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Texas Football: 5 takeaways from the 2018 regular season

By Andrew Miller

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 06: Tre Watson #5 of the Texas Longhorns during the 2018 AT&T Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on October 6, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 06: Tre Watson #5 of the Texas Longhorns during the 2018 AT&T Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on October 6, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 03: The West Virginia Mountaineers celebrate after a fumble recovery by Dante Bonamico #39 on the final play of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 03: The West Virginia Mountaineers celebrate after a fumble recovery by Dante Bonamico #39 on the final play of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

5. Close calls at home

Texas football had a roller coaster ride of a year through Big 12 play at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium that had to shake up the emotions of the fans. Rarely were the Horns able to put away a Big 12 opponent when facing them on the Forty Acres. Texas did come away with some big home victories, but it did cost them too.

The home loss to star quarterback Will Grier and the Mountaineers literally boiled down to the final seconds of the game. Head West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen called a Grier option play where he scrambled to pick up the two-point conversion and ultimately the one-point victory. If Texas had been able to grab any sort of significant lead and momentum in the fourth quarter, Grier wouldn’t even get that option to win the game on a two-point conversion.

On the other hand, the Horns did escape with victories in Big 12 play a few times at DKR that could’ve been a disaster if the upset transpired. The 23-17 victory over the Baylor Bears sticks out for that narrative. Tulsa also almost pulled off the massive upset of the Horns in Week 2. Losses to Baylor and Tulsa would seal a much different fate for head Texas football coach Tom Herman right now.

The marquee victory for the Horns at home came over the Iowa State Cyclones in the regular season home finale in Week 12. Iowa State was the hottest Big 12 team down the stretch, and the Horns were the only team that was completely able to shut down that offense led by freshman sensation quarterback Brock Purdy and senior running back David Montgomery.

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