The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
Football preview: No. 13/14 Kansas State
10.31.2022 | Football
The Longhorns and Wildcats will kick off from Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.
No. Texas (5-3, 3-2) at No. 13/14 Kansas State (6-2, 4-1)
November 4, 2022
Where: Manhattan, Kan.
Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: FS1 (Jason Benetti, Brock Huard)
Radio: Longhorn Radio Network/LEARFIELD (Craig Way, Roger Wallace, Will Matthews)
Spanish Radio: Longhorn Radio Network/LEARFIELD (Dr. Rubén Pizarro-Silva, Arturo Mata)
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• The University of Texas continues its 130th season of football on Saturday when the Longhorns meet Kansas State for the 23rd time. The game will kick off from Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. at 6:00 p.m. CT on FS1.
• Texas (5-3, 3-2) had the week off last week after falling to Oklahoma State, 41-34, in Stillwater on Oct. 22.
• Kansas State (6-2, 4-1) shut out Oklahoma State at home, 48-0.
• Steve Sarkisian will be serving his 102nd career game as head coach and 21st with Texas. He has a career record of 56-45 (.555).
• Texas currently boasts 933 all-time wins, tied for the fifth-most in college football history. UT holds an all-time record of 933-388-33 (.701).
The All-Time Series
• The Longhorns and Wildcats have met 22 times previously, with Texas holding a two-game series edge at 12-10.
• Texas is currently riding a five-game winning streak against K-State dating back to 2017. It is the program's longest winning run against the Wildcats.
• Texas holds a 3-7 mark when traveling to Kansas State including wins in each of the last two meetings in Manhattan.
• UT won last season's game in Austin, 22-17, when Roschon Johnson rushed 31 times for 179 yards.
• The Longhorns won the last game in Manhattan by a score of 69-31.
• The 100 combined points scored between the two teams was the highest-scoring contest in series history (previously: 87 points in 2006).
• Texas' 69 points were the most points scored by either team in the series, topping the Longhorns' 64 points scored in 1942.
• The victory was UT's second-straight win in Manhattan, marking the only time in school history Texas has won consecutive road games vs. Kansas State.
A Texas Win Would ...
• Be Texas' 934th victory all-time, the fifth-winningest program in college football history.
• Improve the Longhorns to 13-10 all-time against Kansas State and 4-7 in Manhattan.
• Give Steve Sarkisian his 57th victory as a head coach and 11th at Texas in his 101st career game as a head coach.
• Be the Longhorns 146th victory in Big 12 Conference play and improve their all-time conference record to 146-78.
Sarkisian Era Enters Second Season
• Texas Football Head Coach Steve Sarkisian begins his second season at the helm of the Longhorns and his ninth season as a head coach overall.
• Last season, the Texas offense ranked 18th in the nation and second in the Big 12 Conference with 35.5 points per game, the third-straight top-18 scoring output for a Sarkisan-led offense.
• The offensive showing also marked the eighth top-30 scoring offense in Sarkisian's career.
• Bijan Robinson rushed for 1,127 yards in 2021, marking the 10th consecutive year a Sarkisian coached offense has had a 1,000-yard rusher.
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium Shines
• The Texas-Alabama game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium drew record-setting crowds to the Forty Acres.
• A total of 105,213 packed DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, topping the previous record of 103,507 established in 2018 in the Longhorns' victory over USC.
• It marked the 30th game in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium history to draw more than 100,000 fans.
• Texas drew over 100,000 fans to a home game for the first time since 102,498 Longhorn faithful packed the house for UT's 24-10 victory over Iowa State in 2018.
Drawing a Crowd
• A week after setting the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium attendance record, the Longhorns drew another huge crowd with 102,520 Longhorn faithful packing the house, the third-largest crowd in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium history, and the 31st crowd of 100,000-plus.
• It marked the first time since 2018 that Texas has drawn back-to-back crowds of over 100,000 fans.
• Texas followed that by drawing 100,740 fans for the matchup with West Virginia and 100,072 for game against Iowa State, the first time DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium held over 100,000 fans four times in a season since 2012 and also the first time with four consecutive games of more than 100,000 in attendance since 2012.
The Eyes of College Football are Upon Austin
• Nearly 10.6 million viewers tune into FOX for Texas Football's game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10, the most-watched college football game of the 2022.
• The broadcast averaged 10,595,000 viewers on FOX, peaking at over 15.1 million viewers, and was the fourth-most watch regular season college football matchup in the network's history.
• It marked the 30th game in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium history to draw more than 100,000 fans.
• In addition to the record-setting crowds on the Forty Acres, FOX College Football announced that the game was the most streamed regular season college football or NFL game in FOX Sports history.
• ESPN's College GameDay drew its top Week 2 viewership in over a decade for the pregame show's live coverage from Lyndon B. Johnson Library Lawn.
• The show averaged 2,104,000 million viewers, an increase of 26% from 2021's Week 2 total.
• The final hour of the show, broadcast live from inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT, drew 2.7 million viewers.
• ESPN College GameDay's viewership of 2.1 million was the highest Week 2 total for the show since 2010 and the best for a September episode since 2016.
Dallas Domination
• The Longhorns won the 118th edition of the Red RIver Showdown in dominating fashion, topping Oklahoma by a score of 49-0.
• UT's shutout was the first over OU since 1965 and the first suffered by the Sooners since 1998.
• The 49-point margin was also the worst suffered by the Sooners in shutout fashion in program history.
• Texas held Oklahoma to 39 passing yards, the fewest surrendered by the Longhorns since 2014 (North Texas - 15).
• The Longhorns 49 points were the most-ever scored against the Sooners and the 49-point win was the largest margin of victory of UT in the rivalry.
• Texas' 36 first downs were the most in a single game in the matchup and the most ever at a game held inside Cotton Bowl Stadium.
• Redshirt freshman Quinn Ewers passed for four touchdowns, tied for third-most in the Texas-Oklahoma game in series history.
Weathering the Cyclones
• Facing an Iowa State defense that was holding opponents to a Big 12-best (13th/NCAA) 91 rushing ypg, Bijan Robinson (28-135) & Roschon Johnson (11-71) combined for 206 rushing yards — including teaming up for 59 yards on nine carries on the game-winning 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.
• Iowa State's defense is putting together one of the best seasons in school history, leading the Big 12 in total defense (277.5 yards per game), rushing defense (91.0) and scoring defense (13.7 points).
• Nationally, ISU is eighth in scoring defense, 11th in total defense and 13th in rushing defense.
Halftime Momentum
• Texas has had a scoring attempt on all of its final drives of half this year, scoring touchdowns before heading into the locker room in four of the last five games: Missed FG; Missed FG; FG; TD; TD; TD; TD; punt. The Longhorns' opponents have scored just once (WVU) on their final drive of the half with the other seven games being five punts, an interception and a missed FG.
• The Longhorns have held their opponents scoreless on each of their initial drives of the second half with the Horns scoring four times (three TDs and a FG) in eight games, including two of the last four outings.
Complimentary Football
• Ranking 18th among Power 5 programs in scoring defense (21.1 ppg/28th FBS) and 19th in scoring offense (36.4 ppg/22nd FBS), Texas is one of eight teams that ranks among the Power 5's top-20 in both scoring offense and scoring defense (the others are: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee).
Non-Offensive Touchdowns
• Texas has made scoring non-offensive touchdowns a habit, registering at least one in 13 of the last 14 seasons.
• The Horns wasted no time this season when Keilan Robinson scored on a D'Shawn Jamison blocked punt to close out the first drive of the season opener by ULM.
• Jamison secured a defensive score with a third-quarter, 69-yard interception return against ULM, giving UT multiple non-offensive touchdowns in a season for the fourth time in six years.
• UT added a third for the 2022 campaign when Jahdae Barron intercepted a pass against UTSA at the Roadrunner 44-yard line and took it to the house for the first interception return of his career.
• Josh Thompson tallied a 27-yard interception return against Texas Tech last season that marked the fifth-straight season in which the Longhorns had a non-offensive touchdown.
• D'Shawn Jamison's 100-yard kickoff return against Oklahoma State in 2020 was the second of his career and fueled the Longhorns comeback from an 11-point deficit at the sixth-ranked Cowboys.
• Texas has scored a non-offensive touchdown in 15 of the last 16 seasons.
• Thompson's touchdown was the first for the Texas since defense since Anthony Wheeler's 38-yard fumble return in the 2017 Texas Bowl.
• It was the first interception returned for a touchdown since DeShon Elliott's 43-yard return at Baylor, also in 2017.
• The score was the 79th interception returned for a touchdown in UT history.
• UT finished 2017 with eight non-offensive touchdowns, tied for the most in the country. It was their most since registering 11 in 2009.
Score Big and Score Often
• Texas tallied 28 points in the first half against Oklahoma, the third time this season the Longhorns have scored 28 points in a half.
• UT has scored at least 24 points in a half six times this season.
• The Longhorns have scored at least 34 points in five of seven games this season.
• In last season's victory over Texas Tech, the Longhorns scored 70 points in a game for the first time since 2005 Big 12 Championship Game against Colorado.
• It marked only the second time since 1977 and 11th time in school history that UT had scored 70 points in a game.
• The 70 points tied for the second most scored against a Big 12 opponent in conference play, while the 42 points scored in the first half were also the second most in a Big 12 contest.
• Texas scored at least 32 points in six of 12 games in 2021 and had four games of 48 points or more.
• Texas scored at least 40 points in the first half against Rice (44 on Sept. 18) and Texas Tech (42 on Sept. 25), marking the first time since 2003 (41 vs. Rice/49 vs. Tulane) that the Longhorns tallied at least 40 first-half points in back-to-back games.
• Texas scored 28 points in the first quarter against Oklahoma, the third time this season the Longhorns had scored 28 points in a quarter.
• The 28 points in a quarter are the most by UT against Oklahoma since at least 1942.
Finding the End Zone
• In the Longhorns' season opener against ULM, Keilan Robinson returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, D'Shawn Jamison returned an interception for a score and the Texas offense scored three rushing and two passing touchdowns.
• It marked the first time since the season opener against Maryland in 2017 that Texas scored a touchdown on offense, defense and special teams.
• In the 2017 game, Holton Hill had a 31-yard interception return and returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown, and Reggie Hemphill-Mapps scored on a 91-yard punt return. Shane Buechele added a pair of touchdown passes to Armanti Foreman and Collin Johnson and ran in for another score.
Heisman Hopeful: Bijan Robinson
• Texas has a strong Heisman tradition when it come to the running back position with two of the greats - Earl Campbell (1977) and Ricky Williams (1998) hailing from the Forty Acres.
• Additionally, the Longhorns have had 10 running backs or fullbacks place in the Top-10 in Heisman Trophy voting, most recently D'Onta Foreman in 2016.
• Current Big 12 Conference programs have produced five Heisman Trophy Winners from the running back/tailback position: Campbell, Williams, Billy Vessels (1952), Billy Simms (1978) and Barry Sanders (1988).
• The last three running backs named as the Heisman Trophy winner have been sophomores or juniors: Reggie Bush (2005), Mark Ingram (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015).
Robinson By the Numbers
• Bijan Robinson has been one of the top performers in the FBS this season, ranking fifth in total touchdowns (13), seventh in all-purpose yards (150.0 ypg) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (11) and total points scored (78), while also ranking 11th in rushing yards (920), rushing yards per game (115.0) and scoring (9.9 ppg).
• Robinson is the only FBS player to have more than 900 rushing yards (920) and 250 receiving yards (280) and is his 1,200 tandem yards (rushing + receiving) are the third-most in the nation. He is one of only three players with over 1,200 rushing and receiving yards through the first nine weeks of the season.
• He leads the Big 12 Conference in all purpose yards per game, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, total points and total touchdowns, while ranking second in rushing touchdowns and scoring, seventh in rushing yards per carry (5.68), eighth in yards per reception (16.47), ninth in points responsible for (78), 11th in points responsible for per game (9.8) and 13th in total offense (115.0 ypg).
• The junior has six total plays (rushing and receiving) of at least 40 yards.
• This offseason, Robinson focused on maintaining his speed for 90 yards (instead of the 40-yard dash), and was clocked at 22.3 mph on the GPS.
• Robinson has a history of not only making people miss and getting the tough yards, but also breaking big plays as both a rusher and receiver. For his career, Robinson has 38 plays (25 rushes/13 receptions) of 20-plus yards and that includes seven of 50 or more (all runs).
• Over his last 20 games, his ratio of long plays is even more impressive. During that time, he has 33 plays (21 rushes/12 receptions) of 20-or-more yards, including five runs of 50-plus. He's accomplished that in just 424 plays (376 rushes/48 receptions) in that 20-game span, or a play of 20-plus yards on average about every 13 plays.
• In eight games this season, he has 12 plays (6 rushes/6 receptions) of 20-or-more yards, including touchdown runs of 78, 42, 41 and 40 yards.
• In 10 games last season, he had 12 plays (9 rushes/3 receptions) of 20-or-more yards, including two of 50-plus, with five touchdowns.
All About Zay
• Sophomore WR Xavier Worthy is one of the premier wide receivers in the Big 12, ranking first in receiving touchdowns (seven - 11th in the FBS), fifth in receiving yards (510), sixth in receiving yards per game (63.8), eighth in total touchdowns (seven) and receptions per game (4.5), while also ranking 16th in all-purpose yards (80.12 ypg), 17th in yards per reception (14.17) and 18th in scoring (5.2 ppg).
• Worthy is also serving as the Longhorns' primary punt returner this season, averaging 8.8 yards per return, the third-best return average in the Big 12 this season.
• He caught four passes for 78 yards and had one touchdown in the Longhorns game at Oklahoma State.
• Has a touchdown reception in five consecutive games, tied for the fourth-longest streak in UT history.
• Tallied a touchdown reception in at least four consecutive games for the second time in his career.
• His score brought his career receiving TD total to 19, tied for fourth all-time in UT history.
Quinn in Command
• Redshirt freshman QB Quinn Ewers has guided the Longhorns to three victories in his first five career starts.
• His three victories are tied for 10th-most by a freshman in program history.
• Ewers threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-49 passing at Oklahoma State.
• Marked his first career 300-yard game and the fourth time in five starts he threw multiple touchdown passes.
• In the win over Iowa State, Ewers passed for 172 yards and three touchdowns, completing 17-of-26 passes along the way.
• He had a standout performance against Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown, completing 21-of-31 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns, establishing then-career bests in each category.
• The four touchdown passes are tied for third-most in the UT-OU game in series history and are the most-ever by a Texas freshman.
• Ewers' four passing scores are also tied for 10th-most in a game in program history and tied for third among Texas freshmen.
• His four touchdown passes were the most for a Texas freshman since Shane Buechele had four against UTEP in 2016.
• His efforts earned him Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week honors, the first weekly conference honor of his career.
• He started the first two games of the season for the Longhorns, completing 25-of-36 passes (69.4%), for 359 yards and two touchdowns in four total quarters of action.
• Against No. 1 Alabama, Ewers passed for 134 yards and connected on 9-of-12 passes before being sidelined with an injury at the end of the first quarter.
• He made his first career start and his Longhorn debut in the season opener against ULM, guiding the Texas to a season-opening 52-10 victory.
• The transfer from Ohio State completed 16-of-24 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. After throwing an interception on his second career passing attempt, he bounced back to connect on eight-straight passes and nine of 10, guiding Texas to four touchdowns, a field goal and a field goal attempt on his next six drives. The stretch included a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Tavion Sanders and a 43-yard completion to Casey Cain.
• Ewers' 225 passing yards were the third-most since 1950 for a freshman starting in the season opener, trailing Shea Morenz's 347 (1993) and Shane Buechele's 280 (2016).
• He was the sixth Longhorn freshman to start the season opener and the fifth to lead Texas to victory.
Sanders is a Sensation
• Sophomore TE Ja'Tavion Sanders has been tremendous during the 2022 campaign and is already making his marking on the UT record books.
• At Oklahoma State, Sanders caught six passes for 76 yards. It brought his season total to 34 receptions, tied for the fourth-most in a season for a Texas tight end and made him just the fifth Longhorn tight end with 30 catches in a season.
• Against Iowa State, he had three receptions for 37 yards, including a third-down, 13-yard reception that helped lead to Texas' first touchdown of the game.
• In the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma, Sanders caught five passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
• The two scores brought his season total to five this season, tied for third all-time among Texas tight ends.
• Against West Virginia, Sanders caught five passes for 78 yards and a career-best two touchdowns.
• His two scores went for 33 and 13 yards and marked the first time a Texas tight end has hauled in two touchdowns in a game since D.J Grant in 2011.
• At Texas Tech, he was the top target for QB Hudson Card, making five catches for 40 yards.
• He made his first career start in the season opener against ULM and did not disappoint, establishing career highs with six receptions, 85 yards and his first touchdown.
• The 85 receiving yards were the most for a Texas tight end since Jermichael Finley tallied 149 yards on four receptions in against Oklahoma in the 2007 Red River Showdown.
• A tremendous blocker as well, Sanders was targeted six times and caught all six passes, including a pair of clutch catches on third and fourth down that set up a pair of touchdowns.
• He then added three receptions against No. 1 Alabama.
Ford Foundation
• Junior LB Jaylan Ford has emerged as a crucial member of the defense during the 2022 season.
• At Oklahoma State, Ford collected six tackles (four solo) and had two tackles for loss and a sack.
• Ford played a critical role in ending two Iowa State drives in the Longhorns' victory over the Cyclones, earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance.
• First, he intercepted a pass in the end zone that shifted momentum in the game in towards Texas and prevented a potential two-score deficit. Then, with just over two minutes remaining, he jumped on a Cyclone fumble that sealed the game for the Longhorns. He also added eight tackles (two solo) to lead the team.
• In the Red River Showdown, Ford made seven tackles (four solo) and had one TFL against the Sooners.
• Against West Virginia, he registered 14 tackles (seven solo), his fourth-straight game with 10-or-more tackles, and a tackle for loss.
• At Texas Tech, he recorded 12 tackles (four solo), his third-straight game with 10-or-more tackles, and had a forced fumble.
• Ford was a force against UTSA, posting career best numbers with 15 tackles, 10 solo tackles and his first forced fumble.
• He had a breakout performance against No. 1 Alabama, posting a team-high 10 tackles (six solo) with two tackles for loss and one sack, helping hold the Crimson Tide to 20 points.
• In 2021, the Frisco, Texas native led the team with six tackles for loss. He collected at least one five of the least six games of the season with two in the season finale against Kansas State.
• He notched a career-high 12 tackles (seven solo) against Oklahoma State.
• Ford had at least six tackles in each of the last three games of the season, recording six against Kansas, five at West Virginia and six (all solo) against K-State.
Jerrin's Jumpstart
• Junior DB Jerrin Thompson has become the field general of the Longhorn secondary, starting each of the first eight games of the 2022 campaign as a focally leader of the defense.
• Thompson had five tackles (three solo) and a career-best three pass breakups at Oklahoma State.
• He tied for the team lead with seven tackles (four solo) against Oklahoma to help lead the Longhorns to a shut out of the Sooners in the Red River Showdown.
• Thompson was flying to the ball against West Virginia, posting his second-straight 10-tackle performance, including six solo tackles.
• At Texas Tech, Thompson established career highs with 10 tackles and seven solo tackles, while also breaking up one pass.
• Against UTSA, he had four solo tackles in helping UT pick up the win.
• Thompson registered one of the best games of his career against Alabama, tallying seven tackles (four solo) against the Crimson Tide.
• That effort was preceded by a four tackle (two solo) performance against ULM in the season opener.
Anthony's Cookin'
• Super senior DB Anthony Cook has become a leader in the Texas secondary, pacing the defensive backfield with 44 tackles (25 solo) through the first eight games of the season while adding 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two pass breakups.
• The veteran defensive back helped seal the Longhorns' victory over Iowa State, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Texas with just over two minutes remaining.
• He tallied four tackles (one solo) and had one pass breakup against West Virginia.
• Cook had a career game at Texas Tech, recording personal bests with 12 tackles and eight solo tackles, while also adding a pass breakup.
• He tallied six tackles (three solo) in UT's win over UTSA, the 11th game of his career with five or more tackles.
• Against Alabama, he collected nine tackles (six solo) and had a career-best tying two tackles for loss.
• He had breakout year in 2021, appearing in all 12 games with eight starts and establishing career highs for tackles (47), solo tackles (27), tackles for loss (three) and pass breakups (three), while equaling his career best with one sack and one fumble recovery.
• He had four tackles (two solo) in the season-opening victory over Louisiana and followed that with four tackles (two solo) and two pass breakups at Arkansas. • Against Texas Tech, Cook tallied six tackles (three solo).
• He had a standout game at TCU, establishing a career high with eight tackles (six solo), including two tackles for loss and a strip-sack fumble recovery.
• Cook notched five tackles (four solo) against Kansas and equaled his career high with eight tackles (three solo) at West Virginia.
• He eclipsed 100 career tackles at West Virginia and heads into the 2022 season with a total of 107.
• For his career, Cook has 110 tackles (62 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
