Texas vs. UTSA: Who the experts are picking to win
Texas made a statement against the top team in the country last weekend.
Now, they have to find consistency in their play. The Longhorns will welcome a rising UTSA squad to Austin in Week 3. It could very well be a trap game for Texas due to a variety of injuries.
Steve Sarkisian has not announced who will start at quarterback for the Longhorns on Saturday evening. Quinn Ewers is expected to miss a few weeks due to a shoulder sprain, while backup Hudson Card is dealing with an ankle sprain. If Ewers and Card are sidelined, redshirt freshman Charles Wright is expected to get the nod.
Regardless of who starts at quarterback for Texas, you can expect to see a heavy dose of running backs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. On the defensive side, the Longhorns should be able to exploit UTSA’s injured offensive line unit.
Here’s a look at score predictions for Texas-UTSA from many national media analysts.
College Football News
Who’s going to be the Texas quarterback?
Steve Sarkisian is being very, very coy on the status of Quinn Ewers after getting full body mashed by Bama. His injured left shoulder is supposedly okay – to a point – and backup Hudson Card isn’t considered out despite his ankle injury. However, they’re both far from 100%, and there’s no sure-thing time they’re expected to be back. That, and superstar RB Bijan Robinson is hurting, too.
Oh, and UTSA is good enough to win this.
This is one of those moments for Texas football.
It’s coming off the soul-crushing loss, it’s stars are hurting, it has a true to Texas Tech up next week to start Big 12 play, and UTSA has the makeup to roll into town and pull a Week 3 version of Appalachian State or Marshall.
Texas will get out of this. The defense will play well again, there will be just enough big plays through the air, and it’ll be a survive-and-advance game after a whole lot of sweating. – Pete Fiutak
Prediction: Texas 37, UTSA 26
247Sports' Chris Hummer and Brad Crawford
Chris Hummer: Texas could easily lose this game. That really has nothing to do with a let-down from the Alabama game. It’s about both Longhorns QBs (Quinn Ewers, Hudson Card) being injured. Card might play but he’ll be hobbled on an injured ankle. And UTSA is frankly really good. They have a mobile QB in Frank Harris — something that has given Texas fits through the years — and an offense capable of attacking a still somewhat questionable Texas defense. The Longhorns win but I think it could be a bit uncomfortable.
Prediction: Texas 35, UTSA 24
Brad Crawford: UTSA is 0-8 versus top-25 opponents all time but its last three losses have come by a single possession. Several friends close to the Texas program are telling me to take the points after the Longhorns’ emotional loss to Alabama. This line is moving down as we get closer to kickoff and that’s a sign of respect for Jeff Traylor. This is UTSA’s Super Bowl and they’re going to play like it. Texas survives in a close one. This line has been moving throughout the week, so make sure you get a good number if you’re a UTSA backer.
Prediction: Texas 31, UTSA 20
Sports Illustrated
Matt Galatzan: UTSA is no slouch, and they will come into Austin hoping to pull off the upset of the weekend. Texas will get the Road Runners’ best shot. Hudson Card has made progress in his health, but it might not be enough. Could Charles Wright be under center for the Horns? Maybe. If that is the case, I don’t know what to expect. Still, Texas is just the better team all around. It’ll be close though.
Prediction: Texas 27, UTSA 21
Zack Dimmitt: The Longhorns will have a tough out against a UTSA team that proved it can beat Power 5 competition last season. There will likely be an emotional hangover from Texas’ Week 2 meeting with Alabama, making a matchup with the Roadrunners a game that has major upset potential. If Texas can stop UTSA quarterback Frank Harris from getting going with his legs, things should be all right for coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense. Regardless, it’s hard to see this game ending in a blowout for the hometown Longhorns.
Prediction: Texas 37, UTSA 27
Heartland College Sports
This is going to be a tough game for the Longhorns, but I believe they showed enough last week defensively that I trust them to get the W here. Frank Harris will keep UTSA in this game with his scrambling ability and some big-time throws downfield, but I believe the Texas defensive line will win the day for Sarkisian and Co. Whether Texas marches out Wright at quarterback or some sort of Wildcat look, I think they will score just enough to survive into Big 12 play at 2-1. – Bryan Clinton
Prediction: Texas 27, UTSA 20
Horns247
Longhorns Wire
Cami Griffin: Texas 38, UTSA 24
CJ Mumme: Texas 35, UTSA 24
Joey Hickey: Texas 34, UTSA 16
