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Texas Football vs Texas Tech: 5 Keys to Longhorns Victory

By Tyler Brett

Oct 29, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns players Brando Hodges (58), Quincy Vasser (44), and Malcolm Roach (32) celebrate after defeating the Baylor Bears 35-34 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns players Brando Hodges (58), Quincy Vasser (44), and Malcolm Roach (32) celebrate after defeating the Baylor Bears 35-34 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 15, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Jordan Elliott (55) and defensive end Breckyn Hager (44) and linebacker Anthony Wheeler (45) tackle Iowa Stte Cyclones quarterback Joel Lanning (7) during the third quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns won 27-6. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Jordan Elliott (55) and defensive end Breckyn Hager (44) and linebacker Anthony Wheeler (45) tackle Iowa Stte Cyclones quarterback Joel Lanning (7) during the third quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns won 27-6. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports /

Few quarterbacks in the country are throwing the football like Patrick Mahomes. If Texas wants to win this game, they need to get the big-armed QB out of rhythm. If he’s comfortable, he’ll make life miserable for the Horns in this one.

Through eight games, Mahomes leads the nation in passing, averaging 439.9 yards per game. He’s completing 67.7 percent of his passes this season for 3,519 yards and 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Additionally, he has the ninth highest passer rating the country right now at 161.4. In short, he is the ideal trigger-man for Tech’s Air Raid system.

However, he’s not infallible. Mahomes is good for about one interception per game and has thrown a pick in each of his last five games. He’s coming off one of his roughest performances of the year against TCU. Against the Horned Frogs, Mahomes completed 24 of 39 passes posting season-lows with 206 yards and 5.3 yards per attempt. He labored to move the offense, though the Red Raiders ultimately won 27-24.

Texas has to make Mahomes grind in a similar fashion. The defense has done an excellent job pressuring quarterbacks this season, leading the Big 12 with 31 sacks on the year, including 16 in the last three games. The Horns’ ability to get after the quarterback will be huge in making Mahomes uncomfortable and forcing some bad throws and incompletions.

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