Swoopes, a 260-pound fifth-year senior, played in a variety of short-yardage situations and scored three touchdowns, including both overtime TDs.
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Texas scored the go-ahead touchdown late in the final frame and seemed to have the game in control then.
“The worst thing you can do is to have one hesitation and not be ready mentally for Sunday night that you will regret for the rest of your life”. The ball hit Hunter in the hands, but Elliott landed a shoulder and helmet to Hunter’s head and the ball fell incomplete. True freshman Shane Buechele showed that he’s a flawless fit to run this offense, completing 16 of 26 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
Help came from the man whose job he took, Tyrone Swoopes.
But Texas was pushed throughout the game by Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer.
But the Irish’s defense really blew it in this game, giving up big plays whenever it mattered, like Shane Buechele throwing a 72-yard touchdown pass to John Burt, putting Texas 28-14 up, although the ND response was 3 consecutive touchdowns: DeShone Kizer running for one, and throwing for two. In overtime, both teams had touchdowns on their first possessions.
In the third quarter, Texas was up by a healthy 31-14 margin.
With nine minutes left in the third quarter, Texas led 31-14 and the party had begun.
Swoopes finished the game missing on his only pass attempt, but he rushed for 53 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries.
Based on how UT performed against Notre Dame on Sunday night, that will clearly not be the case in 2016. That tied it at 37-37 and subsequently forced overtime.
Oddest play of the weekend.
For one night, it was easy to go all-in on Texas.
Notre Dame’s defense did have a spate of success that allowed Kizer & Co.to overcome that 17-point deficit and almost pull off the biggest comeback win in the Kelly era. No one knows for sure, but after Sunday, it kind of looks like it’s changing for the better.
Swoopes there it is! This could be the signature win Texas have been waiting for since Strong took over the program from Mack Brown, although it would be wise to wait and see the effect of this win. You saw him navigate the pocket, even climbing it on some of his throws.
But the other major cities in The Lone Star State?
There was reason to skip right to the NFL Draft where Kizer is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks selected. The NCAA rulebook for 2016 states the replay official “may create a targeting foul, but only in egregious instance in which a foul is not called by the officials on the field”. After receiving the ball on a reverse, Hunter stopped in the backfield and threw back to his left to a wide-open Kizer nearing the end zone.
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D’Onta Foreman gave the Longhorns the lead on a tough 19-yard touchdown run. He’s clearly figured out how the NCAA works and realized professors don’t make almost as much money as the football coaches. Swoopes has been booed by Texas fans the last two seasons and was treated to a chorus of “Swooooooopes” from the Texas-record crowd of 102,315. After registering 61 tackles, Malik Jefferson is back to lead the defense for Texas.
