Overrated? Texas underwhelms in opening half vs. No. 3 Ohio State
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After 30 minutes of play, No. 1 Texas went into the locker room at the half trailing No. 3 Ohio State.
Though the Longhorns opened the season as the top-ranked team in the AP Top 25, they opened as a betting underdog in the game against the Buckeyes. That distinction made a bit of history, and if the opening half was any indication, Vegas might have a better grasp of the Longhorns early on than voters do.
According to the AP’s Josh Dubow, the No. 1 team in the AP poll has been held scoreless in a first half just 3 times since 2015. Alabama in 2016 (when Steve Sarkisian was on the staff), Texas against Georgia last season, and Texas on Saturday.
The Longhorns gained just 79 yards of total offense in the opening half and they averaged just 3 yards per play. Quarterback Arch Manning, pegged by many as the Heisman Trophy favorite, completed 5 of his first 10 pass attempts for just 26 yards in a disappointing start. CJ Baxter averaged 3.7 yards per carry and Tre Wisner averaged 3.5. Manning’s legs weren’t much of a factor, either.
Ohio State’s defense — led by Caleb Downs — deserves credit for making life difficult on Manning and the remade Texas offense. But, folks on social media spent much of the first half questioning Sarkisian, questioning Manning, and questioning the Longhorns’ worthiness as the No. 1 team in America.
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Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
