The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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UTEP
Texas rolls past UTEP, 42-13
09.07.2008 | Football
Sept. 7, 2008
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EL PASO, Texas -- Texas scored TDs on four of its first five drives, registered a second half shutout for the second straight week and had a productive special teams effort as the Longhorns routed UTEP 42-13 in El Paso. It was UT's 10th straight victory over a non-conference opponent, matching the longest streak of the Mack Brown era and the third-best in UT history.
The Horns' average scoring drive was seven plays for 67 yards, including three of 80 or more yards, as the Horns tallied 404 yards (282 passing/122 rushing) on just 60 plays (6.7 yards per play). UT's offense, which had 15 plays of 10 or more yards, played an efficient and clean game, committing no penalties. It scored four TDs in five possessions in the red zone.
Colt McCoy, who moved into a tie with Major Applewhite for seventh place on the UT all-time QB victory list with 22 (22-6), completed 20-of-29 passes (70.0%) for 282 yards and four TDs. It marked McCoy's 17th career multi-TD game and moved him into a tie with Chris Simms for second place on UT's all-time TD passes list with 58, two shy of Applewhite's record of 60. With 290 total yards, McCoy became just the fifth player in UT history to surpass the 7,000-yard mark (7,150). Quan Cosby caught eight passes for a career-high 154 yards, including a 16-yard score.
With Texas trailing for the only time in the game (6-0) midway through the first quarter, Cosby posted three receptions for 53 yards on a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by his TD catch and gave the Horns a 7-6 lead. He also returned a missed field goal 65 yards to the UTEP 35-yard line to set up a TD drive that extended UT's lead to 21-6. Cosby had three receptions of at least 30 yards, including two 39-yarders, one of which ignited the Horns' TD drive that put them up 28-6 late in the second quarter.
After missing the season opener with a knee injury, Fozzy Whitaker led the team with 72 yards on 12 carries (6.0 ypc). He had five runs of eight or more yards and five of his carries went for first downs.
The Longhorn defense held UTEP scoreless on two of four trips in the red zone and after bending in the first half, buckled down in the second. On the first four drives of the second half, UTEP managed just 59 yards and its average drive was three plays for 15 yards. Although the Miners added some yardage on the final two possessions with Texas up by 29 points, the Longhorn reserves managed to hold onto the second-half shutout.
Texas' aggressive defense registered 19 ressures and had 10 hits on the QB. Roddrick Muckelroy led the defense with 14 tackles and capped the scoring when he returned a fumble (forced by Sam Acho) 26 yards for a TD and a 42-13 Texas advantage. Brian Orakpo added two sacks, five tackles and three QB pressures, while Roy Miller notched five tackles, including two TFL, and four pressures.
On special teams, Justin Tucker nailed six of his seven kickoffs deep into the end zone, with five resulting in touchbacks. Punter John gold averaged 40.2 yards on four punts, dropping two inside the 11-yard line. With just one punt being returned for seven yards, his net average was 38.5 yards. Aaron Williams blocked a pair of punts.
