For all the controversy Texas football has drawn this week, that doesn’t change the fact that the Longhorns are the No.1 team in the nation and there’s still a game to be played on Saturday night in Austin.

Whether fans like it or not, it’s time to put Ohio State in the rearview mirror and focus on the future, starting with UTSA.

While the Roadrunners don’t pose too much of a threat to Texas, they enter this matchup undefeated and look to cause a disaster for fans in DKR.

The Longhorns Should Not Lose This Game

On paper, the Longhorns win every possible matchup there is to make. 

But the biggest talent gap comes in the trenches.

Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown have brought life to a Texas run game that was often lagging behind last season. The Longhorns likely aren’t sitting atop the polls without them.

UTSA, on the other hand, has struggled in stuffing the run. Over two games, they’ve allowed 233 yards per game. Against Texas State, they were particularly poor, allowing an average of 5.8 yards per carry. 

Don’t be surprised if the Longhorns end up pushing 300 rushing yards on Saturday. 

An elite rushing attack also sets up the perfect bounceback opportunity for the Texas wide receiver corps, as UTSA will likely have to sell out for the run if they want to have any hopes of stopping it.

However, the Roadrunners enter with enough talent to possibly make things interesting. 

Senior quarterback Owen McCown provides an experienced option under center who has proven he can be a poised pocket passer. This season he’s completed an impressive 72.5% of his passes, and growing up in a football family — as the son of former NFL QB Josh McCown — he’s been praised for his football IQ.

The Texas defense is also coming off a game where its zone defense struggled — leading to Jeremiah Smith’s biggest game against the Longhorns. If Texas leans on zone again, McCown's experience may be able to exploit that.

A Controversial Week and The Hangover Effect

There is also the hangover effect to consider.

Texas is coming off an emotional win, and to say this week has been controversial for Texas football would be an understatement.

A slow start wouldn’t be surprising, especially if McCown is able to take advantage of mistakes in the secondary.

But at some point the talent disparity becomes too much to handle. 

Expect Smothers and Brown to carry much of the load early, potentially leaving Texas with an underwhelming passing stat line despite a comfortable win. UTSA could put points on the board in the first half, but Texas’ depth and talent advantage should be evident by the third quarter.

Texas should take this one easily before taking on a daunting SEC schedule.

Final prediction: Texas 48 - UTSA 7

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