Washington 27 Texas 20
For the first time since the 2014 season the Texas Longhorns enter the off-season with a bowl loss...and what a weird game it was.
There is no doubt that the opt-outs hurt -- I don’t think anyone had Jonathan Brooks only getting 18 yards rushing on their Bingo card -- but I did expect more.
I expect my #1 WR to catch the most critical passes of the game. I expect my defense to get at least one tackle for a loss in the game. I expected that Texas would be able to run for more than 2.8 yards per carry in the game.
But sometimes you get beat by a better team, and that is what happened Thursday night.
The Longhorns held Michael Penix Jr. to his lowest yards per attempt of the season (5.2), but Penix seemed to make the biggest plays when needed -- and his wide receivers made plays.
What a concept.
It is tired in this instant gratification world that every game that your college football program plays is a referendum on your program and your head coach...the Longhorns simply lost to a 22-year old QB who threw for 4,500 yards this year.
Next year is next year and it is way too early to talk about it with the active portal season just getting started, but I do expect these Longhorns to be better for the simple fact that this coaching staff knows how to develop talent.
I can’t wait.
Until then...