Horns keep title hopes alive
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Earlier this week, Texas nose tackle and movie buff Keondre Coburn talked about the hero’s journey. There’s always trials and tribulations along the way, the fifth-year senior said Monday, and even though “everything isn’t going to be going your way, you have to learn how to get up, dust yourself off and keep going.”
Well, everything was going Texas’ way throughout during the first couple quarters of Saturday’s game against No. 13 Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Longhorns scored on five of their six first-half drives and looked to be in complete control while building a three-touchdown lead.
Then Texas got knocked down. And like Coburn said, it had to peel itself from the turf and keep going.
Fittingly, Coburn produced his hero moment at the perfect time. The veteran tackle forced a fumble, which the Longhorns (6-3, 4-2 Big 12) recovered with 24 seconds remaining, to seal No. 24 Texas’ 34-27 win over Kansas State.
“I’m really proud of our football team,” coach Steve Sarkisian said after snapping a five-game road losing streak. “It’s a really cool win for us in a tough road environment. But we’ve got more to do.”
The Wildcats (6-3, 4-2) looked outmatched in every phase of the game in the first half.
Texas running back Bijan Robinson turned Kansas State’s house into his personal playground Robinson scored on a 36-yard run on the opening drive and finished the game with 209 yards on a season-high 30 carries.
Kansas State looked ready to go score-for-score with the Longhorns early, though.
Wildcat quarterback Adrian Martinez, who returned from a one-game injury absence, connected with star running back Deuce Vaughn for a 28yard touchdown to knot the game at 7-7. And they responded to Texas running back Roschon Johnson’s 9-yard touchdown run with a short field goal to keep it a one-score game early in the second quarter.
Then Texas went on a scoring spree. Receiver Xavier Worthy bent one Kansas State cornerback’s ankles on a devastating double move to break open for a 13-yard touchdown catch. After a short field goal by Texas kicker Bert Auburn, linebacker Jaylan Ford snared an interception off Martinez inside Kansas State territory with 67 seconds remaining.
Ewers again linked up with Worthy, hitting the sophomore wideout for a 3-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone to put Texas up 31-10 just before intermission.
But Texas struggled to move the ball in the second half, producing just 114 total yards after a 352-yard first half. The Wildcats started gang tackling Robinson and Johnson, and Ewers struggled to connect on some intermediate-to-deep throws downfield.
“First of all, we need to play better than we played in the second half tonight,” Sarkisian said.
With a chance to run out the clock after Warner’s touchdown, Texas put the ball in Robinson’s hands three straight times. He gained 6 yards on the first two carries then lost five on a poorly executed pitch play on third down, forcing Sarkisian to bring out the punt unit once more.
Martinez guided Kansas State into Texas territory as the clock ticked down. And after a wild fourth-down conversion pass to Vaughn, the Wildcats seemed poised to at least force overtime.
But on the ensuing play, Coburn fought his way to Martinez and punched the ball from the quarterback’s grip. Ford recovered the fumble as it rolled out into the middle of the field.
Thanks to Coburn’s heroics and Ford’s awareness, Texas is now bowl eligible and in a three-way tie for second place in the Big 12 standings. And for the first time since Oct. 2, 2021, the Longhorns got to exit an opposing team’s stadium victorious.