The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Baylor
No. 3/6 Football preview: at Baylor
09.18.2023 | Football
The Longhorns open Big 12 Conference play at Baylor on Saturday night.
No. 3/6 Texas (3-0) vs. Baylor (1-2)
September 26, 2023
Where: Waco, Texas
Stadium: McLane Stadium
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: ABC (Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Tom Luginbill)
Radio: Longhorn Radio Network (Craig Way, Roger Wallace, Will Matthews)
Spanish Radio: Longhorn Radio Network (Dr. Rubén Pizarro-Silva, Arturo Mata)
THE OPENING KICKOFF
• The University of Texas continues its 131st season of football on Saturday when the Longhorns travel to Waco, Texas to square off with the Baylor Bears in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.
• The Longhorns and Bears will meet for the 113th all-time meeting.
• Texas enters the weekend ranked No. 3 on the most recent AP Poll, the Longhorns' highest ranking on either the AP or Coaches polls since being ranked second for the 2009 BCS National Championship Game.
• Last week, Texas (3-0) defeated the Wyoming Cowboys, 31-10, scoring 21 fourth-quarter points for the second-straight week to secure the win.
• Texas has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2012.
• Baylor (1-2) earned its first win of the season with a 30-7 win at home over Long Island University.
• Saturday's game will mark the 14th time Texas opens conference play on the road. The Horns are 9-4 when opening Big 12 play on the road with victories in nine of the last 11 games.
• The Week Four matchup will be the Longhorns' second road game of the season, while the Bears will be playing their fourth home game of the year.
• Texas currently boasts 939 all-time wins, the fifth-most in college football history. UT holds an all-time record of 939-390-33 (.702).
Series History vs. Baylor
• Texas has faced only two schools more frequently than Baylor (112 times, last 2022) in its football history: Texas A&M (118 times, last 2011) and Oklahoma (118 times, last 2022).
• It will be the 52nd meeting between the two programs in Waco, where the Longhorns hold a 31-18-2 record over the Bears.
• Texas was won six of the last eight meetings against Baylor, including two wins in Baylor.
• UT is 19-7 against Baylor during the Big 12 era (since 1996).
Baylor Bears Scouting Report
• Dave Aranda is in his fourth season as head coach of the Bears.
• He led Baylor to two bowl games in his first three seasons in Waco, winning the 2022 Sugar Bowl over Ole Miss, 21-7, and falling to Air Force in the 2022 Armed Forces Bowl, 30-15.
• Aranda guided Baylor to the best season in program history in 2021, leading the Bears to a 12-2 record, the Big 12 Conference title and a victory in the Sugar Bowl.
• The Bears are 13-7 at home in the Aranda Era.
• Baylor will be playing at home for the fourth time this season in a schedule that features a program-record eight home games.
• The Bears returned nine starters from 2022, including five on offense and four on defense. Additionally, two of Baylor's primary specialists returned for the 2023 season on a roster the includes 36 returning letterwinners.
• Sophomore running back Richard Reese earned Preseason All-Big 12 honors from the conference's media members. Last season, he was named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American after rushing for 972 yards and 14 touchdowns.
A Texas Win Would ...
• Be Texas' 940th victory all-time, the fifth-winningest program in college football history.
• Give Steve Sarkisian his 63rd victory as a head coach and 17th at Texas in his 110th career game as a head coach.
• Improve Texas to 4-0 for the first time since 2012.
• Mark the Longhorns' first victory in Waco since 2017.
• Be the Longhorns' 149th victory in Big 12 Conference play and improve their all-time conference record to 149-79.
Home Sweet Home
• The Longhorns played in a packed house at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in the victory over Wyoming.
• Texas drew 101,777 fans for the game against the Cowboys, the eighth-largest home crowd in program history.
• UT has drawn over 100,000 fans to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in six of the last at games.
• The Horns have had 35 home games of 100,000-plus fans.
Driving the Field
• Texas' first touchdown drive against Wyoming was a 17-play, 90-yard effort that took 8:03 to execute.
• On the drive, Texas rushed 11 times for 56 yards and converted two fourth downs.
• Eight different players were involved in plays.
• It marked the Longhorns' first 90-yard scoring drive since last season's victory over Oklahoma.
Ramping Up the D
• After Wyoming's game-opening 75-yard touchdown drive, the Texas defense held the Cowboys to 88 yards on 27 plays (3.3 ypp) over the remainder of the first half.
• Senior DB Jahdae Barron was a critical cog for the Longhorn defense, registering three key third-down stops (one PBU, two tackles) during the stretch.
• Texas forced Wyoming into five-straight punts after their opening drive.
Big Man Touchdowns
• Junior DL Byron Murphy II caught a 1-yard touchdown pass to cap the Longhorns' first touchdown drive against Wyoming, the first reception and touchdown of his career.
• Murphy became the fourth Longhorn lineman to score a touchdown on offense.
Longhorn Lineman Offensive Touchdowns
Byron Murphy II, DT, vs. Wyoming, 2023
- 1-yard TD reception from Quinn Ewers
Sam Cosmi, OT at West Virginia, 2019
- 12-yard lateral from Sam Ehlinger
- First-ever Longhorn offensive lineman rushing touchdown
Luke Poehlmann, OT, at Baylor, 2011
- Tackle-Eligible
- 3-yard TD reception from Case McCoy
- First-ever Longhorn offensive lineman touchdown reception
Derek Lokey, DT, vs. Arizona State (Holiday Bowl), 2007
- 2-yard TD reception from Colt McCoy
- First-ever Longhorn defensive lineman with an offensive touchdown
Stopping the Tide
• Texas defeated No. 3/3 Alabama, 34-24, on the road in Week 2, improving UT's all-time record against the Crimson Tide to 8-2-1.
• The victory was the first-ever non-conference road win for Texas versus an AP Top 3 opponent.
• It marked the first victory on the road against any top-three team since the No. 1-ranked Longhorns won "The Game of the Century" at conference foe and second-ranked Arkansas, 15-14, in 1969.
• The Longhorns victory snapped Alabama's 21-game home winning streak. The Tide had won 57 consecutive regular-season games versus non-conference opponents.
• Texas' win was the first double-digit home loss for Alabama head coach Nick Saban as a college football head coach since 2003.
• Longhorn QB Quinn Ewers threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, the first non-SEC quarterback to eclipse 250 passing yards and two touchdowns since Saban took over the Crimson Tide program in 2007.
• Texas had five sacks in the game, the most surrendered by the Crimson Tide since 2021 (at Auburn) and the most at home since 2015 (Tennessee). The five sacks were the most for a non-conference foe at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2012 (6, Western Kentucky).
Tail of the Tape
• The Longhorns average 7.9 yards on first down to Alabama's 4.6 yards.
• Texas totaled five sacks and nine tackles for loss against the Crimson Tide.
Fourth Quarter Focus
• Texas scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, matching the most ever scored in the final frame against a Nick Saban-led Alabama team.
• After taking a 34-24 lead with 8:18 remaining, the Longhorns forced an Alabama 3-and-out then ran 12 plays over the final 7:14 of the game.
• Texas' victory ended a 73-game home win streak for Alabama when leading in the fourth quarter.
X-Factor
• Junior WR Xavier Worthy is one of the premier wide receivers in the Big 12 and the nation.
• For his career, Worthy has hauled in 138 receptions for 1,962 yards and 23 touchdowns.
• His fourth-quarter touchdown reception against Wyoming sparked the Longhorns offense after catching the ball on the Texas 46-yard line, breaking a tackle at the 40 and racing down the
right sideline to score the first of Texas' three unanswered touchdowns.
• The 44-yard touchdown reception was his sixth career TD catch of 40 or more yards.
• Against Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Worthy had five receptions for 75 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter.
• The 44-yard score was the ninth career reception of at least 40 yards and the fifth touchdown of 40-plus yards.
• His 23 receiving touchdowns are tied for second-most among active FBS receivers and are the most among players who have spent their entire career with a Power 5 program.
• He ranks third in UT history in touchdown receptions and is just one of four Longhorns to haul in at least 20 touchdown catches.
• Worthy's 138 career receptions are second among active Big 12 players (Phillip Brooks, K-State - 147; Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State - 136)
• The Fresno, Calif. native has caught a pass in all 28 games he has played, the sixth-longest streak in program history, and his 138 career receptions are the 11th-most for a Longhorn, 14 behind B.J. Johnson (2000-03) for 10th all-time.
• His 1,962 receiving yards are 11th all-time in program history.
Quinn in Command
• Sophomore Quinn Ewers has led Texas to nine wins in 13 starts during his first two seasons on the Forty Acres.
• Ewers threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third in the Longhorns' win over Wyoming.
• It was his third consecutive game with multiple touchdowns passes and eighth in his career, while also marking the fifth game in which he account for at least three touchdowns.
• He tallied his second career game with a passing and rushing touchdown, which he also accomplished in the season-opener against Rice.
• Ewers completed 11-of-21 passes for 131 yards against the Cowboys and extended his streak of consecutive passes without an interception to 205, the second-longest streak in program history, 103 behind record-holder Sam Ehlinger.
• He had a standout performance in week two at Alabama, earning Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Maxwell Player of the Week, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week honors after completing 24-of-38 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns to guide the then-11th-ranked Longhorns to a 34-24 victory over then-No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
• In the fourth quarter against the Crimson Tide, Ewers connected on 6-of-7 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
• He connected for three touchdowns passes for the second consecutive game and fourth time in his career.
Ford Foundation
• Senior LB Jaylan Ford emerged as one of the top defenders in the nation in 2022, earning All-American honors from the Associated Press and first-team All-Big 12 accolades from the league's coaches and the AP.
• The Frisco, Texas native tallied seven tackles (four solo), including one tackle for loss, in the Horns win against Wyoming, bringing his total tackles to over 200 for his career.
• Against Alabama, Ford tallied five tackles (two solo) with one tackle for loss in the victory.
• He opened the 2023 season right where he left off last season, registering five tackles (one solo) and intercepting one pass.
• The interception was the fifth of his career, tying him for fourth all-time among Texas linebackers.
Murphy on the Inside
• Junior DL Byron Murphy II has appeared in 28 career games, registering 48 tackles (20 solo), seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his three seasons on the Forty Acres.
• Murphy played a critical role in UT's first touchdown drive against Wyoming, catching a 1-yard pass from Quinn Ewers to give the Longhorns their first lead of the game.
• It marked the first reception and touchdown of his career as he became the fourth Texas lineman ever to score an offensive touchdown.
• On the defensive side of the ball, Murphy tallied two tackles and had one QB hurry in the win.
• At Alabama, he was helped spearhead a defensive front that registered nine tackles for loss, five sacks and four quarterback hurries.
Jahdae All Day
• Senior DB Jahdae Barron's impact in the defensive backfield can be felt throughout the team.
• Against Wyoming, Barron had a game-high nine tackles (six solo) with one pass breakup in the win, including four third-down plays to force fourth down - three tackles and one pass breakup.
• At Alabama, Barron set the tone for the day, intercepting a pass to shut down the Crimson Tide's first drive and returning it 16 yards to set up Texas' first score.
• Barron added four tackles (three solo) in the win in Tuscaloosa.
