The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
Football returns home Saturday to face No. 24/25 West Virginia
11.03.2014 | Football
Longhorns-Mountaineers game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Central at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Longhorns Gameweek | Texas-West Virginia Game Notes (PDF) | Tickets
Gameday FAQ | Digital Guide vs. West Virginia
After splitting a pair of road games, the Football team is back home Saturday to face nationally-ranked West Virginia, which is coming off a last-second 31-30 loss to TCU that snapped a four-game winning streak. The Longhorns (4-5, 3-3), looking to become bowl eligible, play two of their final three games at home. The No. 24/25 Mountaineers (6-3, 4-2) are a perfect 3-0 on the road this year. The Texas-WVU game, which is presented by YP, is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. Central from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and air nationally on FOX Sports 1. Longhorn Network airs a pregame show beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Longhorn IMG Radio Network broadcast, including flagship KVET (1300 AM/98.1 FM) in Austin, begins at 5:30 p.m. The game can also be heard online at TexasSports.com. Tickets are available through TexasSports.com or by calling (512) 471-3333.
Horns Earn Road win, Knock Off Texas Tech: Senior Malcolm Brown led a potent rushing attack and the Texas defense shut down Texas Tech's prolific offense in the second half to claim a 34-13 road victory Saturday. Brown tallied a season-high 116 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns as Texas took control in the second half to pull away from the Red Raiders, who entered the game ranked among the top 25 nationally in both total offense (483.8 yards per game) and passing yards, but were held to 381 yards of offense. UT held Tech's offense to just 149 total yards in the second half and built on a 17-13 halftime lead. Walk-on freshman Vincent Testaverde was limited to 116 yards passing for Tech after coming in to relieve an injured Patrick Mahomes, who was already starting in place of banged up Davis Webb. While the Texas offense rolled up a season-high 241 rushing yards, the defense took advantage of a pair of inexperienced quarterbacks by posting a season-nest 10 pass breakups and forcing eight punts in the Longhorns' sixth-straight win over the Red Raiders.
The West Virginia Series: Texas and West Virginia are meeting for the just the fourth time, with the Mountaineers winning two of the three prior games. WVU won 7-6 in 1956 and 48-45 in 2012, their first-ever meeting as conference foes. Texas made its first trip to Morgantown last year and came away with a 47-40 overtime win, just the second extra-session contest in school history. The 2012 game featured 93 points which is tied for the ninth-most combined points of any contest in UT history.
Veterans Day Game: The Longhorns will recognize Veteran's Day during Saturday's game vs. West Virginia, as well as during the week:
• Recognition will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday with a ceremonial wreath laying at the Frank Denius Veterans Plaza, located outside the northwest corner (San Jacinto Blvd. and 23rd Street) of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
• The Army Golden Knights Jump Team will bring the American flag, the State of Texas flag and the Longhorn flag prior to kickoff. The group will also present a baton to University President Bill Powers.
• The Commemorative Air Force will perform a flyover just before to kickoff.
• Vice Admiral William F. "Bill" Moran (US Navy) will serve as the honorary captain.
First-and-Goal:
• Texas ranks 37th in the FBS in total defense (352.4 yards per game), No. 9 in passing defense (177.3 ypg), No. 14 in yards allowed per play (4.61), 14th in passing efficiency defense (105.09 rating) and tied for 18th in sacks (3.0 pg). The Horns held Kansas QB Montell Cozart to a rating of just 50.84, Baylor's Bryce Petty to a career-low rating of 104.20 and Oklahoma's Trevor Knight to a season-low 129 passing yards. The Longhorns will be facing another potent offensive attack. Texas Tech entered last week's game ranked 23rd nationally in total yards (483.8 per game) and 10th in passing yards (332.3 pg). West Virginia comes into Saturday's contest ranked 12th nationally in total offense (508.2 ypg) and 11th in passing yards (325.8 pg).
• After averaging 319.2 yards of total offense over the first five games, the Longhorns have posted an average of 414.8 yards over the last four contests. They rank No. 99 nationally in total offense (361.7 ypg), but their average over the last four games would be No. 62. Texas' top three offensive outputs this season have occurred in the last four games. One week after being held to a season-low 196 total yards, including 90 on the ground, in the loss to Kansas State, which came into the game ranked No. 10 nationally in rushing defense (100.8 yds/game) and No. 39 in total defense (352.0 yds/game), the Longhorns posted 469 total yards vs. Texas Tech. One week after posting 482 total yards (148 rushing/334 passing) vs. Oklahoma, the second-highest total in series history (553 in 1999), UT rolled up a season-high 512 total yards vs. Iowa State. The output in those two games was the best in conference play since the 2011 season when UT rolled up 590 yards vs. Kansas (Oct. 29) and then 595 vs. Texas Tech (Nov. 5).
• QB Tyrone Swoopes has emerged as the focal point of the offense in just his second season. Swoopes has directed the offense the last eight games, completing 156 of 263 passes (59.3 percent) for 1,723 yards with nine TDs and five interceptions. His passing yardage total is the fourth-best mark in school history after eight starts, while his 1,960 total yards is fourth. He posted career highs in completions (27), attempts (44) and passing yards (334) vs. Oklahoma and followed up by recording career highs in total offense (416) and rushing yards (95) vs. Iowa State. His passing yards and total offense (384) outputs were the most ever by a Longhorn in the Oklahoma series.
• Jaxon Shipley (51) and John Harris (48) are leading the team in receptions. They rank eighth (5.7 pg) and tied for ninth (5.3), respectively, in the Big 12. Harris ranks fourth in the Big 12 and 19th in the FBS in receiving yards per game (90.4). In addition, his 17.0 yards per catch ranks sixth nationally among players with at least 40 receptions.
• Malcolm Brown (533) and Johnathan Gray (446) are the top rushers. Last week vs. Texas Tech, the Longhorns racked up a season-high 241 rushing yards, the most since posting 281 vs. the Red Raiders last year. Brown rushed 22 times for a season-high 116 yards against Texas Tech. After averaging 120.5 rushing yards over the first four games, Texas has posted 172.0 over the last five. UT rushed for 190 yards vs. a Baylor defense that ranked No. 6 in the nation in rushing defense (80.0 ypg). The Longhorns followed up with 148 yards (40 attempts), including 78 by Brown and 50 by Swoopes, vs. Oklahoma. The Sooners entered the game ranked No. 22 nationally in rushing defense, allowing 109.6 yards per contest.
Streaks, Trends and Milestones:
• With three receptions vs. Texas Tech, Jaxon Shipley now has 51 catches on the season. The senior is one of three players in school history to record three 50-reception seasons. He had a career-high 59 catches in 2012 and 56 last season. Shipley joins Mike Adams (1993, '95-96) and Roy Williams (2001-03) on the exclusive list.
• Malcolm Brown continues to move up the UT career rushing yards list. He posted 116 yards on 22 carries vs. Texas Tech to pass Adrian Walker (2,473/1989-92) and move from 13th to 12th. He has 2,503 in his career and needs seven more to reach 11th. That marked Brown's 11th career 100-yard rushing game, which moved him from a ninth-place tie to a seventh-place tie on the UT all-time list. Brown also chipped in two rushing touchdowns and has a team-high six on the season and 24 in his career. He needs three more rushing TDs to reach the UT career top 10.
• John Harris posted five receptions for a career-high 165 receiving yards, including 123 in the first half, vs. Texas Tech. He had a career-long 68-yard reception in the second quarter, which set up a Johnathan Gray 17-yard TD run. He posted his third career 100-yard receiving game (all this year) and second in the last three games. His receiving yardage total ranks tied for No. 18 on the UT all-time single-game list and the most since Mike Davis also had 165 (on four catches) vs. Texas Tech in 2012.
• The defense had one of its best games knocking down passes vs. Texas Tech. The Longhorns were credited with a season-best 10 pass breakups, including a career-high four by Duke Thomas. Texas had four PBUs in three other games this season. It marked the most PBUs in one since the Longhorns had 13 vs. Texas A&M in 2011.
• The Longhorns have been forced to utilize five different starting lineups along the offensive line. The lineup - LT Marcus Hutchins, LG Sedrick Flowers, C Taylor Doyle, RG Kent Perkins and RT Camrhon Hughes - has been the same the last three weeks, though Perkins played sparingly vs. K-State due to injury. Darius James subbed for him in that game.
• Texas has 12 interceptions this season after posting 10 all of 2013. That is the most for UT in the first nine games since recording 16 in 2009. That year they finished with a nation's-best 25 interceptions. The Horns rank tied for 11th nationally in interceptions and tied for 39th in turnovers gained (16). Texas Tech entered last week's game ranked No. 123 nationally in turnovers lost (20) and 122nd in turnover margin (-1.50) and then surrendered the ball twice. The Longhorns are tied for 63rd in the FBS in turnover margin (even). West Virginia comes into this week's game tied for No. 117 in the FBS in turnovers lost (20) and tied for 121 in turnover margin (-1.33).
• Sophomore Dylan Haines, a former walk-on turned starting safety, posted the Longhorns' second interception return for a touchdown this season in the Iowa State game. Haines picked off Sam Richardson in the second quarter and weaved his way 74 yards for the TD. That was the 13th-longest pick for a score in school history and longest since 2009 when Curtis Brown went 77 yards for a TD vs. Oklahoma State (Oct. 31). LB Demarco Cobbs has the other return for a score this season (28-yarder vs. North Texas).
• Senior LB Jordan Hicks, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his 15-tackle, one-interception performance vs. Kansas (Sept. 27), has a team-high 115 stops for an average of 12.8 per game. The senior has seven double-digit tackle games, including a career-best 18 stops vs. both UCLA and Iowa State. Hicks was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Steve Edmond is second with 95 stops, including a career-best 19 vs. Baylor. He has five double-digit tackle games.
• Safety Jason Hall made his first career start in the Kansas game and went on to start in three more games. He became the first true freshman to start a game since Blake Gideon in 2008. Gideon started all 13 games at safety that season.
• Dominic Espinosa, who fractured an ankle in the season opener vs. North Texas, had his team-best 40 consecutive-game starting streak snapped vs. BYU. DE Cedric Reed, who has started 28 straight games, now has the team lead. TE Geoff Swaim has the most consecutive starts on offense with 15.
Quick Strike: Texas showed its quick strike ability vs. Texas Tech, scoring on a two-play, 85-yard drive in the second quarter. Tyrone Swoopes hit John Harris for a 68-yard gain and Johnathan Gray scored on a 17-yard run. The last time Texas had a two-play or less, 80-plus yard TD drive was Nov. 1, 2008 at Texas Tech (exactly six years before Saturday's drive.). Colt McCoy hit Malcolm Williams on 91-yard score, a one-play drive.
Hall of Honor Inductions Set For Friday: The University of Texas athletics department will hold induction ceremonies for the Men's and Women's Hall of Honor this Friday. Five football players and one coach/administrator will be among the nine distinguished individuals inducted into the UT Men's Athletics Hall of Honor. The 58th class includes Doak Walker Award winner Cedric Benson (2001-04); two-time first team All-American and 2000 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Casey Hampton (1996, 1998-2000); and two-time All-American Cory Redding (1999-2002). Special selection Ken Dabbs (Coach and Administrator, 1973-95) along with vintage selections Happy Feller (1968-70) and Delano Womack (1953-55) round out the football selections. UT's all-time saves leader and MVP of the 2002 College World Series Huston Street (2002-04), along with special selection Rick Barnes from men's basketball (1998-present) and vintage selection Mike Beard of baseball (1969-71) complete the men's class. To be eligible for nomination, a letterman must have completed his eligibility 10 years prior to the year of election. The four nominees receiving a majority of votes are inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor. The induction banquet will take place at 6 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin.
• The UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor will see five new members inducted. The 15th Longhorn Women's Hall of Honor class includes Karol Davidson, a two-time NCAA champion and eight-time All-American in track; Katy Jameyson Garza, a two-time First-Team All-American and two-time Southwest Conference Player of the Year in volleyball; Colleen Lanné Cox, a four-time NCAA champion, 22-time All-American and Olympic silver medalist in swimming; Debbie Petrizzi, the 1978 AIAW individual national champion in golf; and Yulonda Wimbish-North, the 1988 Southwest Conference Player of the Year in basketball who helped Texas to the 1985-86 NCAA Championship. The five inductees were selected by the 21-member UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor Selection Committee. The Class of 2014 will be inducted at an 11:30 a.m. Central ceremony and luncheon on Friday at the Frank Erwin Center.
Last Time vs. West Virginia (Nov. 9, 2013): Case McCoy hit Alex De La Torre for a 2-yard touchdown pass in overtime and Texas knocked off West Virginia, 47-40, in a back-and-forth affair in Morgantown. Steve Edmond twice prevented West Virginia from the equalizing score in overtime - first tipping a pass in the end zone on third down, and then intercepting Paul Millard in the end zone on fourth down to seal the win. McCoy went 27 of 49 for 283 yards and three touchdowns and the Texas defense forced five turnovers in a game that featured seven lead changes. Jaxon Shipley caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, and Malcolm Brown ran 28 times for 89 yards and a score. Edmond was part of a defensive effort that recorded six sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The Longhorns also forced four fumbles -- recovering three -- and had two interceptions. Texas sent the game into overtime when Anthony Fera booted his fourth field goal of the game, a 24-yarder with 13 seconds left in regulation.
Producing Explosive Plays: Though the offense was limited in explosive plays (12-plus yard rushes/16-plus yard catches) two weeks ago at Kansas State, finishing with six (four rushing, two passing), the Horns had their best production of the season in three of the last four games. Last week vs. Texas Tech, the Longhorns rebounded with 10 (six rushing/four receiving), including three John Harris receptions of 35 or more yards. Against Oklahoma on Oct. 11, Texas had a season-best 12 explosive plays and followed with nine vs. Iowa State (four on the ground and five in the air). Two of the explosive plays came during the final drive of the game (3 plays, 68 yards, 19 seconds) to set up the game-winning 21-yard field goal by Nick Rose. UT has 11 pass plays of 30 or more yards this season and eight occurred over the last four weeks. WRs Jaxon Shipley (32), Marcus Johnson (41) and John Harris (38) each had a reception of more than 30 yards vs. Oklahoma. Harris had catches of 32 and 45 yards in the Iowa State game. Texas' season best prior to OU was seven explosive plays (vs. North Texas and Baylor).
Sack Attack: The Longhorns have combined for 27 sacks over the first nine games and rank tied for 18th in the FBS (3.0 per game). Twelve players have been involved in a sack this season, including five with 2.0 or more. DT Hassan Ridgeway leads the way with 5.0. He is tied for ninth in the Big 12 and tied for 80th nationally (0.56 per game). DT Malcom Brown and LB Steve Edmond are tied for second with 4.5. They rank tied for 11th in the Big 12 (0.50 pg). Texas has at least three sacks in six games this season. Baylor entered the Oct. 4 game as one of only two teams in the nation not to allow a sack (also New Mexico State) and the Longhorns took down QB Bryce Petty three times. The Bears had no sacks in their first 163 pass attempts of the season.
By The Numbers…
1: Number of offensive touchdowns allowed by the Texas defense in the opening quarter this season (vs. Iowa State).
1: Quandre Diggs is the team's active career leader with 35 pass breakups. He needs one more to reach the UT career top 10.
2: The Longhorns have two running backs on the roster with more than 1,900 career rushing yards. Malcolm Brown ranks 12th on the school's career list (2,503) and Johnathan Gray is 18th (1,926).
3: Charlie Strong had three of his Louisville players selected in the 2014 NFL Draft, tied for the most in the nation.
3: The Longhorns, who rank tied for 18th in the FBS in sacks (3.00 pg), have produced at least three sacks in six of the nine games this season.
3: The Longhorns have three BCS Bowl victories in four appearances, including winning the 2005 National Championship.
4: Jaxon Shipley ranks No. 4 in school history in career receptions (210).
5: Number of career starts the offensive line had registered entering the BYU game (Kent Perkins - 2; Sedrick Flowers - 2; Marcus Hutchins - 1).
6: Jaxon Shipley ranks No. 6 in school history in career receiving yards (2,433).
9: Jaxon Shipley ranks ninth on the school's all-time punt return average chart (9.9).
11: Malcolm Brown has a team-high 11 career 100-yard rushing games, a mark that ranks tied for seventh in school history. The Longhorns are 8-3 when Brown rushes for 100 or more yards.
11: Jordan Hicks has 11 career double-digit tackle games.
23: During 2012-13, Charlie Strong led Louisville to a 23-3 record. The win total was tied for fourth in the FBS over that span.
24: Malcom Brown has 24 career tackles for loss, which ranks second on the team among active players (Cedric Reed - 31).
28: Cedric Reed has started 28 straight games which leads the team.
40: Dominic Espinosa had his team-leading streak of 40 straight starts snapped when he missed the BYU game (fractured ankle).
42: As of Nov. 2, the Longhorns' strength of schedule is tied for 42nd in the FBS, according to NCAA.org. The past and future opposition has a winning percentage of .554 (46-37).
45: Number of career starts by members of the offensive line (Kent Perkins - 10; Sedrick Flowers - 10; Marcus Hutchins - 9; Jake Raulerson - 4; Taylor Doyle - 7; Camrhon Hughes - 3; Darius James - 2).
50: William Russ has at least one 50-yard punt in each game this season.
56.6: Jaxon Shipley (51) and John Harris (48) lead the team in receptions and are the clear top targets of Tyrone Swoopes. That duo has accounted for 56.6 percent (99 of 175) of the team's receptions.
180: Texas and West Virginia have combined to score 180 points in their last two meetings.
285: Steve Edmond is the team's active leader in career tackles (272).
