Texas Football: Game-by-game predictions for the Longhorns in 2019
Week 5
Opponent: West Virginia Mountaineers
Date: Oct. 5
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium (Morgantown, WV)
Coming out of the bye week, Texas football will be carrying an undefeated record and a No. 4 ranking in the AP Poll. Texas has firmly inserted itself in the midst of the College Football Playoff discussion. The only three teams ranked above the Longhorns at the time are the Alabama Crimson Tide, Clemson Tigers, and Ohio State Buckeyes.
With the West Virginia Mountaineers hosting Texas for their first true road game of the season, this could be a tricky test at hand. Texas has the Red River Showdown the following week and this looks like the perfect chance for West Virginia to take advantage of Texas peering past them to their biggest rivalry game coming out of a big bye week.
West Virginia does capitalize on the opportunity to catch the Longhorns napping in the first half. Senior running back Kennedy McKoy blasts a sleeping Texas front seven to the tune of 70 rushing yards and one touchdown in the first 25 minutes alone. But defensive coordinator Todd Orlando makes his usual adjustments and puts more emphasis on stopping the Mountaineers rushing attack in the second half.
But the Mountaineers don’t have the depth or talent on either side of the ball to compete with the Longhorns for a full 60 minutes. The former Oklahoma transfer quarterback Austin Kendall throws two quick first half touchdowns, but starts to lag more in the second half. Whittington carries hit hot stretch through the start of Big 12 play with yet another 100-rushing yard performance. This game also sees the breakthrough of redshirt freshman cornerback Jalen Green who hauls in two picks, including one that he returns for a touchdown.