Texas Football: Ranking every game for the Longhorns so far in 2018

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AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 15: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns rolls out to pass under pressure by Cameron Smith #35 of the USC Trojans in the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

3. USC Trojans

Date: Sep. 15

Location: Austin, TX

Result: Win, 37-14

Sitting as one of the most gut-wrenching losses of the 2017 season for Texas football, coming up short in overtime against the USC Trojans had to provide plenty of motivation for the second meeting in this home-and-home series. USC came into DKR with a vastly different team than it had the year before.

There were some clear issues for USC true freshman quarterback J.T. Daniels against defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and his scheming. Ehlinger would have no such trouble as he went another game with multiple total touchdowns and no turnovers. That streak was broken against Baylor in Week 7, but USC was the start of something great for Ehlinger.

This game was also the coming out party for true freshman kicker Cameron Dicker before he became a legend a few weeks later in Red River. “Dicker the kicker” knocked through his first three field goal attempts of the season which ultimately didn’t matter much. All three phases of the game went well for Texas, though.

A blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown was the turning point of this game. No other moment was that big and the Texas defense seriously shut down USC’s offensive attack after that. USC was held to -5 rushing yards in a lame performance on the ground which is also a testament to what the Texas defense was able to do in this massive win.

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