No. 24/21 Longhorns hold on for 17-16 victory over BYU

Saturday, September 10

Austin, Texas

6:00 PM

University of Texas

2-0

BYU

1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BYU

Texas

No. 24/21 Longhorns hold on for 17-16 victory over BYU

09.10.2011 | Football

Box Score

Sept. 10, 2011

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AUSTIN, Texas -- No. 24/21 Texas (2-0) utilized a multi-faceted offensive attack and a stingy defense to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit and hold on for a 17-16 victory over BYU (1-1) before 100,995 Saturday evening at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Texas trailed 13-3 going into the half, but the Horns' Cody Johnson ran for touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters to give the Horns the lead for good. The Texas defense limited the Cougars to only 67 yards of total offense in the second half. Texas' cornerback Quandre Diggs picked off BYU QB Jake Heaps late in the fourth quarter to help the Horns preserve the win.

Running back Malcolm Brown led the Longhorns' ground attack with 71 yards on 14 carries. Four Longhorns accounted for 123 yards of passing, highlighted by Case McCoy's 57 yards (7 of 8). Linebacker Emmanuel Acho led the Horns with 11 tackles (three solo), while linebacker Jordan Hicks added 10 tackles (five solo). Defensive tackle Ashton Dorsey registered the lone Texas sack of the night and added an additional tackle-for-loss. Cornerback Carrington Byndom also had eight tackles (five solo).

BYU's Justin Sorensen booted a 30-yard field goal on the Cougars' first series and followed with a 33-yard field goal to give BYU a 6-0 lead with 6:45 remaining in the first quarter. The Cougars struck early in the second quarter when Heaps found Ross Apo for a 6-yard touchdown pass that pushed the BYU lead to 13-0.

An Adrian Phillips interception at the BYU 25 led to a Justin Tucker field goal that put the Horns on the board. Quarterback David Ash ran for 9 yards, and with 3rd and 2 from the BYU 17, Johnson carried for five yards and a Texas first down. Carries from Brown and D.J. Monroe and a three-yard pass from McCoy to wide receiver John Harris set up Tucker's 23-yard field goal that cut the Horns' deficit to 13-3 with 1:44 left in the second quarter.

With Ash and McCoy rotating at quarterback in relief of starter Garrett Gilbert, Texas marched 62 yards on its opening drive of the third quarter - all on the ground - and Johnson plunged into the end zone from one yard out to cut the BYU lead to 13-10. Brown ran for four yards before Monroe scampered down the left flat for 26 yards. Brown carried for 11 and 7 yards, respectively, and Monroe ran for another 13 yards to set up Johnson's touchdown with 10:46 remaining in the third quarter. BYU answered with a 32-yard field goal from Sorensen that pushed the Cougars' lead to 16-10 with 4:36 remaining in the third.

Texas had an opportunity to cut into the BYU lead early in the fourth quarter, but at 4th and 1 from the BYU 13, Johnson was stopped for no gain. Texas stopped BYU on its next possession and drove 52 yards on the ensuing drive to take a 17-16 lead.

McCoy hit wide receiver Jaxon Shipley for 14 yards and a Longhorns first down at the BYU 35. Facing 3rd and 9 from the BYU 34, Shipley took a fierce hit and held on to a McCoy dart down the middle for 20 yards and another Texas first down at the Cougars' 14. A 6-yard run from Brown set up first and goal at the BYU 4, and Johnson took it in for his second touchdown to give the Longhorns their first lead of the game with 8:46 remaining.

Texas held BYU to a three-and-out on its next possession before the Cougars returned the favor to get the ball back with 6:03 remaining. UT's Phillips stuffed the Cougars' J.D. Falslev for a one-yard loss on first down, and consecutive BYU penalties set up a 2nd and 21 from the Cougars' own 9-yard line. On 3rd and 16, UT's Diggs picked off BYU's Heaps for his first career interception that effectively sealed the Texas victory.

Texas took over with 3:39 left on the clock, and on 3rd and 6 from the UT 47, Shipley and Ash reversed their conventional roles, as Ash hauled in a 23-yard completion from Shipley on a reverse that moved the Horns to the BYU 30. Brown salted away the victory with a 14-yard run to the Cougars' 14 before Texas ran out the clock.