Texas Football: 4 overreactions from Horns tenacious win vs. Iowa State
No. 7 Texas football stayed atop the Big 12 standings and got one step closer to getting a spot in the Big 12 title game in Arlington on Dec. 2 by defeating the Iowa State Cyclones on the road in Ames on Nov. 18. Texas got the 26-16 win over Iowa State on the road in a hostile environment at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
The win also helps head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns stay in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation entering late November. Texas still needs to win out in the regular season finale at DKR in Austin on Black Friday (Nov. 24) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Texas football continues its winning ways with a 26-16 victory over Iowa State in Week 12
The Longhorns also need to clinch a spot and win the Big 12 Championship Game next month.
If Texas wins out and gets some help with chaos around the PAC-12 and ACC in the next couple of weeks, that could push them into the four-team College Football Playoff field.
For now, though, this big 10-point win on the road over Iowa State this weekend is worth celebrating. Texas got a win in Ames for the first time since 2017. And the Longhorns have reached double-digit wins during the regular season for the first time since 2009.
Here are four overreactions following the Longhorns’ 26-16 win in Ames over Iowa State in Week 12.
CJ Baxter Jr. will show he’s the best true freshman RB in the nation
In what was essentially the first full start of his collegiate career, true freshman running back CJ Baxter Jr. was awesome for the Longhorns in the win over Iowa State. Baxter was physical and showed good field vision to give Texas a major boost on the ground this weekend.
Texas needed Baxter to step up down the stretch this season after redshirt sophomore running back Jonathon Brooks suffered a season-ending ACL tear during the win over the TCU Horned Frogs on Nov. 11. And he delivered in a big way.
Baxter not only had the first 100-rushing yard game of his collegiate career vs. Iowa State, but he was efficient in the process, averaging nearly six yards per carry. Baxter’s production on the ground helped the Texas offense stay balanced. Sark and the Longhorns ran 34 plays on the ground and 33 passing plays against Iowa State.
As this season has progressed, Baxter has gotten more comfortable running the football. Texas has relied on him more and more in the last few weeks. He’s had double-digit carries and over 50 rushing yards in three straight games.
This weekend was the first time he received 20 attempts in a single game this season. Expect his workload to remain in the ballpark of 20-25 carries, as Texas needs Baxter’s production on the ground down the stretch with Brooks out.