The Texas defense is giving Texas A&M trouble, but Quinn Ewers questions remain

Don’t mess with the Texas defense. This is a mean, tough, rock-solid unit, as Texas A&M has learned.
The win sends Texas to the SEC Championship game against Georgia.
Quinn Ewers’ turnover issues remain concerning.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Don’t mess with the Texas defense.

This is a nasty, punishing, rock-solid unit.

Texas made a statement Saturday night that will resonate in every corner of this football-loving state. The Longhorns rule Texas, even though Texas A&M made them sweat to prove it.

Texas’ defense didn’t let this win slip away, even after Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers nearly made a mistake in the second half.

No. 3 Texas edged out the rival it considers its little brother with a 17-7 win over No. 19 Texas A&M at Kyle Field.

In the battle for the soul of Texas, 109,028 fans watched the Longhorns proclaim they were built for the rigors of the SEC.

Just when Texas A&M seemed poised to make this a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, Ethan Burke burst through the line and destroyed the Aggies on fourth down.

Many have tried to conquer this Texas defense. Many have failed.

With this result, the Longhorns reassured the “Texas beat nobody!” But the Longhorns’ offensive weakness after halftime leaves the question of whether Texas is balanced enough to win the national championship.

Arch Manning remains the most popular backup quarterback in America. He increased his enthusiasm by going for a touchdown when Steve Sarkisian ran him in on a fourth down play, wanting to take advantage of Manning’s speed.

But Sarkisian trusts Ewers most in Texas’ national championship hopes, even if he showed an unsteady hand in this game, just as he did in a loss to Georgia.

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The win helps validate Texas and secures the SEC Championship Game

Texas finally got a win against an opponent that had a number next to its name in the CFP rankings, but the playoff committee didn’t wait for that confirmation.

Texas has been able to enjoy its No. 3 ranking for the past three weeks because the selection committee didn’t want to deny what its eyes had seen. That said, the Longhorns (11-1) are solid — and elite on defense.

The Longhorns have to wonder what the big deal was with the SEC anyway.

Texas spent the season punishing its new conference opponents – and that includes its former Big 12 rival, which had a 12-year lead in the SEC.

Texas will face Georgia in its debut season for the SEC championship, in a conference that has provided 13 of the last 18 national champions since Texas won its last national championship in the 2005 season.

The Aggies (8-4) reach the SEC Championship only in their dreams. After 2012 and 2020, this year marks another close call for A&M for Atlanta that fell short.

With Texas establishing its state supremacy, the question now becomes: Can the Longhorns win a national championship?

At least that’s what the defense looks like. I’m not so sure about this offense in Texas.

Texas defense elite, but should the Longhorns be worried about Quinn Ewers?

Sarkisian built Texas into a physical program that plays punishing defense. The Longhorns beat up every Aggie with the ball in their hands. They’re also ball hawks, and Michael Taaffe gave Texas its 25th takeaway of the season with an acrobatic interception of Marcel Reed.

Top-notch beef abounds on the offensive line. The running tracks provided a lot of fun for the Texas ball carriers.

But does this team have a national championship quarterback? Ewers couldn’t provide the finishing touch Texas needed in a CFP semifinal loss to Washington last year.

If Texas should be worried about anything, it’s turnover issues.

Turnovers thwarted Texas in a loss to Georgia, with Ewers contributing three, and his turnovers on consecutive drives Saturday allowed the Aggies to get back into the game after Texas had built a 17-0 lead at halftime.

Ewers threw a pick-six while under pressure from an Aggies offense. That revived the Aggies crowd, which had been silent while Texas threatened to turn this into a bust.

As Aggies fans waved their white towels and raised their voices, the stadium shook and tension rose.

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