Replay: No. 7 Texas bulls its way to 26-16 win, in driver's seat for Big 12 title game
We just returned to the Quinn Ewers era of Texas football last week when the Longhorns lost Jonathon Brooks. For the season. So Texas' quest for a spot in the Big 12 championship game continues with its star quarterback but not its star running back. That means Iowa State should expect to see a lot of CJ Baxter, as the five-star freshman who was the nation's No. 1 running back prospect coming out of high school is expected to take over the running game.
Texas (9-1, 6-1) is a 7.5-point favorite over Iowa State (6-4, 5-2).
This was our thread of live updates, scores and analysis from Saturday's Texas-Iowa State game. Note: it has been updated to reflect that despite initial reports, the Longhorns did not clinch a berth in the Big 12 championship game with the win.
Texas wins, gets closer to Arlington
It's over at Jack Trice Stadium. No. 7 Texas has beaten Iowa State 26-16, moving closer to securing its first trip to the Big 12 championship game since 2018. The Longhorns ran the clock out after getting the ball back on the turnover of downs. They play their final game of the regular season next Friday against Texas Tech; the Big 12 title game is on Dec. 2 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Texas defense rises to the occasion
Iowa State has probably just seen its last realistic chance get wiped out on a turnover on downs with 3:15 left.
Ethan Burke and Byron Murphy II joined forces to sack Rocco Brecht on third down, forcing a desperation fourth-and-17, a short pass that was stopped well short of the first down marker. The Longhorns will take over, leading by 10 points, at Iowa State's 47.
Another field goal, but Texas will take it
There's 6:14 left in Ames and Texas has taken a 26-16 lead on Bert Auburn's 42-yard field goal, so this is back to a two-possession game.
The running backs figured heavily on this drive. CJ Baxter converted a third-and-1 with a 3-yard run behind the right side of his offensive line, caught and 8-yard pass from Quinn Ewers to get to Iowa State's 28, and Jaydon Blue's 7-yard run on third-and-13 from the 31 got Auburn to within his comfort zone.
For the game, Baxter has 15 carries for an even 100 yards.
Iowa State strikes back
There's 12:44 left in the game and Iowa State has shocked Texas with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Rocco Becht to Easton Dean on a fourth-and-1 gamble at the Cyclones' own 34-yard line.
It's now a 23-16 lead for Texas. Or, in other words, this is a one-possession game.
Gunnar Helm hauls in a touchdown
There's 14:52 left to play, and Texas has jumped back out to a 23-9 lead on Quinn Ewers' 31-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm and Jordan Whittington's ensuing 2-point conversion run.
And just like that, the Longhorns are back in control.
Jerrin Thompson pick gives Texas offense another chance
It's the end of the third quarter, and Texas is building some momentum heading into the fourth.
It's still a 15-9 game, but consider that Texas has blocked the extra point for a 2-point return, then Jerrin Thompson picked off Rocco Becht on a nice break on the ball, CJ Baxter had a 13-yard run and Quinn Ewers found Adonai Mitchell for 13. The Longhorns will start the 4th with a first down at the Cyclones' 38.
A win-win: Points for both Iowa State and Texas
There's 2:13 left in the third quarter, and after one of the wildest extra-point plays we've seen in awhile, Texas is leading Iowa State 15-9.
The Cyclones went from the highest of highest to the lowest of lows when Rocco Becht's 14-yard touchdown pass to Eli Sanders cut Texas' lead to 13-9, but then T'Vondre Sweat broke through to block Chase Contreraz's extra-point try and Austin Jordan scooped it up near the 20 and raced back 82 yards untouched for the 2-point play.
Texas grows its lead on Whittington touchdown
There's 5:53 left in the third quarter and Texas has extended its lead to 13-3.
Quinn Ewers found Jordan Whittington for a 23-yard touchdown on a well-developed play-action pass right down the middle of the field.
CJ Baxter followed Kelvin Banks Jr. and Hudson Conner for a big 21-yard gain off the right side, and Quinn Ewers connected with Xavier Worthy for 19 yards thanks to a nice block downfield from Jayden Blue. That play moved Texas across midfield. Baxter had a short first-down gain to Iowa State's 31, and then Ewers found Adonai Mitchell for 8 yards to the 23.
On Iowa State's last drive, the Cyclones converted a third-and-5 with a 7-yard pass to Benjamin Brahmer, but David Gbenda stuffed Eli Sanders for a 3-yard loss on a run that went backward, and Rocco Becht's third-and 10 toss to Carson Hanson over the middle managed only 4 yards. Iowa State punted to Texas' 9.
Texas, with Big 12 title game in sight, is sleepwalking its way toward trouble
What's wrong with Texas tonight? Low energy. Not testing Iowa State in the running game. Not connecting in the passing game. And don't get us started with the critical penalties that wiped away a Quinn Ewers touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell and a punt return touchdown by Xavier Worthy. Ewers (13-20-163) has been OK. Just OK. CJ Baxter (5-36) is averaging 7.2 yards per carry, but has only seven touches. If anything, Texas' defense is controlling things and Iowa State has been saddled with bad starting field position.
But Texas should be worried, ahead only 6-3 against a team it's had problems with in recent years.
Some first-half stats: Texas leads in total yards 205-115, in passing yards 163-110 and in rushing yards 42-5. The Horns have committed 6 penalties for 49 yards (Iowa State: one penalty). Texas is 3-of-8 on third-down conversions (Iowa State is 1-of-6). Iowa State has four sacks to Texas' 2 and time of possession is just about even.
The Cyclones will get the ball to start the third quarter.
Bert Auburn's long kick gives Texas a small halftime lead
We're at halftime, and in this battle of field goals, Texas' kicker has been just a little bit better than Iowa State's.
The Longhorns lead 6-3 after Bert Auburn's 50-yarder.
Auburn lined up for the 50-yarder — his career long was from 49 — and first Texas called a timeout. And then Iowa State called a timeout. And then, with 3 seconds on the clock, Auburn's kick was true.
Texas reached Iowa State's 26, but Quinn Ewers' throw into the end zone on third-and-6 wasn't close to Xavier Worthy. Ewers, however, was flagged for intentional grounding because he was in the pocket and under pressure and it was deemed that Worthy was not in the area of the throw.
Jordan Whittington burned the Cyclones for a 30-yard catch and run over the middle that moved the Longhorns to Iowa State's 30 with 37 seconds left. But right guard DJ Campbell was injured on the play. And earlier, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders was shaken up. Looked like a left ankle injury on the end of what was an awfully nice catch of an awfully nice touch pass from Quinn Ewers on a third-and-13 play that went for 17 yards. Sanders walked off on his own.
Xavier Worthy's punt return TD is wiped out by penalty
There's 2:25 left in the first half. Still 3-3.
Iowa State's drive, which started at its own 9 after the Texas fumble, looked like it was gaining some traction, but broke down at the Cyclones' 42.
Xavier Worthy's 85-yard punt return for a touchdown up the middle was called back for a block-in-the-back penalty on Kitan Crawford. That's the second Texas touchdown that's been called back by a penalty.
Earlier in the drive, Texas defensive back Derek Williams Jr. was flagged for targeting on a first-down tackle, but a video review overturned it. That's the second video review tonight that's gone Texas' way. Williams looked shaken up on the play, however, and headed to the sideline.
Texas fumbles away a golden opportunity
There's 4:49 left in the half and it's still a 3-3 game, much to the Longhorns' dismay.
Texas just blew a golden chance at points. Quinn Ewers found Xavier Worthy for 30 yards to get to Iowa State's 25, and then Worthy took off for a run on the very next play. He weaved his way close to the 10, but then fumbled it on the tackle and the Cyclones recovered. Christian Jones and Ja'Tavion Sanders were there on the recovery try, but couldn't wrap up the ball.
Also, the Fox broadcast has pointed out that CJ Baxter might be dealing with an injury; on the previous drive, Jayden Blue got some snaps while Baxter reportedly was in the medical tent. He was back out there for this drive, though. He has 4 carries for 23 yards so far.
Iowa State has taken over at its own 9.
Texas gets a good call, dodges a 51-yard bullet
There's 7:27 left in the first half, and this is still at 3-3 game. Iowa State's last drive went from good news to bad news thanks to a video review that went Texas' way.
Rocco Becht had passes of 18 yards to Jaylin Noel and 15 to Benjamin Brahmer to get into Texas territory. Becht and Noel converted another first down at Texas' 30 on a third-and-4 — or so it seemed; Jahdae Barron tackled Noel immediately, and a video review determined that Barron not only stopped him just short of the 30, but that Noel had bobbled the catch and the play actually went for just 1 yard.
That set up a fourth-and-3 back at the 33, and Chase Contreraz's 51-yard field goal swayed way left.
Texas ties it, but Horns are hurt by a costly penalty
OK, after one full quarter of blah, we've at least got things happening with this Texas offense.
There's 11:17 left in the 2nd quarter. Texas and Iowa State are tied 3-3. Bert Auburn has kicked his 12th straight field goal, this one from 39 yards out.
The Horns can thank Xavier Worthy — who else? — for waking them up. His 24-yard punt return to open the quarter set Texas up at Iowa State's 33-yard line. Jayden Blue converted a third-and-2 run and on the very next play, Quinn Ewers, running to his left, buying time, found Adonai Mitchell at the back of the end zone for what looked like a 23-yard touchdown, but Kelvin Banks Jr. was flagged for holding on the play, wiping it out. Ewers threw for Mitchell again on third-and-long, but couldn't connect.
An uninspiring start to this one for Texas
There's 1:07 left in the first quarter. Iowa State still leads 3-0.
How did Texas answer Iowa State's field goal? With a drive that fizzled.
DJ Campbell was flagged 10 yards for holding. That didn't help. There was a Jayden Blue sighting on this drive, CJ Baxter had a 4-yard run and on third-and-1- from UT's own 36, Ewers' pass to Jordan Whittington was nearly picked off.
So far, Texas looks a little sluggish on offense.
Iowa State strikes first
There's 3:27 left in the first quarter and Iowa State is on the board. Chase Contreraz's 45-yard field goal makes this a 3-0 game.
Iowa State's drive reached the edge of the red zone when things started breaking down. Rocco Becht missed an open Jaylin Noel on a slant route, throwing behind him, and a 7-yard catch by Daniel Jackson on the sideline was ruled incomplete after a video review. On third-and-10 from the 21, Byron Murphy II wrapped up Becht after Ethan Burke flushed him into Murphy's path.
T'Vondre Sweat is back in
Well, that T'Vondre Sweat injury didn't last long. He's back in.
The Cyclones, however, are driving. Rocco Becht has connected on a couple of nice passes and have advanced to Texas' 33.
T'Vondre Sweat is injured
Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat has been injured, as it appeared an Iowa State offensive linemen's leg struck his helmet as Sweat was on the ground.
There's 7:53 left in the first quarter. It's still 0-0, and the Cyclones will face a third-and-8 at its own 38-yard line when play resumes.
He walked off the field on his own and took a seat on the bench.
Another Texas drive, another Texas punt
There's 9:14 left in the first quarter, and it's still a 0-0 game.
Texas' second drive ended just like its first: with a punt. Of note: Quinn Ewers was sacked for the first time. Looked like a possible coverage sack, as he had plenty of time back there. And CJ Baxter had his first flash play, a 12-yard burst up the middle. And then Iowa State got its second sack of the game on third-and-long.
The Cyclones fumbled the punt return, but recovered.
First Texas drive: a punt
Well, Texas' first drive has come and gone. The Longhorns converted one third-and-long with a Quinn Ewers pass to Adonai Mitchell for 11 yards, and got another first down with a 15-yarder to Ja'Tavion Sanders, and a third-and-10 pass wowed the crowd when a short toss to CJ Baxter out of the backfield went for no yards. Why the wow? Because the ball popped up in the air when Baxter was hit, and the freshman running back nabbed the falling ball as he was going down to the ground.
The Longhorns punted and Iowa State's starting at its own 10.
How we're calling the game
Kirk Bohls: Texas, 31-28. I think Steve Sarkisian just found his killer instinct. The Texas coach can thank Iowa State lineman Jarrod Hufford for doing everything the Cyclones could do to ensure the Longhorns will not be flat in Ames. Maybe the Clones have something special in store for Texas, but I think the Longhorns might offer a parting gift of their own.
Danny Davis: Texas. If the Longhorns needed Iowa State lineman Jarrod Hufford's mouth as a source of inspiration, they are in trouble. Playing for a spot in the Big 12 championship game should be motivation enough, and I think they will get the job done.
Cedric Golden: Texas, 31-24. I don't like how the Horns are finishing games lately, but they seem to be living right. Until they show me different, I'm rolling with the Bevos overcoming another hostile road environment.
Thomas Jones: Iowa State, 26-23. The Longhorns have lived on the edge in recent weeks, and a lack of star power in the backfield after Jonathon Brook's season-ending injury could dim any CFP hopes.
Why this game matters
Lots of reasons.
This game matters because Texas needs to win out (tonight at Iowa State, next Friday at home against Texas Tech and then Dec. 2 in Arlington in the Big 12 championship game) in order to cling to any hopes of securing a College Football Playoff bid. If one of those things don't happen, then there won't be a CFP bid. This game matters because if the Longhorns beat the Cyclones, they'll secure a spot in the Big 12 title game. And this game matters because we'll see what Texas' running game and offense look like without Jonathon Brooks.
We're a little less than half an hour away from kickoff in Ames.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns vs. Iowa State football: Live updates, score, analysis
