Texas-Baylor pregame notes and quotes

Compiled by Steve Habel
Senior Contributing Writer

AUSTIN, Texas — The enigmatic Texas Longhorns will hit the road for the final time in this year’s regular season, traveling north up I-35 to Waco Saturday afternoon to battle No. 14 Baylor at McLane Stadium.

Expect an all-out war between the two teams, both on the rebound from last-minute losses in their most recent games. Texas still can earn a berth in the Big 12 championship if [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]it wins both remaining games and Baylor loses both remaining games; the Bears will clinch a spot opposite Oklahoma in the title game with a win over the Longhorns.

Here are some notes and quotes from the two teams as they prepare to meet Saturday:

• Texas will face Baylor Saturday for the 109th time in program history. The Longhorns hold a 78-26-4 all-time record against the Bears, including a 30-16-2 advantage when the two teams face off in Waco, Texas.

• Texas defensive end Malcolm Roach on the offside penalty that set up Iowa State’s game-winning field goal last week: “I was just trying to make a play for the team and block the kick. I probably never felt like that after a loss before.”

• The Longhorns have won eight of 11 matchups in Waco since the programs joined the Big 12 Conference prior to the 1996 season. Texas has won each of the past two meetings, including a 38-7 victory at McLane Stadium during Tom Herman’s first season as head coach. Texas is 2-0 against Baylor under Herman.

• Herman, on where he thought Texas would be after 10 games: “Did I think we would have a clearer identity? Yes.”

• The two schools first met in 1901, when UT bested Baylor, 23-0, on the road. They have faced off 107 times since then, including every year since 1945.

• Texas won its first 11 matchups against Baylor (1901-14) and holds the longest winning streak by either side in the series with 16-straight wins from 1958-73.

• The Longhorns are 10-6 in one-possession games (games that are decided by eight or fewer points) since the start of the 2018 season.

• Texas is 11-2 in games following losses in three seasons under Herman. That includes a 48-13 victory over Rice, a 50-48 win over Kansas and a 27-24 win over No. 16 Kansas State this season.

• Texas safety Brandon Jones was named a semifinalist for the 2019 Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced Thursday. The award, now in its 16th season, recognizes the player that makes the biggest IMPACT on his team, both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for “Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.”

Jones is a senior defensive back who has started all 10 games this season and leads the Longhorns with 70 total tackles. He also has notched 4.5 tackles for loss, broken up four passes, intercepted two more and logged one sack.

Jones, one of six team captains in 2019, is also a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best defensive player in college football.

Four Longhorns (Derrick Johnson in 2004, Brian Orakpo in 2008, Sam Acho in 2010 and Emmanuel Acho in 2011) have previously been named finalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

• Texas offensive coordinator Tim Beck on his team’s three-and-outs against Iowa State: “We shot ourselves in the foot a lot — a lot of negative yardage plays or penalties, things like that. I think I counted 7-8 catchable passes that we didn’t (catch). We didn’t execute well in all phases.”

• Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger and wide receiver Devin Duvernay both were named semifinalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, it was announced Thursday. The award, which was first presented in 2013, was won by UT’s D’Onta Foreman in 2016. The award, which is named after 1977 Heisman Trophy winner and Longhorn Legend Earl Campbell, is given annually to the top offensive player in the FBS who also exhibits enduring characteristics that define Campbell – integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity. In addition, it is limited to player who were born in the state of Texas, attended a Texas high school or attended a Texas junior college or university.

• Ehlinger has completed 243 of 372 passes for 2,914 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also has carried the ball 123 times for 428 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns this season. Ehlinger ranks in the top 15 nationally in eight statistical categories:
> Points responsible for per game: 19.4 — No. 6
> Total offense per game: 334.2 — No. 6
> Total offense: 3,342 total yards — No. 6
> Points responsible for: 194 — No. 7
> Completions per game: 24.3 — No. 8
> Passing touchdowns: 27 — No. 11
> Passing yards: 2,914 — No. 11
> Passing yards per game: 291.4 — No. 12

• Duvernay has caught 87 passes for 1,017 yards and scored eight total touchdowns (7 receiving, 1 rushing). He ranks No. 2 nationally behind Shane Buechele’s top receiver (SMU’s James Proché), and leads all Power Five receivers, with 87 receptions and 8.7 catches per game this season. His 1,017 receiving yards place him eighth among FBS receivers. Duvernay is one of only two Power Five receivers with at least 75 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns this season.
[/s2If] [s2If !current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] [habeabk] [/s2If]