Texas football is back on the road again as they now travel to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Longhorns had a hard-fought game against the Kentucky Wildcats last weekend, and neither team wanted to budge, so the game went to overtime. The Longhorns had a fantastic goal-line stand and finished the game off with a field goal in overtime. Now the Longhorns turn their attention to another dangerous SEC team.
Just because the Bulldogs have no wins in the SEC Conference this season doesn't mean the Longhorns have a walk in the park this weekend. If the Longhorns stay true to their game and have a good week offensively, there might be some insane numbers that could end up on the stat sheet.
Here are four bold predictions that could happen against the Bulldogs this weekend in Starkville:
1. Arch Manning accuracy
One of the things Arch Manning is working on in his first full season as the Longhorns quarterback is his accuracy. There have been some passes that have sailed over wide-open receivers, that could have been touchdowns. My first bold prediction is that Manning will have fewer than ten incomplete passes this weekend. It would be the right step in his development as a starting quarterback.
Why not work on being an accurate passer against an inconsistent secondary?
2. Ryan Wingo house call
Ryan Wingo has the most receiving yards for the Longhorns going into this weekend's matchup with the Bulldogs. I know Steve Sarkisian is going to do everything to get him the ball as much as possible. My second bold prediction is that Wingo will have more than two touchdowns against the Bulldogs.
He will be the key to the Longhorns' offensive success this weekend with his quick speed. Don't be surprised if Wingo's name is mentioned as the player of the game.
3. Slow the Bulldog's movement
The Longhorns' defense did well against the Wildcats last weekend. They showed up and were able to slow the Wildcats' movement down the field. With players like Anthony Hill Jr. and Colin Simmons, Blake Shapen will be scrambling for his life this weekend. My third bold prediction is that the Bulldogs will have under 200 passing yards on Saturday.
The Longhorns can force the quarterback to abandon his passing plans and scramble. Expect the Longhorns to force Shapen out of the pocket all afternoon long.
4. Bulldogs run into a brick wall
My final bold prediction has to deal with the Longhorns' pass rush. Simmons and Hill possess considerable speed, and opposing offensive lines have had a hard time defending against their pass rush. My final bold prediction is that they will combine for more than eight sacks this weekend in Starkville.
Both players have done a good job of pressuring quarterbacks all season long. The Longhorns will need both players if they want to cage the Bulldogs and continue to climb up the AP Top 25 Polls.