Texas Football: 3 takeaways from gut-wrenching loss to Iowa State

Texas football held a late lead but Iowa State scored with just 1:25 to go ahead and the Longhorns just couldn’t come back. What’d we learn?

In one of the biggest games of the conference for the season, Iowa State and Texas would clash for what would essentially be a lock for the Big 12 Championship Game.

Both teams would be led on offense with a talented runner in quarterback Sam Ehlinger for Texas and Breece Hall for Iowa State.

For the Cyclones, they are in rare territory as they haven’t played in a conference championship game since 1912, when they played just two league games to qualify. The standards have been higher in Austin since then and the Longhorns are looking to get back after going in 2018 and losing to Oklahoma.

Ehlinger would not waste any time as he threw a beautiful deep ball, hitting Brennan Eagles in stride, down inside the 5-yard-line. The Horns could not find the end zone as they would settle for a field goal with Cameron Dicker.

After scoring 45 points effortlessly last week against Kansas State, Iowa State stalled out on their first drive with a three and out. It was clear from the beginning that Texas was ready and got up for this game. After shutting out K-State, Texas would put up 10 points halfway through the first quarter.

An Ehlinger run down the sidelines would give Texas the double-digit lead. Iowa State looked very sluggish on both sides of the ball, it was clear something needed to change quickly before this game got ugly early.

Iowa State’s offense would get that jolt with a sideline shot and wide receiver Sean Shaw Jr. would score from 35 yards out.

Both defenses would start to settle in a little bit with a takeaway and turnover. Texas would connect on another Dicker field goal to put Texas up, 13-7. Brock Purdy and Hall would lead a terrific 15-play, 67-yard drive that would take over half of the second quarter. Iowa State would settle again as Connor Assalley would drill a 26-yard field goal to cut the deficit in half.

Right before halftime, Purdy would take multiple shots down the field, with none connecting. Assalley would shank this one wide right and Texas would head into the locker room with a three point lead.

One of the most impressive aspects of this Texas team was how well they defended Iowa State on the ground. This was an area that have been gashed by every other team that has faced the Cyclones. They limited Hall to just 42 yards on 11 carries in the first half and forced Purdy to throw 25 times in that half alone.

The Longhorns defense would start the second half, the way they finished the first half with a stop on third down, when the Cyclones tried to run with Kene Nwangwu that would result in a loss of two and a punt.

Texas would take advantage as Ehlinger would fire a strike to tight end Jared Wiley from seven yards, to put the Longhorns back up double digits. Texas would try a trick play as Dicker would throw a pass to tight end Cade Brewer. However, they could not convert and give Iowa State an excellent chance to tie the game. One play later, they are well inside the red zone on a big pitch and catch to Charlie Kolar.

The Achilles heal for Iowa State has been being able to score touchdowns in the red zone, while ending up with three points instead. Purdy could not capitalize on the deep play and once again, ended up with three points.

Iowa State would not go away quietly as All-Big 12 linebacker Mike Rose stuffed Ehlinger on a fourth-and-1, to give the Cyclones the ball back with eight minutes to go, down four.

Neither team could take advantage as both teams would share punts. When the pressure was on Purdy the most, he went to go his go to playmakers in Hall and Kolar. Hall would punch it in from five yards and the pressure would  be on Texas with 85 seconds to go. Although Iowa State has been poor in finding the end zone, Purdy found a way to drive them down the field and the go ahead score.

Ehlinger would lead Texas into a rather difficult field goal. However, if there’s any kicker that is ready for a clutch moment, it has been Dicker. He made three game winning field goals in his career. A 57-yard field goal would hook left as Iowa State would get its first win in Austin since 2010 and Texas would fall in an iconic battle, 23-20.

Ehlinger would finish with 298 passing yards and a touchdown, while also leading the ground game with 65 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Bijan Robinson had 54 yards and Eagles lead the receiving game, with five catches for 142 yards.

What’d we learn from this battle?