Texas Football: 3 Takeaways from win over Colorado in Alamo Bowl

Texas football makes it four straight bowl wins with a win over Colorado in the 2020 Alamo Bowl.

There seems to be three guarantees in life. Death, Taxes, and Texas football winning bowl games under Tom Herman.

Regardless of his regular season results, Herman knows how to win games in late December/early January, as he is 3-0 in bowl games.

The leader of those bowl games have been senior captain Sam Ehlinger. He has at times, carried the offense with his improvisation skills.

After forcing a three and out, Texas would be in no rush to score. A drive led by Bijan Robinson and Joshua Moore had the Longhorns in the end zone, just two minutes into the game. Robinson would finish in the end zone and the Longhorns would strike first.

Sam Noyer’s first two possessions for the Buffaloes were rough to say the least. 1/4 for just three yards and two consecutive three and out’s. Through six games, Colorado has been rather underwhelming on offense and Noyer has been just mediocre.

He has just 1,000 yards and six touchdowns, to five interceptions. Maurice Bell would help out Noyer as a gain of 26 would be the first big play for Colorado. However, the Colorado success would not last as two plays later, Demarvion Overshown would intercept a pass.

The Texas football defense has made tremendous strides since giving up 53 to Oklahoma. It is the same unit that has kept the Longhorns in games like Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Iowa State.

Robinson would bust yet another big run, this time going for 50 yards. Two plays later, it would be Robinson in the end zone once again. This time, coming from Ehlinger on a screen pass.

Through his first four games of the season, Robinson had 101 total yards on 16 carries. He eclipsed that mark, two drives into the first quarter. Noyer’s night would not get much better.

On a set up running back screen, Alfred Collins made an acrobatic one handed interception. Rarely is there defensive lineman that gets a chance to catch a pass. True freshman Collins made the most of his opportunity.

Ehlinger would not get beat against Colorado as the duo of Gonzalez and Blackmon played excellent. Gonzalez, the true freshman from the state of Texas, on a deep ball, played excellent coverage to force a Texas punt.

The Longhorn offense would stall with three straight three and outs. Those three drives also involved zero touches for Bijan Robinson.

Colorado would take advantage of its good field position. On 4th and goal, Jarek Broussard would fight his way for a touchdown. A 10-play, 50-yard drive would be capped off with All-Pac 12 running back fighting into the end zone.

The momentum for the Buffaloes would not last very long. In just two plays Texas would go from its own five to Colorado’s 20-yard line. Colorado would stuff the Longhorns and force a long field goal for Cameron Dicker.

Dicker would avenge his early miss on a 52-yard field goal. Texas football would get its lead back up to double digits with just two minutes left in the half.

Noyer would have his most impressive drive of the half. Colorado would connect on its field goal and would make the game a 17-10 contest heading into halftime.

It would not be good news for the Longhorns as Ehlinger would be sidelined for the rest of the game with a shoulder injury. However, that did not stop the Longhorns from getting out to a hot start.

After getting no attention in the second quarter, Robinson would continue his tremendous night. A 66 yard run, would set up a Casey Thompson touchdown pass to Joshua Moore for the 13 yards score.

One of the keys to victory for Texas was getting out of its own way. The Longhorns did the opposite with two straight penalties that would help Colorado. Even with the help, Texas’s defense stood tall and Colorado could not connect on a 37 yard field goal from Evan Price.

Thompson would once again throw another strike to the end zone. Connecting with Moore once again, Thompson’s confidence would start to build. The ultimate backbreaker would be a straight run drive from Thompson and Robinson. Even if it ended up in three points, the quick drive would put the game out of reach,

Broussard would find the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. Brendon Lewis would come in the game and play well. Thompson would throw his third touchdown of the day, this time, finding Robinson.

Even when it seemed like the Longhorns could not top themselves, they continue to just dominate Colorado. Broussard would cough up the football on a massive hit from Overshown. On the ensuing play, Roschon Johnson goes and does this.

Texas would finish the onslaught with a 55-23 win over Colorado to win the Alamo Bowl and here are three takeaways.

Texas defense is exciting and is reloading

Texas was the first team to hold Breece Hall to under 100 yards on the season. They are the unit that has kept Texas in so many games toward the back half of the season.Although Lewis was the more impressive quarterback, Noyer struggled mightly against the Longhorns.

Noyer was 8/23 for101 yards and two interceptions. Broussard didn’t have the most consistent game, with 82 yards on 27 carries. On just three yards per carry, the best playmakers for the Longhorns are expected to come back next year.

Collins, Overshown, Jalen Green, Josh Thompson, Juwan Mitchell. All five premiere starters that are expected to come back. This shows the growth and the future of the defensive unit, with the offense being proven.

The key for the future of the team in winning the conference is defense. If Texas can figure it out more consistently, the stigma of Texas being a contender may come a reality.