5 Takeaways From Texas Football Loss to West Virginia
By Tyler Brett
It was a frustrating week for Texas football. The Longhorns (5-5, 3-4 Big 12) failed to protect their home field, losing for the first time at DKR in 2016. West Virginia (8-1, 5-1) escaped Austin with a 24-20 win, keeping Texas one win away from bowl eligibility with two games to play. But what did we learn about the Horns in this loss?
This game will be remembered for its missed opportunities. Texas had countless chances to seize control of this game and failed to capitalize on them. The Longhorns made mistakes in every phase of the game that cost them dearly. This could have been a major turning point for the team but it became just another black mark against Charlie Strong and his wavering job security.
Losing in the manner that they did, Texas undercut all their momentum built from back-to-back wins over Baylor and Texas Tech. In those wins, the Longhorns showed tremendous fortitude in overcoming adversity and finishing the games strong. This time around, however, when opportunities to rise up presented themselves, Texas shrunk in the moment.
That is a distressing trend for a team that appeared to be turning a corner. While West Virginia is a very good team, the Longhorns certainly played well enough to win except when it came down to crunch time. Their inability to seal the deal shows a lack of discipline and mental fortitude that should be more evident in year three under Strong.
Moving forward, Texas must learn from this experience and become stronger in tough moments. There are wins to be had for this Longhorns squad but they let this one slip away. Here are five things we can take away from the loss to West Virginia.