4 takeaways from Texas's gutsy win over Texas A&M

The college football world watched as the Lone Star Showdown was renewed between No. 3 Texas football and the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field in College Station on Nov. 30. The first matchup between Texas and Texas A&M in the Lone Star Showdown since the 2011 season brought back one of the historic rivalries that are great for college football.

No. 3 Texas football fights for double-digit win over No. 20 Texas A&M in College Station in first Lone Star Showdown in 13 years

Texas got off to a very strong start to this game, building a comfortable double-digit lead before the halfway point of the second quarter. Redshirt freshman backup quarterback Arch Manning showed off his running ability on a crucial fourth-down conversion picked up that resulted in a rushing touchdown after a review by the refs on the field.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers led the Longhorns on two more first-half scoring drives to build a convincing 17-0 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.

Texas had momentum early in the second half until a deflected ball was returned for six by A&M cornerback Will Lee III, giving the Aggies life in the third quarter down 10 points to the Longhorns.

Another turnover by Ewers and a blocked punt by Texas A&M kept the Aggies in the game late in the second half when it looked like Texas should be putting things away on the scoreboard.

The 17-7 win over the Aggies sends the Longhorns to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on Dec. 7 against the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs.

Here are four takeaways from Texas's 10-point win over Texas A&M in the Lone Star Showdown.

Texas's interior offensive line sets the tone

Texas overcame a costly first-half injury that caused junior offensive tackle and Outland Trophy Award finalist Kelvin Banks Jr. to leave the game due to a lower-body injury to have a big day on the ground for the rushing attack on offense. Banks was in street clothes and a walking boot on the Texas sideline for the rest of the game.

The Texas ground game was insanely-productive for most of this game. You can thank Texas's big interior offensive line for pushing around the Texas A&M defensive line to ware them down in the second half.

Sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner had another career game for the Longhorns on the ground. For the second week in a row, Wisner rushed for over 150 yards. Wisner proved he is the bellcow Sarkisian and the Longhorns have been looking for in the second half of this season, with over 30 carries for the first time in his career.

This was also the third career 100+ yard rushing performance of Wisner's collegiate career.

In hindsight, I think Texas and Sarkisian could've relied more on Wisner and the ground game to close out the victory for the offense in the red zone in the second half. Wisner rushed for over 100 yards in the second half.

Both Texas quarterbacks make an impact on the game with their athleticism

The highlight of the first half against the Aggies for the Longhorns was the big fourth-down touchdown run by Manning to get Texas on the board in the first quarter. Sarkisian brought out Arch in what was clearly a running situation for the Texas quarterback on fourth-and-short in the red zone for the Longhorns' offense.

Arch showed grit and toughness on his rumbling 15-yard touchdown run, where he fought through multiple Texas A&M attempted tacklers on his way to the pylon for the game's first score.

Ewers also did a nice job showing off his athleticism on multiple first-down pickups with his legs. On the game's first scoring drive, Ewers converted on third-and-long with a clutch 26-yard scramble run for a first down.

It was amazing to see Ewers show off that underrated athleticism he brings to run the ball at the quarterback position after the ankle injury he sustained last week against Kentucky.

After a few nice runs by Ewers and Manning in the first half and early in the third quarter, it was Wisner and the Longhorns' ground game that took over in the second half. Thanks to the push from DJ Campbell, Jake Majors, and Hayden Conner along the interior O-Line, Texas didn't have to worry about much in the passing game in the second half.

Nonetheless, it goes to show how many options Sarkisian and the Longhorns have on offense and how many weapons they have that this unit can turn to both Manning and Ewers for key pick ups with their legs at key points of the game.

Third-quarter red zone offensive mistakes cost Texas in a massive way

In SEC play, the Longhorns' offense has left way too much meat on the bone for the regular season's second half. Costly mistakes and turnovers by the Longhorns has kept Texas from closing out games on offense much earlier than it should be in the SEC this regular season.

The costly mistakes and turnovers showed up again for Ewers and the Longhorns whey they could've been putting the Aggies away in the third quarter. Texas had multiple scoring opportunities to take a three possession lead over Texas A&M in the third quarter that resulted in devastating turnovers for the Longhorns.

Around the halfway point of the third quarter, Ewers tossed a pick-six on a deflected pass when Texas was within A&M's 10-yard line in the red zone. That Ewers pick-six brought the Aggies back within 10 points when it looked like Texas was about to take a three-score lead early in the second half.

The second costly turnover by the Longhorns was also when the offense for Texas was within the 10-yard line for Texas A&M's defense in the red zone. Ewers fumbled the ball on a QB keeper, which kept Texas's lead at just 10 points in the third quarter.

It makes these mistakes by Ewers and the Texas offense even more glaring when you consider the way that the Longhorns' offensive line and the defense has played. Texas gave the Aggies life when it looked like it could put the game away with over 20 minutes left in the second half.

Texas's defense holds up

The No. 1 ranked total defense in the SEC this season showed its mite in this game against Texas A&M's dynamic offense. Despite the Texas offense and special teams putting the defense in tough situations multiple times in the second half due to a couple of turnovers and a blocked punt that set up A&M's offense in the red zone, this side of the ball did its part for the victory for the Longhorns.

Texas looked the part of the No. 2 ranked defensive unit in the nation in adjusted efficiency (per BCF Toys) tonight against a good Texas A&M offense (per BCF Toys).

Easily the play of the game for the Longhorns defense was a huge fourth-down stop on the goal line by junior edge rusher Ethan Burke, which stopped A&M's offense from getting into the end zone and cutting Texas's lead to just three points in the fourth quarter.

No one even thought about blocking Burke on that play, leading to him getting to Texas A&M running back Amari Daniels untouched for the three-yard loss and turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter.

It wasn't just Burke's play in the fourth quarter that saw the Texas defense come up huge against the Texas A&M offense. Junior edge rusher Trey Moore forced a fumble on sack of Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed that was recovered by senior defensive tackle Vernon Broughton with under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

That fumble forced by Moore that was recovered by Broughton officially sealed the victory for the Longhorns over the Aggies.

The Texas defense deserves all the credit in the world for this win over Texas A&M. Texas's defense didn't allow any points from the Texas A&M offense.

Texas is now the only team in the nation that hasn't allowed 300 yards in a single game outside of garbage time this season.

In this game, the Longhorns' defense made all the difference to be able to send Texas to the SEC Championship Game and pretty much lock up its place in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

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