Texas Football: 5 takeaways from Longhorns heartbreaking loss to OU
Texas’ defensive line looks vulnerable for the first time
Another big storyline from this loss to Oklahoma for the Longhorns was the defensive line’s play. For most of this game, Texas’ defensive line was manhandled in the trenches. Outside of a handful of drives that the Longhorns got ample pressure on Oklahoma fifth-year starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the Sooner offensive line held this Texas defensive front at bey.
Texas only managed a few quarterback pressures that I counted in this game and one sack. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s pressure was relentless on Ewers and the Texas offensive line. Ewers was sacked five times compared to just once for Gabriel in this game.
The Longhorns’ defensive line was a dominant force in the first five games of the season. Texas led the Big 12 in defensive rushing play success rate and pressure rate from the interior defensive line heading into Week 6.
Texas had not allowed over 155 rushing yards and more than 1 rushing TD in the first five games of the season. Oklahoma ran for over 200 yards and 3 rushing TDs. Defensive line was overwhelmed for much of the game today for the Longhorns.
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) October 7, 2023
Credit Oklahoma for playing a physical and motivated game up front on both sides of the ball. The Oklahoma offense managed over 200 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. This came from an Oklahoma offense that hadn’t come close to rushing for 200 yards against a Big 12 opponent in the previous two weeks.