#15 Texas Longhorns at Brigham Young Cougars
LaVell Edwards Stadium – Provo, Utah
Saturday, September 7, 2013, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: Texas -4 1/2
Current Line: Texas -7 1/2
Opening Total: 54 1/2
Current Total: 55
Opening Money Line: Texas -270 / BYU +230
Current Money Line: Texas -300 / BYU +250
The #15 Texas Longhorns travel to Provo to take on the BYU Cougars Saturday. It is the fourth meeting between the schools. BYU leads the series 2-1, but Texas won the last game in Austin in 2011 17-16.
Texas opened the season with a 56-7 romp over New Mexico State Saturday. The Longhorns covered the 44.5 point spread and went over the 54 point total by themselves. It was a sluggish start for Texas, as neither team scored until 2:28 left in the second, when New Mexico St scored to make it 7-0. Texas would score two touchdowns before halftime to make it 14-7 going into the locker room. The Longhorns finally woke-up and outscored the Aggies 42-0 in the second half.
Texas did rack up a school record 715 yards including 359 rushing yards and 356 passing yards. The Longhorns had 26 first downs. The game was sloppy as each team had 3 turnovers. Perhaps the Texas turnovers can be attributed to the new up tempo no huddle offense, Texas installed in the off-season. New Mexico St had 346 total yards and 18 first downs.
Texas quarterback David Ash completed 20 of 28 passes for 343 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, and also rushed 8 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Overstreet had 9 carries, 92 yards and 2 touchdowns. Daje Johnson had 6 carries, 62 yards and a touchdown, along with 3 catches, 67 yards and a touchdowns. Malcolm Brown had 3 catches, 109 yards and a touchdown. Mike Davis and John Harris each caught a touchdown. No Longhorn receiver had more than 5 catches.
BYU is coached by Bronco Mendenhall. The Cougars lost on the road at Virginia 19-16. BYU closed as a one point favorite and the total was 49. Neither team scored in the first quarter. The game was delayed for just over two hours after the first quarter because of lightning in the area. When the game resumed it was played in a torrential downpour. BYU would take a 7-0 lead on a 4 yard touchdown pass from Taysom Hill to J.D. Falslev with just over 5 minutes to go in the first half. Virginia would kick a 53 yard field goal as time expired to make the halftime score 7-3.
Virginia would then take a 10-7 lead on an 11 yard pass from David Watford to Darius Jennings, set up by a punt block deep in BYU territory. The Cavaliers would add a safety to make it 12-7. BYU scored with 6:26 left in the fourth on a one yard run from Hill, but missed the two point conversion. The Cougars would add a 36 yard field goal less than 90 seconds later to make it 16-12. Virginia drove down the field and scored a touchdown on a 13 yard run from Kevin Parks with 2:36 left in the fourth. BYU drove from their own 8 to their own 41 but the drive stalled, and the Cavaliers held on for the 19-16 win.
Virginia had only 223 total yards and 14 first downs. The rain made the field sloppy and both teams played accordingly. The Cavaliers had 2 turnovers, and the Cougars had 1. BYU had 362 total yards and 21 first downs. There were 13 combined penalties in the game. The Cougars were 7/23 on third down conversions.
Hill threw for 175 yards on 13/40 passing with a touchdown and an interception, and also rushed for 42 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. BYU running back Jamaal Williams had 33 carries for 144 yards, also had 2 receptions for 25 yards. However, he did have a ball bounce off his hands at BYU’s 13 yard line, that Virginia would intercept. The Cavaliers would score the game winning touchdown on the next play. Star receiver Cody Hoffman missed the game against Virginia with a sore hamstring, and is questionable against Texas.
Texas receivers Bryant Jackson and Kendall Sanders are both questionable with ankle injuries. Five BYU defensive players are listed as questionable, doubtful or out including 3 defensive backs.
Texas is 5-0 ATS on grass, 4-0 in non-conference games, 4-1 after gaining more than 450 total yards, and in September, and 6-13 after passing for more than 280 yards.
BYU is 7-0 ATS after a straight up loss, 4-1 after scoring less than 20 points, 9-3 against teams with winning records, 2-5 after allowing less than 20 points, 1-4 at home, and 1-5 after allowing 275 total yards or less.
Despite the injuries, BYU still has a very good defense. Texas can turn the ball over 3 times against a terrible New Mexico St team, but if they do that against BYU there is a very good chance they will lose. BYU struggled on offense last week, but the field was a muddy mess with all of the rain, so take that with a grain of salt. I think Texas wins but 7.5 is too many points. Texas wins with a late field goal in a low scoring game.
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