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Texas Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Maryland in Week 1

By Connor Muldowney

AUSTIN, TX - OCTOBER 21: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns shakes hands with Lil'Jordan Humphrey #84 of the Texas Longhorns after the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - OCTOBER 21: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns shakes hands with Lil'Jordan Humphrey #84 of the Texas Longhorns after the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Texas football opens the season just as it did last season with a contest against the Maryland Terrapins. Can the Longhorns get revenge for the defeat?

Entering the season in the AP Top 25, Tom Herman has some added pressure on his shoulders to lead Texas out of Big 12 irrelevancy and back into the national spotlight.

It seems like it’s been decades since the Longhorns were a true force in the conference, but that could all change this season. The talent level is at an all-time high and Herman has one of the better young starting quarterbacks in the land.

Texas is going to be tough to beat in the Big 12.

It’s been quite the offseason for Maryland, though. The Terrapins will be without head coach DJ Durkin who is on paid leave in the midst of an investigation into the program after a player died under his training staff’s watch. The Terrapins will look to block out the distractions and start the season strong like they did a season ago.

No one is truly expecting Maryland to have a shot in this one, and that’s why the Terrapins may be so dangerous. Playing with nothing to lose while the Longhorns are ranked and trying to prove themselves makes this matchup even more intriguing.

Here’s how to watch Saturday’s Texas vs. Maryland game:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 1
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Landover, Md.
Venue: FedEX Field
TV: FOX Sports 1
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go

Keys to Victory

Texas should have one thing on its mind: stop the run game. Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison could cause trouble for the Longhorns on the ground, especially with the quarterback position always seemingly in limbo, so Texas needs to focus on stymying the dynamic duo. On offense, the Longhorns must develop a strong run game of their own and then open up the playbook for Sam Ehlinger to get some early confidence.

Maryland, on the other hand, needs to run it down the Longhorns’ throats. Texas will be keying in on Harrison and Johnson, but those two need rise above the added pressure. Moreover, Kasim Hill will need to prove himself as an adequate passer and the team, as a whole, needs to overcome the off-field distractions with Durkin.

Next. Texas Longhorns: Game-by-game predictions for 2018. dark

Prediction

Texas will get revenge for last year’s heart-breaking loss in Austin, plain and simple. The Longhorns won’t roll over against the Terrapins again but this game will still be as competitive as it was a year ago despite the national pundits being down on Maryland. Sam Ehlinger will pass for over 300 yards and we may see some Keaontay Ingram star potential as well.

Final Score: Texas 34, Maryland 24

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