Texas Longhorns vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats Way-Too-Early Preview: Keys to Victory

When the Texas Longhorns and Sam Houston State Bearkats face off in week 4, the Longhorns will, no surprise, walk into that matchup as heavy favorites, but as seen every year in college football, the possibility of an upset is ever looming.

If the Longhorns can take care of business against the Bearkats, it'll fuel a solid start to the season as they head into their bye week in week five, and then begin SEC play with a visit to Gainesville to take on DJ Lagway and the Florida Gators the week after the bye.

With that being said, here are three keys to victory for the Longhorns as they take on Sam Houston Sept. 20.

Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) runs against Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) during the first quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Contain Hunter Watson

A huge piece of Sam Houston's offense last year revolved around quarterback Hunter Watson, as he threw for 1,811 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, while adding 647 rushing yards and nine more touchdowns. He ranked second in CUSA in rushing among quarterbacks, and Watson led the team with 2,458 total yards of offense, averaging 204.8 yards per game

As Watson returns for his final year of eligibility, the Longhorns' defense needs to be prepared for Watson as both a passer and a runner. The Longhorns defense, led by All-Americans Anthony Hill Jr and Michael Taaffe, will have to play with elite-level eye discipline to recognize when Watson decides to pull the ball down and run with it, and the defensive line will have to play a big part in containing Watson disrupting any scrambles before he decides to take off.

Attack the Defense Down the Field

The Bearkats, a season ago, defended the pass fairly well, allowing the 13th-lowest passing yards per game, but after a head coaching change, former defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity is now with North Texas, and in comes Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, who was the nickel coach for NC State since 2020. As a change in scheme and coaching will always need time to gel and iron out, Steve Sarkisian's offense can take advantage of any miscues in the secondary.

New starting quarterback Arch Manning has proved not to be afraid to air the ball out. In the three games Manning started last season, four of his eight passing touchdowns went for 20 or more yards, including a 75 passing touchdown against UTSA. With Manning's strong arm and willingness to throw the ball deep, it should allow Sarkisian's play calling to attack further down the field, with the Sam Houston game being the perfect opportunity to try any shot or deep play action plays.

Control Time of Possession with the Run Game

Sam Houston ranked No. 13 in time of possession in 2024, averaging 33 minutes in time of possession, which is tied with some of the biggest programs in college football, like the Miami Hurricanes and LSU Tigers. The Bearkats thrive on holding the ball for long periods and melting away the clock for their opponents. The Longhorns cannot let that happen to them.

Texas will need to control the line of scrimmage for its run game to dictate the game. Quintrevion Wisner and a returning CJ Baxter will be key in helping Texas extend its drives with short-yardage conversions and keep Sam Houston on the sidelines. Wisner became the featured running back for the Longhorns down the stretch, and the long-awaited return of Baxter projects as one of the top running games in all of college football.

Texas will host Sam Houston under the lights on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.