Game-by-Game Predictions For 2022 Longhorns Football Season
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The Texas Longhorns will open the regular season in just over two weeks, when they take on the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 3.
And with a new season, comes new expectations.
The Longhorns will welcome in a host of new talent on both sides of the ball in hopes of improving upon their 5-7 record from 2021, including what could potentially be a new starting quarterback in Quinn Ewers.
The Longhorns are not going to have much of an adjustment period, however, with the No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide coming to Austin on September 10, an under-the-radar matchup against UT San Antonio on September 17, and conference play set to begin on September 24 against Texas Tech.
Just two weeks later, the Longhorns will begin a gauntlet of Big 12 affairs against Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State, which will include the team's toughest road games of the season, and could show the country exactly what the new look Longhorns are made of.
Texas then ends the season at home against the defending Big 12 champion Baylor Bears on a senior night.
So how will the Longhorns fare? Longhorns Country takes you game-by-game with our season predictions ahead of what could be a defining year for Steve Sarkisian.
Week 1: Louisiana Monroe Warhawks
The question remains as to who could start under center for the Longhorns against ULM. Right now, it's anyone's guess. Luckily for Texas, it shouldn't matter in this one. Either way, both will play, and Texas should cruise to an easy opening season win.
Longhorns 48, Warhawks 17
Overall Record: 1-0 (0-0 Big 12)
Week 2: Alabama Crimson Tide
Here is where things get dicey for Texas. In truth, the Horns are not ready to face the juggernaut that Nick Saban will bring with him to Austin. That is not to say this game will be entirely one-sided.
With the loss of Isaiah Neyor and Junior Angilau, as well as the possibility of multiple true freshmen having key roles on the offensive line, against the likes of Will Anderson and that Alabama front, things could get ugly for the Longhorns unless they play their absolute best football. Not to mention the young quarterback question, which is not a good problem to have against Saban.
Crimson Tide 41, Longhorns 25
Overall Record: 1-1 (0-0 Big 12)
Week 3: UTSA Road Runners
Longhorns fans should not overlook this game.
UTSA is coming off of its best season in school history, with their first loss of the year coming to North Texas in their final game of the regular season. They would go on to win the Conference USA Title before losing in their bowl game to San Diego State.
Texas could still be going through their quarterback journey but should be able to out-talent the Road Runners. No matter what, they will have to keep things buttoned up and keep the mistakes at a minimum.
Longhorns 37, Road Runners 21
Overall Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12)
Week 4: at Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Longhorns will get their first true road test of the year in Week 4 when they head to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech and first-year head coach Joey Maguire. If the Longhorns don't have their quarterback situation figured out by this point in the season, there could be an issue going forward into the season. However, that seems unlikely.
That said, no matter who is under center here, the Longhorns should have the talent and the depth to outduel the Red Raiders. And barring a disaster, they should open Big 12 play with a win. Texas Tech will put up a fight in front of its home crowd, however.
Longhorns 45, Red Raiders 21
Overall Record: 3-1 (1-0 Big 12)
Week 5: West Virginia Mountaineers
The Longhorns Big 12 home opener will come in the form of a revenge game against West Virginia. By this time the quarterback battle should be fully solved, and whoever wins, will use this game to make a statement. We believe that it will ultimately be Quinn Ewers by this time, but nothing is set until Steve Sarkisian makes the call.
Either way, the Longhorns win.
Longhorns 31, Mountaineers 21
Overall Record: 4-1 (2-0 Big 12)
Week 6: Oklahoma Sooners (Dallas)
The Red River Rivalry is set to be the Longhorns' second massive litmus test of the year. It's true that the Sooners have a new coach, a new quarterback, and lost a lot via the transfer portal. However, that does not mean the Longhorns will not be in for a major fight.
Still, we think Ewers shines in his North Texas homecoming, and Sark gets his first signature win.
Longhorns 38, Sooners 35
Overall Record: 5-1 ( 3-0 Big 12)
Week 7: Iowa State Cyclones
Texas will be out for revenge after an embarrassing loss in Ames in 2021. The Longhorns have re-tooled and reloaded and should be much improved on both sides of the ball and hitting their stride at this point in the season.
That doesn't mean things will be easy against Matt Campbell and the Cyclones, however. At some point, Texas will suffer a letdown. However, it will not come here.
Longhorns 28, Cyclones 24
Overall Record: 6-1 ( 3-0 Big 12)
Week 8: at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Entering just their second true road game of the season to this point, the Longhorns will be facing their eighth straight game and could be a bit beat up, and perhaps a bit worn down.
That won't be a good problem to be facing against the Big 12 runners-up from 2021. Texas will put up a fight, but the Cowboys will take the win.
Cowboys 32, Longhorns 27
Overall Record: 6-2 ( 3-1 Big 12)
Week 9: BYE
The bye comes late for Texas, but it is going to need this off to get refueled and recharged ahead of another tough road matchup.
Week 10: at Kansas State Wildcats
Manhattan is a very tough place to play, and the Longhorns always seem to have trouble with Kansas State. Not to mention, the Wildcats could be a dark horse contender for the Big 12 title game.
The Longhorns will put forth a valiant effort, but ultimately fall in a close one after a big performance from Duece Vaughan.
Wildcats 27, Longhorns 24
Overall Record: 6-3 ( 3-2 Big 12)
Week 11: TCU Horned Frogs
With new head coach Sonny Dykes and TCU coming to town in Week 11, the Longhorns will be looking to take out some frustration after two-straight losses. Had Zach Evans remained in Fort Worth, the Horned Frogs might have had a better shot, but as it stands, Texas should hold the edge here.
Ewers and Xavier Worthy both have big games here as the offense gets back on track.
Longhorns 44, Horned Frogs 30
Overall Record: 7-3 ( 4-1 Big 12)
Week 12: at Kansas Jayhawks
Who would have guessed that the Longhorns' biggest revenge game of the 2022 season would come against Kansas? That is likely not going to be a good thing for the Jayhawks. Texas rolls.
Longhorns 51, Jayhawks 13
Overall Record: 8-3 ( 5-2 Big 12)
Week 13: Baylor Bears
In their regular-season finale, the Longhorns will face the toughest test of their Big 12 schedule in the defending conference champion Baylor Bears. Dave Aranda lost a lot of talent from 2021 on offense, but he will also return a lot, particularly on defense.
The Bears shut down Sarkisian's offense in Waco last season. It is hard to believe that could happen two years in a row, but the Bears' defense could be that good. In the end, the Longhorns get their upset, and Sark gets his second signature win of the year on a last-second field goal.
Longhorns 26, Bears 24
Overall Record: 9-3 ( 6-2 Big 12)
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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