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Texas off to best start since 2009, last title-game appearance

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh09/30/23griffin_mcveigh
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Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and Texas defensive back Jelani McDonald (25) celebrate a win over Baylor 38-6 of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas.

Steve Sarkisian could not have asked for a better start to the 2023 season if he tried. Everyone will remember the win against Alabama — going into Tuscaloosa and having a monumental moment for the program. Four other wins have stacked on each other as well for Texas, beginning the year with a 5-0 record.

Successful starts have not exactly been common in Austin. In fact, the Longhorns are 5-0 for the first time since the famous 2009 season. Texas went on to have a pretty successful season, winning the Big 12 title and earning a spot in the national championship.

Part of the five wins to open the year comes with two Big 12 wins. Both were dominant, with Week 4’s short trip up I-35 to Waco ending what had been a long rivalry with Baylor. Kansas was the latest to face off against Texas at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday and after a close first half, the home team pulled away in impressive fashion.

A lot of credit is going to be attributed to the Texas offense and rightfully so. Quinn Ewers has proven to be an improved player and somehow, the run game does not look too lost without Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. Averaging 35 points per game has to feel pretty good for Sarkisian.

But the Texas defense has been playing at a high level as well. Pete Kwiatkowski has turned it into the team’s identity despite who the head coach is. If they continue to play like they have been, it’s going to be a successful season.

Texas will look to replicate 2009 season with final seven games

There have been a ton of ‘first since 2009’ for Texas this year. While it’s nice to reflect and praise how well the program is performing compared to previous failures, the goal is to finish 2023 out in the same way. Sarkisian is going to want to win the Big 12 before heading out the door and competing in the SEC.

Next up is going to be a potentially undefeated Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. No matter the records, crazy things can happen at the State Fair of Texas. So much more is going to be on the line next Saturday though, with the driver’s seat in the Big 12 up for grabs.

A bye week will occur following the Oklahoma game before six consecutive conference matchups. Just three of those are going to occur at home but there is a sense of confidence coming from Texas. Mirroring the 2009 season — or even taking it a step further — is what the Longhorns will be looking to do.