Texas Football: 4 bold predictions for Longhorns in Big 12 play

Texas football closed out non-conference play this season with a fourth-quarter win over the Wyoming Cowboys at home at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Sep. 16. While Texas looked to nab a commanding win over Wyoming with a 21-point margin of victory, the actual game was much closer than that most of the way.

The Longhorns pulled away in the fourth quarter, winning the final minutes 21-0.

Bold predictions for Texas football heading into Big 12 play

The win over Wyoming puts Texas at a mark of 3-0 heading into the Big 12 opener on the road on Sep. 23 in Waco against the Baylor Bears. Texas has also defeated the No. 3 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on the road in Tuscaloosa in Week 2, 34-24, and the Rice Owls at home in Austin, 37-10, in the season opener.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns are heavy favorites to win the Big 12 this fall. After a successful run in non-conference play (with some speed bumps along the way), Texas enters Big 12 play with a No. 3 ranking in the AP Poll.

Texas can correct some of the mistakes against Rice and Wyoming during the non-con with a solid start to the conference slate against Baylor this weekend. Here are four bold predictions for the Longhorns in Big 12 play.

Christian Jones doesn’t allow any sacks

Super senior right tackle Christian Jones was hands down the most consistent starting offensive lineman for OL coach/OC Kyle Flood and the Longhorns during non-conference play. He allowed just one QB hit and one total QB pressure, which tied for the second-best pass-blocking efficiency of any Big 12 starting offensive tackle through Week 3 (per PFF).

Jones was a rock at right tackle for the Longhorns at a time when the offensive line needed some stability during non-conference play. Texas had some miscommunications and missed assignments in the first halves against Rice and Wyoming. Having a veteran presence like Jones who could steady the offensive line was invaluable in those games.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers is also thankful he has Jones blocking for him in pass pro. Jones hasn’t allowed a sack in the last four starts and has allowed just one in the last dozen starts. He has the longest active streak sackless streak of starts of any Big 12 starting offensive tackle dating back to last season.

Jones’s constant improvement in the last couple of seasons is truly remarkable. He’s become a more physical force with a complete understanding of the blocking schemes and the offense as a whole. You can tell the type of transformation Jones made as a blocker since he gained a good understanding of the offense in the first two years under Sark and Flood in 2021 and 2022.

Jones has the opportunity to have an All-Big 12 First-Team-caliber season in conference play this fall and prove he’s a worthy NFL Draft pick in the 2024 class over the next few months.