Texas' top 10 plays from the second half of the season
Ten plays defined the first half of the Longhorns’ season. The following 10 defined a second half that saw Texas go 7-0, win the Big 12 championship, and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
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In no particular order…
Houston: Quinn Ewers’ 42-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy
The Longhorn offense got off to a sizzling start against Houston, and Ewers’ picture-perfect throw to a single-covered Worthy was a significant part of it. The Cougar defense overplays the run and Ewers pulls the ball out of CJ Baxter’s hands on a RPO. Worthy gets a free release against his corner and the safety is too far away to provide any help. Ewers delivers a perfect throw in stride to Worthy who tumbles into the end zone. The Longhorns would need every single point in the 31-24 win over the Cougars.
Houston: Jahdae Barron’s PBU on 4th and inches
Ewers left the Houston game due to injury late in the third quarter. That coincided with the Cougars making a comeback and eventually tying the game. The Longhorns retook the lead late, but the Donovan Smith led offense marched down the field and looked to be on the cusp of scoring.
The Texas defense held for three downs inside the red zone, setting up a fourth and inches. Looking to complete a pass in the flat, Barron stuck with his man in motion and arrived to ensure the fourth-down attempt ended with an incompletion. Texas escaped Houston with a win and overcame one of a number of sloppy second halves.
BYU: Xavier Worthy’s 74-yard punt return for a touchdown
Worthy spearheaded one of the best punt return units in college football during the 2023 season and finally broke one free against BYU. After making the first man miss, Worthy runs through the seam and past the Cougar punter to waltz into the end zone and open the scoring for the Longhorns against the Cougars.
Kansas State: T’Vondre Sweat’s PBU on 2nd and goal
All season long, Texas’ defense was anchored by the defensive tackle duo of Sweat and Byron Murphy. Their leadership shone through during Texas’ final stand in overtime against Kansas State. Before the decisive fourth down, Will Howard took a second-down snap and feigned a QB draw. As he ran forward, the Wildcat running back leaked out of the backfield and over the middle. As Howard releases the football, Sweat bats down the pass that would have found an open receiver for the game winning score. It was one of a number of game-changing plays the Outland Trophy winner made this year that helped Texas make it to the College Football Playoff.
Kansas State: Byron Murphy’s pressure helps Barryn Sorrell record the game-clinching sack
Chris Klieman decided he wanted to try to end the game as opposed to sending the contest to a second overtime. He wanted to get star tight end Ben Sinnott open in the flat. However, Ryan Watts had other plans and covered Sinnott. Howard’s second read was covered, too. Before Howard could scan back to the other side of the field, Murphy was in his face after walking back the KSU center. Technically, Sorrell received credit for the game-winning sack, but it was all thanks to Murphy’s dominant pass-rush.
TCU: Jordan Whittington and Xavier Worthy never give up and regain possession after an interception
Likely the play of the year for the Longhorns for everything it embodies. Whittington and Worthy both look like they’re taken out of the play after a TCU interception, but Whittington chases down the Horned Frog defender after missing his first tackle attempt and punches the ball free. Worthy, who was the intended receiver on the play, hustles back in time to recover the football. Texas would net a field goal on the resulting drive. The final score? 29-26, Texas.
TCU: Ewers finds Adonai Mitchell for a 35-yard gain and the first down to seal the win
Texas was on the ropes late in the contest with TCU in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs had pulled within three, and the Longhorn offense with the returning Ewers faced a 3rd and 12. Rather than run the ball in order to burn the last TCU timeout, Steve Sarkisian elected to let two of his best offensive players make a play. Mitchell is in single coverage on the outside and puts a move on his defender. Ewers throws right as Mitchell makes his move and sends his throw to the sideline where there is space. While falling, Mitchell makes the catch that seals the game and helps Texas escape Fort Worth with its ninth win.
Texas Tech: Keilan Robinson’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
Robinson was one of the first additions Sarkisian made when he arrived in Austin in 2021. Even with declining playing time, Robinson has provided full effort in his opportunities on offense and special teams. That was true on his kickoff return to open the second half versus Texas Tech.
All Robinson has to do is evade one tackle after passing midfield and he manages to do so. He throws up the deuces to the last remaining Red Raider defender to open up a 26-point lead for the Longhorns.
Oklahoma State: T’Vondre Sweat hauls in a two-yard touchdown pass in the Big 12 Championship
The Outland Trophy is given annually to the nation’s top interior lineman, but there’s no rule forbidding interior lineman from catching touchdown passes. Sweat lines up as a tight end and joins Murphy in the company of Texas defensive linemen who have scored offensive touchdowns. The play was part of an offensive onslaught the Longhorns put on the Cowboys during Texas’ first Big 12 Championship victory since 2009.
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Oklahoma State: Jonathon Brooks takes the field one more time as Texas is crowned Big 12 champions
Jonathon Brooks was having an All-American caliber season before he suffered a torn ACL versus TCU. The Longhorns wanted to show how critical Brooks’ efforts were throughout the course of their title campaign and wanted to do so at the end of the Big 12 championship. Sarkisian and company made plans to kneel out the ball with Brooks in uniform and on the field. A 49-21 drubbing helped that dream come to fruition, and Brooks received the game ball from Arch Manning as the confetti began to fall at AT&T Stadium.
