3 big overreactions after Texas's Senior Day win v. Kentucky

With the 31-14 win over the Kentucky Wildcats at DKR on Nov. 23, No. 3 Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian have continued their winning ways on Senior Day. Since 2021, Sarkisian and Texas are 4-0 on Senior Day, including three straight double-digit victories in regular season home finales at DKR.

Texas football moves a step closer to the SEC Championship Game and CFP after toppling Kentucky in Week 13

Not only did the Longhorns move to 4-0 on Senior Day under Sarkisian since 2021 with the 17-point victory over Kentucky yesterday, but they also reached double-digit regular season wins for the second year in a row.

Texas is 10-1 (6-1 SEC) after the win over the 4-7 (1-7 SEC) Wildcats on Nov. 23. The Senior Day win over Kentucky saw Texas's defense and ground game dominate the game. Texas rushed for a season-high 250 yards, largely thanks to a huge day from the offensive line moving Kentucky defenders off the ball at the line of scrimmage.

The Longhorns defense had another big game, holding Kentucky's offense under 250 total yards and to just 14 first downs.

Here are three big overreactions after Texas's 31-14 win in Week 13 on Senior Day over Kentucky.

Jelani McDonald is ready to become Texas's next star safety

Texas's defense won the day against a Kentucky offense that was struggling to move the chains in yesterday's 17-point win at DKR on Senior Day. The nation's No. 1 ranked unit in total defense and passing defense this season held up its end of the bargain.

Not only did the Longhorns hold Kentucky's offense to just 232 total yards of offense and 4.2 yards per play, but it also held the Wildcats' ground game to just 21 rushing yards. Texas's defense held Kentucky's rushing attack to a season-low 21 rushing yards and just 0.7 yards per carry.

Despite Kentucky boasting some solid playmakers at receiver, namely the team's leading receiver Dane Key and the speedster Barion Brown, the Longhorns didn't give the Wildcats' offense much daylight through the air. Texas intercepted more passes than Kentucky had passing touchdowns yesterday.

One of the highlight-reel plays of the win over Kentucky yesterday for Texas's secondary was a circus catch interception by sophomore safety Jelani McDonald. In the first half, McDonald came up with an amazing diving interception, wihch was the first pick of his collegiate career.

That interception from McDonald set up Texas's offense with short field position, eventually leading to a big scoring drive to establish a bigger first-half lead for the Longhorns.

Senior safety Andrew Mukuba also came up with the interception late in the game that sealed the victory for the Longhorns over Kentucky.

The level of play Texas is getting from the safety position this season, namely from the trio of Mukuba, McDonald, and redshirt junior Michael Taaffe has helped to completely turn around the fortunes of the Longhorns' secondary this fall.

Assuming Taaffe and McDonald return to Texas's secondary for the 2025 season, the safety position will be in great shape with how good the recruiting and player development has been for this unit in the past 12 months.