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Texas Football vs Oklahoma: Three X-Factors for the Horns

By Shane Black

Quinn Ewers, Texas Football Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Quinn Ewers, Texas Football Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports /
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UT’s Jahdae Barron intercepts the ball during the game against UTSA Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at the Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin.Pick Six
UT’s Jahdae Barron intercepts the ball during the game against UTSA Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at the Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin.Pick Six /

The turnover battle

The Texas offense has actually been one of the best in the country at protecting the football this season.

The Longhorns have thrown just two interceptions and have lost one fumble. Averaging 0.6 turnovers per game put Texas 14th nationally when it comes to turnovers given up. The lone fumble, unfortunately, proved to be the dagger in the loss against Texas Tech.

Both Hudson Card and Quinn Ewers have committed two ‘turnover-worthy plays’, according to PFF. Ewers’ turnover-worthy play rate sits at 4.9 percent, and Card’s at 1.5 percent.

Texas has not had a problem with turnovers from their offense. While I would expect an uptick in interceptions when Ewers comes back, that just comes with the nature of having a young gunslinger at quarterback.

The problem with turnovers for the Longhorns has been on the defensive side of the ball.

Texas has two interceptions on the season, both of which were returned for touchdowns. They have forced three fumbles but have yet to recover one. That fumble luck is bound to change, but even so, the turnover rate for this defense is very low.

Averaging 0.4 takeaways per game puts Texas at #126 nationally in this category. The only teams who have fewer takeaways than the Longhorns are Army, Notre Dame, and Stanford (who hold a combined record of 4-8).

For a defense that has been very stout through five games, the aggressive nature needed to force turnovers has not been there.

Sure, there is certainly some bad turnover luck involved, but with playmakers on all three levels of this defense, there should be constant strip-sack opportunities and plays on the football in the air.

I mark the turnover battle as x-factor #1 in this game because it is one of the few paths to victory I see for Oklahoma.

If the Longhorns lose the turnover battle by two or more, Oklahoma has a way to keep Texas off the field and easily manufacture points of their own.

If Texas were able to win the turnover battle, it makes what is already an uphill climb for Coach Venables and the Sooners even steeper.

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