A familiar problem for UT, A&M’s SEC opener and Kiffin vs. Ole Miss | A Texas take on college football

AUSTIN – It’s been a whirlwind week for Texas after knocking off top-ranked Ohio State and moving up to No. 1.

The Longhorns open SEC play next week at Tennesee, but first, there is the little matter of the UTSA Roadrunners who come to Austin on Saturday night.

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In College Station, the Aggies are opening SEC play against Knoxville, and it’s the much-anticipated Lane Kiffin and LSU vs. Ole Miss.

Columnists Cedric Golden and Kirk Bohls tackle the week’s top 10 questions:

1. What does Texas need to work on against UTSA in its last tuneup before starting SEC play at Knoxville?

BOHLS: It’s pretty clear that it’s the Longhorns’ running game that needs to be tapped because it ranks a lowly 88th nationally and had just 35 yards on the ground in the first half against the Buckeyes. The Roadrunners are 2-0 but have proven to be very vulnerable in their rush defense, ranking 133rd in the country after allowing Texas State to run for 289 yards and a 5.8 yard average.

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GOLDEN: The Longhorns have to tighten up that run game. Sure, they got after Ohio State in the fourth quarter in that Central Texas heat with the Midwesterners’ tongues dragging the ground, but the run was comatose for the first three quarters, one week after they averaged only 4.4 yards per carry against overmatched Texas State. It has to be more consistent throughout if Texas is going special places this season.

Nine things and one crazy prediction

2. Should Steve Sarkisian pull all his starters at halftime if the Longhorns go up by 21?

BOHLS: Won’t happen. Now if it were 28 points or even more, I’d play the first-teamers for a series or two in the third quarter and then lift ’em to watch the rest of a 52-17 beatdown.

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GOLDEN: Not a chance. I expect the mainline guys to remain in the game through at least half of the third quarter because the Horns are still trying to develop winning habits, regardless of the competition. If they’re up 42-7 midway through the third, then it will be time to pull out the big dogs and get them ready for Knoxville. It’s also important to continue to get backup quarterback K.J. Lacey some live reps in case Arch goes dinged. UTSA won’t pose a threat. Horns win, 58-10.

HEAR ME OUT: Which Texas college football team do you like to hate the most?

3. Could Kentucky surprise Texas A&M at Kyle Field?

BOHLS: Uh, no. Oh, the Wildcats could score, but the Aggies defense has been overwhelming so far. It scored on a pair of pick sixes last week against Arizona State. Remember, Alabama outscored Kentucky 32-0 in the second half. I see A&M winning 28-14.

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GOLDEN: It’s not happening. Will Stein will eventually bring a winner to Lexington, but this is the year for growing pains. The Aggies haven’t played lights out just yet, but they will put on a strong performance this week. Quarterback Marcel Reed has to remember his legs are his friend. When he runs, this offense goes to another level. The Aggies win, 34-24.

4. Does Lane Kiffin come into Oxford and add insult to Ole Miss’s injured feelings?

BOHLS:

He does not. LSU does have a big edge in manpower and coaching acumen although Sam Leavitt’s four picks are tied for the most in the country. So the Rebels get their revenge when Trinidad Chambliss, who threw only three interceptions all of last year, and No. 1 SEC rusher Kewan Lacey both go off for a 32-28 victory.

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GOLDEN: LSU has the potential to be monstrous, if talented but nicked quarterback Sam Leavitt cuts down on the turnovers. He has two touchdowns and four interceptions through two games. The Grove’s prodigal son would love nothing more than to hang a 50 burger on his former employer but the Rebels and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss have an explosive offense as well. Get ready for a shootout with LSU taking a 41-35 win.

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5. What will decide the SMU-Louisville game?

BOHLS: Isaac Brown goes off. The stud running back, whom Texas courted in the offseason, has struggled so far, averaging just 3.3 yards a carry, but shows up in a big way as Kevin Jennings will throw two picks and the Cardinals win 27-24 to show Miami it’s not the only power in the ACC.

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GOLDEN: Turnovers. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings is a gunslinger but with that arm talent comes the tendency to force it at times. His two interceptions in the opening win over Florida State made that game closer than it should have been. Louisville QB Lincoln Kienholz has Louisville rolling with 639 yards passing with four touchdowns and no picks so far. This has the feel of a Louisville upset.

6. What’s your upset of a Top 25 team?

BOHLS: Not much to choose from with a lot of blowouts expected. I’ll say a 2-0 West Virginia team stuns No. 25 Virgina by containing Cavs running quarterback Beau Pribula and unleashing former OU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., who has run for three scores, passed for three and is completing 76.2 % of his throws without an interception.

GOLDEN: I just spoke on it. In what could be the most entertaining game of the weekend, I’m taking Louisville to turn back No. 16 SMU, 38-35.

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7. Who is your most pleasant surprise and biggest disappointment?

BOHLS: I’d say Mississippi State (2-0) is my biggest surprise team, jumping to a 2-0 record after clipping Minnesota. Without question, no top 10 team has been more disappointing than Oregon, which barely beat Boise State and got embarrassed in Stillwater by Oklahoma State, but Oklahoma’s right there.

GOLDEN:

Biggest surprise has to be Mississippi State. They’re tons better than the team that started 4-0 before going 1-8 down the stretch to miss out on its first non-losing season since the great Mike Leach led them to an 8-4 finish in 2022. Disappointing? The Michigan Wolverines, who used stoppage time – who knew that existed in American football? – to remain undefeated in what was one of the biggest gaffes in modern history. Western Michigan won that game, 12-7. Michigan is perpetrating a fraud as the No. 19 team in the country with No. 24 Oklahoma, who pulled a no-show in Ann Arbor last week, not far behind.

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8. Whom should Florida State start vetting as its next head coach when Mike Norvell gets axed?

BOHLS: If I were the AD – and that job is already open – I’d circle SMU’s Rhett Lashlee and try to pry him out of Dallas. He’d probably say no, so then I’d go hard after Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham, who just happens to be a former Seminoles offensive coordinator.

GOLDEN: Florida State legend Deion Sanders comes to mind but I worry about this health. I would place a call to Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, whose $4 million buyout after Dec. 1is peanuts. Dillingham, 36, was Norvell’s former graduate assistant at Memphis before working as his offensive coordinator in Tallahassee.

9. Is Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor the next LaNorris Sellers or Trinidad Chambliss?

BOHLS:

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 I’ll say he’s much closer to Chambliss. This kid can play. Taylor is a 6-4, 230-pound quarterback who has scored seven touchdowns and averaged 363 yards a game in total offense.

GOLDEN:

He’s definitely more Trinidad than LaNorris. Huge upside. Taylor is lifting this program and is playing his way into dark horse Heisman Trophy contention but sadly, coach Jeff Lebby will struggle to keep him in StarkVegas. The NIL money is so big now.

10. Which commercials are better, Dr Pepper or AFLAC?

BOHLS: No question. Dr Pepper wins going away. I did dig Ben Affleck in the latest plug for the insurance company. What took ’em so long to sign him on. But very weary of Nick Saban and Prime Time because they’re just not funny and no competition for the Boz.

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GOLDEN: It’s not even close. DP’s Fansville commercials have become a phenomenon and continue to push the envelope with Oklahoma legend Brian Bosworth leading the way as the crusty town sheriff. They keep it interesting by subtly poking fun at real issues in college football like the transfer portal and questionable officiating.

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This article originally published at A familiar problem for UT, A&M’s SEC opener and Kiffin vs. Ole Miss | A Texas take on college football.