Inside Texas Roundtable: Game predictions, matchups to watch, and more ahead of Texas vs. Houston

The Longhorns and Cougars are set to meet for the first time in over two decades this Saturday in Houston. The Inside Texas staff provides predictions, players to watch, key matchups, and more.

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What area needing improvement for the Longhorns are you paying attention to most exiting the bye?

Eric Nahlin – Consistency of turning drives into seven points. Texas has punted only once in the last two games but hasn’t converted enough drives into touchdowns.

Justin Wells – Red zone offense. Texas can move the ball with ease, but has stalled inside the 20-yard line recently. That needs to change quickly.

Ian Boyd – The defensive discipline against quarterback draws and scrambles. I want to see the red zone offense and line back in action as well but Houston’s quarterback runs are a good test.

Joe Cook – Red zone offense. This is a good week to get some of that sorted out considering the Cougars are adept at allowing points. I’d like to see improved execution from goal line sets with heavy personnel if that’s the course of action Steve Sarkisian takes. But I’d also be pleased with seeing Texas run its regular offense inside the 10.

Gerry Hamilton – Pass rush with the front. There is a lack of edge pass rush and the quarterbacks are better the second half of the season.

Bobby Burton – I can’t give you just one. Scoring in the red zone. Better pass rush. Breakdowns in the secondary.

Paul Wadlington – Defensive aggression. Interior blitzing rather than superfluous extra men loitering outside.

Donovan Smith terrorized Texas last season, albeit as a Red Raider. What’s the key to stopping him this go round?

Eric Nahlin – Pressure the pocket but keep containment. Texas is usually good on defending the QB on designed runs but struggles when the pocket breaks down. Smith is off to a good start with a 13-to-3 touchdown to interception ratio so they’ll need to get pressure on him. He has some solid receiving weapons, too.

Justin Wells – Keep him in the pocket and make him throw the ball. Smith can move the chains, but force him to do what he doesn’t want to do: pass.

Ian Boyd – Texas’ D-line needs to keep him in front of them while challenging routes better underneath.

Joe Cook – The more tackles the first guy to Smith can make, the better this game will go for the Longhorn defense. That’s easier said than done for someone who is listed at 241 pounds, so making sure Texas rallies to the ball on scrambles once Smith is past the line of scrimmage is key

Gerry Hamilton – First down run defense, whether it’s against QB designed runs or the regular run game. Texas has to get UH behind the chains some Saturday, or the Horns could end up on their heels too much.

Bobby Burton – Make him completely one dimensional.

Paul Wadlington – Understand that he’s comfortable throwing a very limited route tree and that UH will spam QB power and QB draws in the red zone and on 3rd and 4 or less.

Texas hasn’t played in Houston since 2019, so this will be a nice homecoming for several players. Which Houston-area Longhorn has the biggest game on Saturday?

Eric Nahlin – Adonai Mitchell. People forget he’s from the area because he played some of his high school ball in Tennessee.

Justin Wells – Kelvin Banks, Christian Jones, and Hayden Conner might have an extra push in their eyes, but watch David Gbenda. The local linebacker will play big.

Ian Boyd – Kelvin Banks coming home after a bye week and facing a pair of speedy but small defensive ends stands out as a potential site of domination.

Joe Cook – Adonai Mitchell on offense and Vernon Broughton on defense.

Gerry Hamilton – The offensive line as a whole. That means Kelvin Banks, Hayden Connor and Christian Jones.

Bobby Burton – Kelvin Banks.

Paul Wadlington – I’d love to see Christian Jones continue his level of play and dominate the Cougars in our right-handed running game.

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Score prediction

Eric Nahlin – 41-20, Texas

Justin Wells – 49-24, Texas

Ian Boyd – 44-17, Texas

Joe Cook – 48-20, Texas

Gerry Hamilton – 48-24, Texas

Bobby Burton – 41-31, Texas

Paul Wadlington – 48-21, Texas