and give yourself a chance at the CFP. After the last two weeks, Texas needed this win and got it.
Now, it’s Mississippi State at home before back-to-back road trips to Missouri and LSU. I’m not sure if this team will find their way to the CFP but I know they stayed alive while many teams around the country lost their chance at the dance. That’s something to be excited about. There are plenty of things to figure out but doing that with the CFP on the table is much more fun than the alternative.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Five Things we learned From Texas’ win over Ole Miss: CFP hopes alive
