The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
Football kicks off Big 12 action at Oklahoma State
09.26.2016 | Football
The No. 22/25 Longhorns travel to Stillwater for a Saturday showdown with the Cowboys.
Texas game notes | Oklahoma State game notes
The Opening Kickoff
The University of Texas travels to Oklahoma State University to begin Big 12 Conference action on Saturday, Oct. 1. Kickoff at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. is set for 11:00 a.m. CT on ABC. The Longhorns enter the game with a 2-1 record. Coming off a bye week, the game against the Cowboys will mark their first game in a stretch where they play games in nine consecutive weeks to finish the regular season, all against conference foes. OSU comes into the game with a 2-2 record overall. They are 0-1 in the Big 12 having lost at Baylor, 35-24, Saturday in their conference opener.
The All-Time Series
• Texas and Oklahoma State will meet for the 31st time on Saturday, with the Longhorns holding a 24-6 advantage in the all-time series.
• UT's longest winning streak in the series was 12 consecutive games, spanning from 1998-2009.
• The Longhorns have won eight consecutive games in Stillwater and hold an 8-1 record on the road against the Cowboys. The lone loss on the road in the series was a 1997 setback.
• The visiting team has won seven straight games in the series.
National Game Coverage
• Kickoff for Texas' Big 12 Conference opener at Oklahoma State is set for 11:00 a.m. CT on Saturday in Stillwater.
• ABC will televise the game between the Longhorns and Cowboys. Mike Patrick will handle the play-by-play duties while Ed Cunningham will join him in the booth to provide analysis. Jerry Punch will be on the sidelines.
• Tune into LHN's Texas GameDay show live beginning two hours before kickoff.
• A national radio broadcast can be heard on Sirius channel 136, XM channel 199 and online channel 953.
A Texas Win Would...
• Make Texas 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12
• Mark the Longhorns 889th win in program history
• Improve Texas' record to 25-6 all-time against the Cowboys, including their ninth straight victory in Stillwater
• Be Charlie Strong's 51st career coaching victory
The Longhorns In Big 12 Openers
• Saturday's game marks the beginning of the Longhorns' 21st season of play within the Big 12 Conference.
• Texas holds an all-time record of 16-4 (.800) in Big 12 Conference openers, while they also have an identical 16-4 (.800) record in Big 12 Conference road openers.
Head Coach Charlie Strong
• Charlie Strong is in his third season as the head coach at Texas and his seventh overall season as a head coach. Strong is 13-15 (.464) in his career with the Longhorns, while compiling a career record of 50-31 (.671).
• Strong has the Longhorns sitting at 2-1 overall early on in the 2016 season entering Big 12 Conference play. During his first two seasons, Strong has guided Texas to a 9-9 mark (.500) in Big 12 action.
• Prior to Texas, Strong was the head coach at Louisville for four seasons. He was 27-15 in four years with the Cardinals.
• In just seven years, Strong has led his teams to a bowl game five times, registered 11- and 12-win seasons and three bowl wins, including a Sugar Bowl title.
• Under Strong, Texas is 4-8 (.333) against ranked opponents. But, the Longhorns have won three straight over such foes (24-17 W vs. No. 10 Oklahoma and 23-17 W at No. 12 Baylor in 2015; 50-47 W vs. No. 10 Notre Dame in 2016).
Strong Record On Extra Rest
• In his head coaching career, Charlie Strong is 16-8 (.667) when his team is coming off a bye week with rest of 10-or-more days. That record includes season openers and bowl games.
• Strong's teams are 8-4 (.667) when playing a regular season game coming off a bye during his head coaching career.
Longhorns Remain In National Rankings
• Texas enters Saturday's game at Oklahoma State ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Week five of the college football season will mark the first time since early in the 2012 season that the Longhorns have been ranked in the AP Top 25 poll for four consecutive weeks. Texas jumped into the rankings after beating No. 10 Notre Dame in week one and has remained ever since.
• UT hasn't been ranked for four consecutive weeks in the coaches poll since doing so from the middle of the 2012 season through the beginning of the 2013 season.
Gilbert Making A Difference For Longhorns' Offense
• First-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert was brought to Texas to reinvigorate the Longhorns offense and install his up-tempo system on the 40 Acres.
• Gilbert's impact has been felt through three games at Texas. Already, the Longhorns have improved by 15.0 points per game, over 63.0 passing yards per game, more than 73.0 rushing yards per game, 12.0 first downs per game and 26.0 plays per game over the first three games from last season.
• This improvement for the Longhorns was not unexpected though, as Gilbert's past successes have provided a great indication of what his offenses can accomplish at UT.
• The Longhorns have already surpassed 500 yards of offense in two of their three games this season, including a season-high 568 at California last time out. Their 517 yards of total offense against No. 10 Notre Dame marked the first time since 2011 against Baylor that Texas has totaled more than 500 yards of offense against a ranked opponent.
• After three weeks of play, Texas had the Big 12's top two leading rushers in D'Onta Foreman (288) and Chris Warren III (260). That duo has combined for three 100-yard games in the first three games of the season.
• True freshman QB Shane Buechele has combined with fifth-year senior QB Tyrone Swoopes for 786 passing yards, 154 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns.
• In total, nine Longhorn receivers have combined to catch 62 passes and seven touchdowns. Five players have between nine and 13 catches and also 92 and 175 receiving yards through three games for Texas.
• One key aspect for the Longhorns attack is the speed at which it operates. Texas has run 251 plays through three games for an average of 83.7 plays per game. With their average time of possession being 28:22, Texas is running a play every 20.33 seconds so far in 2016.
Longhorns Lighting Up The Scoreboard
• The 134 (44.7 ppg) points through the first three games of the season mark the sixth-most for a Texas team since the turn of the century in 2000.
• Texas has scored more than 40 points in each of their first three games (50, 41, 43) this season. It marks the first time since 2008 (52, 42, 52) that a Longhorn team has done so. It is just the seventh time in school history that a Longhorn team has begun a season with three straight performances of more than 40 points.
Foreman Surpasses 1,000 Career Rushing Yards
• Junior running back D'Onta Foreman became the 50th Longhorn all-time to surpass 1,000 career rushing yards in a week three loss at Cal.
• Foreman, who is second in the Big 12 Conference with 288 rushing yards this season, despite playing in just two games, has registered over 100 yards in both games he has played in this season. He matched his career-high with 157 yards at California. Additionally, he has gone over 100 yards in six of his last eight games played.
• A native of Texas City, Texas, Foreman has played in just 19 career games with one start. He currently has 1,042 career rushing yards entering Saturday's game at Oklahoma State, tied for 47th all-time at UT.
• His 155 career carries are the second-fewest (Graylon Wyatt, 152) among any running back in school history with more than 1,000 career yards. Of anyone in Texas football history with as many career yards as Foreman, the Longhorns' junior has 58 fewer career attempts than any of them.
• Additionally, Foreman currently has a career average of 6.7 yards per carry. Of the 50 players with more than 1,000 career rushing yards in school history, just QB Vince Young's 6.8 ypc career average is better.
Swoopes Goes Over 3,000 Career Passing Yards
• Senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes became just the 13th player in school history to eclipse the 3,000 career passing yards mark when he completed 4-of-6 passes for 65 yards in week three against Cal. Swoopes has now passed for 3,038 yards in his career.
• Additionally, he is just 120 rushing yards shy of 1,000 career yards. Swoopes could join Colt McCoy and Vince Young as the only three quarterbacks in school history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 in a career.
Swoopes Excelling In 18-Wheeler Package
• Since the installation of the 18-wheeler package last season against Oklahoma State, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes has shined for the Longhorns. Not counting last season's TCU game, Swoopes has totaled 80 rushes for 465 yards (5.81 ypc) and 15 rushing touchdowns. He has also added two more passing touchdowns out of the package.
• Swoopes has been nothing short of efficient out of the package, as 38-of-80 rushes (47.5%) have either gone for a first down or touchdown.
• In the last 12 games, Swoopes has had four multi-touchdown games on the ground alone, including three in the win against No. 10 Notre Dame. In that game, Swoopes rushed 13 times for 53 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner in double-overtime.
• Additionally in that time, Swoopes has five games with 50-or-more rushing yards, including a career-high of 98 yards against Texas Tech last season. In that span, he has five games with four-or-more money rushes, which include first downs and touchdowns.
• Swoopes enters Saturday's game with 880 career rushing yards, good for sixth in school history among quarterbacks. He also has 20 rushing touchdowns in his career - third-most among QBs in school history.
• Following his week one performance against Notre Dame, Swoopes was named Big 12 Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
Did You Know?
• The Longhorns offense had 34 first downs against California - 19 on the ground, 11 through the air and four via penalty. The school record for first downs in a game is 38, set at Baylor (11/9/1968).
• The last time Texas had more than 30 first downs in a game was 43 games ago when they had 31 against Iowa State (11/10/2012). The last time UT had more than 34 in a game was versus Kansas (10/29/2011), when they had 35.
Buechele Making History Early At Texas
• Shane Buechele (Arlington, Texas) became the first true freshman quarterback at Texas to ever start the first two games of his career. He was just the second true freshman QB in school history to start the season opener, joining Bobby Layne in 1944. He has started all three games this season.
• Through three games, Buechele has made his mark among freshman quarterbacks in Texas football history. He has completed 57-of-86 (.663) passes for 720 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven touchdowns are a true freshman record at Texas, surpassing Bobby Layne's (1944) six.
• Buechele is closing in on 1,000 yards passing this season with 720 through three games. David Ash (2011) is the only true freshman QB in school history with a 1,000-yard passing season. Ash had 1,079 passing yards that season. In total, just nine freshmen have had 1,000-yard seasons at UT.
• In the season-opening win against No. 10 Notre Dame, Buechele was 16-of-26 for a true freshman-record 280 yards passing. Against UTEP, he passed for a true freshman-record four touchdowns.
• His two victories as a true freshman quarterback are tied for third all-time at Texas, while his three starts are fourth among true freshmen (Bobby Layne, 8, 1944).
• Buechele went over 200 yards passing in each of his first two games. Only one other true freshman quarterback has had a 200 yard passing game in the 124-year history of Texas Football, as Rick McIvor did so against Baylor in 1979.
Warrick Making Senior Season Count
• Senior WR Jacorey Warrick is making his last season on the 40 Acres count. The Longhorns starting inside receiver as well as top punt returner, Warrick has burst onto the scene and is leading Texas in receiving through three games.
• Warrick has caught a team-high 13 passes for 172 yards (13.2 ypc) and two touchdowns. His first career touchdown came in a 41-7 win at UTEP, while his second came on a career-long 41-yard reception at California.
• Prior to this season, Warrick had caught just 16 passes for 129 and no touchdowns. He had played in 23 games prior to the 2016 season.
Longhorns Feature Dynamic Duo AT Running Back
• Junior D'Onta Foreman and sophomore Chris Warren III are the features of the Longhorns' offensive attack early on in 2016. After week four, Foreman ranks second in the Big 12 Conference with 288 rushing yards while Warren is first in the league averaging 86.7 yards per game. Both have registered three touchdowns thus far.
• Foreman, who is 47th all-time in school history with 1,042 career rushing yards and eight touchdowns, has played in 19 career games with one start. He has eight touchdowns and an average of 6.7 yards per carry. Foreman has six career 100-yard rushing games, all coming in his last eight games.
• Warren, who has played in 11 career games with four starts, has rushed for 730 career yards. He has seven touchdowns and averages 5.3 yards per carry. Warren has three 100-yard games in his career, all coming in his last five games.
• Against California, both backs went over 100 yards rushing, with Foreman totaling 157 and Warren registering 119. It marked the first time since 2013, and just the 22nd time since 1951, that two Longhorn running backs have gone over 100 yards rushing in the same contest. In total, Texas has had at least two 100-yard rushers (including QBs) 38 times in school history.
Heard Of Him Before
• Texas sophomore receiver Jerrod Heard made the most of his 21st birthday in a week two win over UTEP, catching six passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns. The two touchdown receptions were the first of his career, in just his second career game at receiver.
• Heard's two receiving touchdowns against UTEP marked the Longhorns' first multi-touchdown receiving game by a single player since John Harris caught two versus Oklahoma in 2014. Since the beginning of the 2010 season, a span of 79 games, Heard's effort was just the seventh multi-touchdown receiving game.
• Since the 1980 season, just seven Longhorns have thrown a touchdown pass, caught a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown in their career.
• Heard has 10 catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns in 2016.
Burt Blazing On The Field And Track
• Sophomore wide receiver John Burt had a standout freshman season on both the football field for Coach Charlie Strong and on the track for Coach Mario Sategna.
• A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Burt had six catches for 111 yards, including a touchdown reception of 72 yards in the win over No. 10 Notre Dame. His six receptions were a new career-high.
• He leads the Longhorns in receiving yards through three games in 2016, totaling 175 yards on 12 catches.
• Last season, Burt was Texas' leading receiver catching 28 passes for 457 yards and two touchdowns. He started all 12 games.
• On the track, Burt finished second in the 110m Hurdles at the Big 12 Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore.
• Burt was one of five who also play football at their respective FBS schools to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He was one of just two freshmen to qualify in the 24-person field.
• Burt was named the 12th-fastest player in college football as part of the NFL.com "16 for '16" series.
Foreman Brothers Are Formidable
• As if one Foreman brother wasn't enough for defenses, the opposition has to figure out how to defend WR Armanti Foreman each week in addition to running back D'Onta.
• Twin brothers, both started the season opener against Notre Dame. They each scored a touchdown in the win versus the Fighting Irish.
• Armanti has started all three games at outside wide receiver for the Longhorns so far in 2016. He now has racked up nine career starts.
• Thus far, Armanti has caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Fourteen Freshmen Debut In Nonconference Action
• A total of fourteen true freshman have made their debuts in the burnt orange and white during the first three games of the season. Ten true freshmen debuted in the season opener against No. 10 Notre Dame, while four more made appearances in a week two win over UTEP.
• So far, QB Shane Buechele and C Zach Shackelford are the only two true freshmen to start. Both of them have started all three games to date.
• Other Longhorns to debut thus far are: DL D'Andre Christmas, OL Jean Delance, WR Devin Duvernay, DL Jordan Elliott, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR Collin Johnson, DB Brandon Jones, LB Jeffrey McCulloch, OL Denzel Okafor, RB Kyle Porter, DE Malcolm Roach and DT Gerald Wilbon.
• After playing 17 true freshmen while starting a school-record 10 a season ago, Texas has played 14 with two making starts already in 2016.
First Time Starters, First Time Players
• Besides true freshmen, nine players have made their first career starts so far: RG Alex Anderson (UTEP), CB Sheroid Evans (ND), RB D'Onta Foreman (ND), RT Brandon Hodges (ND), DT Chris Nelson (ND), DE Charles Omenihu (ND), LT Elijah Rodriguez (UTEP), SS Kevin Vaccaro (UTEP) and WR Jacorey Warrick (ND).
• An additional 11 players have made their first career appearance: K Mitchell Becker (ND), K Trent Domingue (ND), OL Garrett Graf (UTEP), DS Jak Holbrook (ND), RB Tristian Houston (UTEP), DL Alex Mercado (UTEP), DL Patrick Ojeaga (UTEP), OL Garrett Thomas (UTEP), LB Cameron Townsend (UTEP), LB Johnny Tseng (UTEP) and TE Michael Wilson (ND).
Horns Hosting A Block Party In 2016
• So far in 2016, Longhorns' special teams have come up with three blocked kicks (two punts, one field goal). Texas did not have a blocked kick in each of Charlie Strong's first two seasons and had just two total since the beginning of the 2013 season.
• True freshman Brandon Jones has blocked a punt in back-to-back games. He is the first Longhorn since Mykkele Thompson in 2012 to block a punt in consecutive games and only the fourth player at Texas since blocked kicks became an official stat in 1975. No Longhorn has ever blocked a punt in three consecutive games.
• Jones' punt block against UTEP was the first blocked punt for Texas since Carrington Byndom did so vs. Texas Tech on Nov. 3, 2012.
• Jones is just the 12th player in school history to block multiple punts in the same season. The school record is four, owned by Aaron Williams (2008), Michael Griffin (2005) and Terrol Dillon (1999).
• Both of his punt blocks have led to points, as the block against UTEP led to a FG while against Cal it led to a safety.
• Junior Naashon Hughes blocked a Notre Dame field goal late in the third quarter of that game, which proved to be huge as the Fighting Irish attempted to mount a comeback. The Longhorns eventually won in double-overtime, 50-47. For Texas, Hughes' field goal block was the first in the last 30 games. Jackson Jeffcoat was the last to block a field goal when he did so against Kansas on Nov. 2, 2013.
Dickson A Threat From Down Under
• Sydney, Australia native Michael Dickson has turned into a major threat for the Longhorns early in his sophomore season. He enters the Big 12 Conference opener at Oklahoma State ranked third in the nation, averaging 50.4 yards per punt.
• Dickson has punted 15 times in three games for a total of 756 yards. Nine of his 15 punts (60%) have had a distance over 50 yards, while five of 15 (33.3%) have been inside the 20.
• In total, only five of Dickson's 15 punts have been returned, as opponents are averaging just 9.0 yards per return.
• As a team, Texas is first in the Big 12 and seventh nationally with a 44.73 net punting average.
• Dickson punted six times for an average of 55.0 yards per punt in the season-opening victory over Notre Dame, playing a crucial role in flipping the field throughout.
• Dickson, who set a new career long with a punt of 64 yards, set a new career high and school record with his 55.0 yards per punt average. His five punts of more than 50 yards were also a new career high.
• Against UTEP, he punted five times for an average of 50.4 yards per punt (51.8 net average).
• Three of his five attempts were 50 yards-or-better, with a long of 57 yards on the night. Two punts were downed inside the UTEP 20, including one at the 1-yard line.
• Against California, Dickson punted four times for 174 yards (43.5 ypp). He had a long of 50 yards and downed two inside the 20. Just two punts were returned for a combined one yard.
Did You Know?
• Prior to Saturday's game at California, the last time the Longhorns had recorded a safety came on a Cedric Reed sack in the end zone against West Virginia (11/9/2014).
Young Players Stepping Up On Special Teams
• Through three games, young players have stepped up for the Longhorns on special teams. Texas' four leading tacklers on special teams are all either freshmen or sophomores.
• Freshman Jeffrey McCulloch leads UT with four special teams tackles (three solo). He had three tackles on special teams against California.
• Freshman Brandon Jones is second on the team with three special teams tackles. Including his two blocked punts through three games, Jones has made his impact felt on the special teams' units.
• The other two players with multiple special teams tackles thus far are sophomores Edwin Freeman and Breckyn Hager.
Domingue Delivering Early And Often
• Graduate transfer kicker Trent Domingue leads the Longhorns in scoring through his first three games at UT. He has scored 30 points (10.0 ppg) to rank fourth in the Big 12 and 26th in the country in points scored per game.
• Domingue has made 5-of-7 field goals and 15-of-16 extra points. His two missed field goals have come from 49 and 53 yards out, while his missed extra point was blocked.
• His career long at LSU was 45 yards, while thus far at Texas his season-best is 43 yards. Domingue has been perfect on field goals inside of 45 yards this season (5-for-5).
Longhorns Showing Defensive Improvement
• While Charlie Strong admits the defense must improve significantly over its performance against California, the Longhorns have shown measurable improvement compared to the 2015 season.
• Through three games, Texas is ranked first in the Big 12 in sacks (3.67 per game), fourth in tackles for loss (7.7 per game) and fifth in red zone defense (80%). Last season, the Longhorns averaged 3.08 sacks per game and 6.8 tackles for loss per game.
• Additionally through three games, Texas has improved its rush defense significantly. Last year, UT allowed 219.2 rushing yards per game while this season they have surrendered just 150.7 per game.
• Another key measurable when facing up-tempo offenses is yards per play allowed. Last season, Texas allowed 5.63 yards per play while so far this season they are allowing 5.34 yards per play.
Third Down Key To Defensive Success
• A key to the Longhorns having defensive success going forward in 2016 will be their ability to limit big plays and get off the field on third down. So far this season, Texas' defense has allowed 44 plays of more than 10 yards through three games.
• The Longhorns, when they have gotten opponents into tough situations, have generally capitalized so far this season. Texas has allowed opponents to convert just 17-of-46 (37%) on third downs.
• Texas has forced a three-and-out on 28.3-percent of possessions so far through three games. Their season best came when they forced a three-and-out on 7-of-14 (50%) of UTEP's possessions in a 41-7 victory during week two.
Enc'Roach'ing On The Quarterback
• True freshman Malcolm Roach has registered a sack in each of the Longhorns' last two games. His two sacks are just one shy of moving him into a tie for 10th all-time for single-season sacks among freshmen at UT.
Hager Wreaking Havoc, Too
• Sophomore Breckyn Hager has wreaked havoc on opposing defenses over the last few weeks, totaling 12 tackles and 2.0 sacks in the last two games.
• He registered a team-high eight tackles in a win at UTEP. He added his first career sack in that game. Against California, Hager once again found himself in the backfield multiple times, registering his second sack of the season.
• Hager is tied with Malcolm Roach and Kevin Vaccaro for the team lead in sacks, while being tied with Chris Nelson for the team lead with 2.5 tackles for loss.
Wheeler Just Getting Started
• In just his fifth career start, sophomore linebacker Anthony Wheeler totaled a career-high 11 tackles last week at California. It was the Longhorns' first double-digit tackle performance of the season.
• Wheeler now leads the Longhorns with 23 tackles (13 solo) on the year. He has had five-or-more tackles in each of Texas' first three games this season.
Evans Returns To Field For First Career Start
• Sixth-year senior Sheroid Evans waited 1,068 days to get back on the field in a Longhorn uniform and picked up his first career start against Notre Dame. He registered one tackle and also a pass breakup.
• A native of Sugar Land, Texas, Evans hadn't played in a game since tearing his ACL for the first time in a game on Oct. 3, 2013. In between games, Evans tore his ACL for a second time, earned a degree in applied learning and development and is currently pursuing a second degree in textiles and apparel, with plans to open his own clothing line after college.
Jefferson Following Up Impressive Freshman Campaign
• Malik Jefferson was named the Big 12 Conference's Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, following a season where he finished second on the team with 61 tackles. Jefferson also finished fourth with 7.0 tackles for loss, first with six quarterback pressures and added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery that he returned to the end zone for a touchdown.
• Jefferson's impact on the Longhorns' defense has been felt early and often so far in 2016, as he has totaled 19 tackles which is second on the team. He also has two pass breakups and a tackle for loss.
• Prior to the 2016 season, Jefferson was recognized as a preseason All-American by both Sporting News and Sports Illustrated, and was named the Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, he was named to the preseason watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award and Walter Camp Award.
Longhorns Face Challenging 2016 Schedule
• The 12-game 2016 slate features six games at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, while the Longhorns will play five road games and the annual Red River Showdown in Dallas against Oklahoma.
• The Longhorns' 2016 opponents combined for a record of 89-64 (.582) in 2015, and through the first four weeks of the 2016 season, Texas opponents are 23-20 (.535).
• Nine of Texas' 2016 opponents went to bowls, including three – Notre Dame, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma – who played in one of the New Year's Six bowls.
• Five opponents – Baylor (10), Notre Dame (10), Oklahoma (11), Oklahoma State (10) and TCU (11) – totaled double digit wins a season ago.
• The Longhorns are in the midst of a stretch where they play three straight games away from home and do not play a home game for 35 calendar days.
