FINAL: Texas Longhorns Defeat BYU Cougars 35-6
It is Saturday in Austin, which means the Texas Longhorns are in action as they return to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the first time in four weeks as they welcome one of the newest members of the Big-12 conference, the BYU Cougars.
A lot has changed in the four weeks since the Longhorns last played in front of their home crowd. For starters, they are no longer undefeated as they suffered their first defeat of the season in heartbreaking fashion, 34-30, to the Oklahoma Sooners. Additionally, the Longhorns will have a new quarterback under center, as Quinn Ewers left last week's win over the Houston Cougars with a grade 2 AC Joint sprain.
With Ewers expected to be out for the foreseeable future, Longhorn fans will get their first extensive look at Maalik Murphy. The redshirt freshman who enrolled at Texas as a highly-touted four-star recruit out of high school will make his first career start against the Cougars.
Oct 21, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) looks to pass the ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium.
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Murphy's first start comes when the Longhorns are coming upon a crucial five-game stretch to close out the regular season as they attempt to punch their ticket to Dallas, TX, for the Big-12 conference championship game.
"I don’t expect Maalik to go out Saturday and play perfect. That wouldn’t be realistic," coach Steve Sarkisian said of his young signal-caller. "What we try to do is put him in the best position to have success, then navigate our way through the ebb and flow of a football game, which is how every game goes.”
The Cougars, on the other hand, come into the game sitting at 5-2 with the hope of knocking the Longhorns for the fifth time in program history. BYU currently holds bragging rights over Texas when it comes to head-to-head matchups, as the Cougars are 4-1 all-time, with their most recent wins coming in 2013 and 2014.
WHAT: Brigham Young University Cougars (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) at Texas Longhorns (6-1, 3-1 Big 12)
WHERE: DKR - Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX (100,119)
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, 2:30 p.m. CT
HOW TO WATCH: ABC / FuboTV (try it free)
HOW TO LISTEN: KTXX-FM 104.9 | KZNX-AM 1530 | Longhorn Radio Network
TICKETS: SI Tickets
BETTING via SI Sportsbook
SPREAD: Longhorns -19.5
TOTAL: 50.5
MONEYLINE: BYU +700, Texas -1613
First Quarter
The Longhorns started the game with a punt after five plays spanning 20 yards as Murphy tried to find Xavier Worthy on third down. Texas started out the game aggressively, throwing four times with just one run.
Change of Possession
The Cougars went three-and-out before a punt to Xavier Worthy was taken 74 yards for an opening Longhorns score.
TOUCHDOWN TEXAS
Texas 7, BYU 0
Change of Possession
The Cougars suffered another three-and-out as the Texas run defense held the opening two plays to negative yardage before an eight-yard pass on third-down wasn't enough to move the chains.
Change of Possession
The Longhorns' next drive lasted just four plays before an under-pressure Murphy threw an interception to Crew Wakley. The redshirt freshman had a completion just two plays earlier under pressure to Ja'Tavion Sanders for a gain of 20 yards, but couldn't do it again.
Change of Possession
After two straight runs to open the drive, Terrance Brooks gets Texas the football ball back with an interception returned 40 yards.
Change of Possession
The Longhorns capitalized off the interception with a touchdown as Jonathon Brooks punched it into the endzone with a four-yard run.
TOUCHDOWN TEXAS
Texas 14, BYU 0
Change of Possession
The dominant showing from the Texas defense continued with another three-and-out forced on BYU. Kedon Slovis had two incompletions before another punt.
Change of Possession
Second Quarter
After Worthy recovered his own fumble on the punt return, the Longhorns weren't so lucky later in the drive as BYU sent pressure after Murphy again on the sixth play of the drive to force a fumble.
Change of Possession
With another potential three-and-out threatening, the Cougars got a first down on a fourth-down run, their first of the game. The fourth-down conversion led to a long 15-play drive as the Cougars drove all the way down to the Texas nine-yard line. However, that is where the Longhorns stood tall, forcing a 24-yard field goal.
FIELD GOAL BYU
Texas 14, BYU 3
Change of Possession
The Longhorns opened the drive with four straight runs before letting Murphy find Worthy for gains of seven and 14 yards. Then a few plays later, the redshirt freshman launched his first touchdown pass on a 30-yard completion to Adonai Mitchell.
TOUCHDOWN TEXAS
Texas 21, BYU 3
Change of Possession
A four-yard run and two completions ran the rest of the clock off for the first half for the Cougars.
Third Quarter
BYU's first drive ends in another three-and-out as they punt.
Change of Possession
The Longhorns also suffered a three-and-out to start the second-half as Murphy couldn't find Worthy on third-down.
Change of Possession
The Cougars found two big plays through the air, one for 19 yards and the other for 47, as Slovis's arm helped BYU manage to get on the board again with a field.
FIELD GOAL BYU
Texas 21, BYU 6
Change of Possession
The Longhorns were boosted by a pair of big plays from Brooks, as he broke a run for 38 yards before a 17-yard reception to help the Longhorns move deep into Cougars territory. After being unable to find the endzone on two consecutive Savion Red runs or a pass from Murphy, Texa went for it on fourth-and-goal. Murphy found Sanders for a completion on the fourth down, but the talented tight end was tackled short of the goal-line.
Change of Possession
A six-yard run on second down was the only positive play for BYU as they backed up in the shadow of their endzone before another punt.
Change of Possession
Fourth Quarter
An 18-yard pass to Sanders and a 10 to Brooks, along with a 23-yard run from Keilan Robinson, helped set up Texas on the BYU two-yard-line. However, the Longhorns couldn't finish the drive with a touchdown on a fourth-down run from Brooks was stuffed.
Change of Possession
The Cougars managed to get two first downs on the drive before Michael Taaffe intercepted Slovis's pass on third-down before he returned it 45 yards to put Texas in perfect field position.
Change of Possession
After a delay of game penalty, Murphy found Mitchell again, this time for a 13-yard touchdown pass.
TOUCHDOWN TEXAS
Texas 28, BYU 6
Change of Possession
A 10-play drive for the Cougars that managed to get into the redzone ends on a fourth-down incompletion from Slovis.
Change of Possession
The Longhorns suffered a three-and-out as a first-down false start penalty made it an uphill battle to move the chains.
Change of Possession
A second down by Justice Finkley sees the ball knocked out of Slovis's grasp as the Longhorns defense forces another turnover.
Change of Possession
The third straight handoff to Jaydon Blue ends up in a 34-yard touchdown run.
TOUCHDOWN TEXAS
Texas 35, BYU 6
Change of Possession
FINAL: Texas Longhorns 35, BYU Cougars 6