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247Sports · Jason Suchomel

Sep 18
Matchup Breakdown: Where Texas holds the biggest advantages against UTSA
Summary
Injury: Texas is coming off an emotional come-from-behind win over Ohio State.
Texas is coming off an emotional come-from-behind win over Ohio State. So what do the Longhorns have in store for us this week? Each week, we'll break down the key matchups between the Longhorns and their opponent and assign an advantage rating ranging from one star to five stars, with one star representing a slight edge and five stars representing a major mismatch. So where do the biggest advantages lie heading into Saturday's showdown? Let's break it down. UTSA pass offense vs. Texas pass defense UTSA has a quarterback who is good enough to keep Texas' attention. Owen McCown entered the season with experience and productivity under his belt, and he has played well through the first two games. He completed 22 of 27 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns in the opener against UTRGV before throwing for 214 yards and a touchdown against Texas State. He's accurate, he gets the ball out quickly and he's comfortable making plays with his legs when necessary. UTSA will spread the ball around to multiple receivers with DJ Allen, Mekhi Anderson and AJ Wilson having totaled 31 catches in two games. Allen is the big-play receiver of the group, averaging 17.5 yards per catch on his eight grabs. UTSA is not devoid of talent, but this is still a significant step up in competition for McCown. Texas' secondary just went against Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, and the Longhorns should be able to make things difficult for the Roadrunners' passing game. Edge – Texas **   UTSA run offense vs. Texas run defense Will Henderson III steps into the lead role in UTSA's backfield. He rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries in the opener, including a 75-yard touchdown run, and he followed that up with 80 yards on 14 carries against Texas State. He has the speed, even against Texas, that if he gets to the second level he can be a problem. A'Marion Peterson and Brandon High Jr. give the Roadrunners some additional options, and High came up with the game-winning 25-yard touchdown run last week. Peterson is averaging a very healthy 10.0 yards on his 10 carries this year. The Longhorns held Ohio State to just 94 yards on the ground (3.0 ypc). Edge – Texas ***   UTSA offensive line vs. Texas defensive line This might be the biggest mismatch of the game. UTSA has some veteran pieces up front, but this is a unit that has dealt with some injuries and is going to have its hands full with Texas' defensive line. The two tackle spots are a "work in progress" according to UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor, which doesn't bode well against an aggressive and talented Texas defensive front. Former Longhorn Jaylen Garth is among the players that will work in at tackle for the Roadrunners. The Longhorns were able to generate two sacks against Ohio State and have enough depth up front to keep fresh bodies coming throughout the game. Edge – Texas ****   Texas pass offense vs. UTSA pass defense This is an opportunity for Arch Manning and the Texas passing game to get back on track after some tough sledding for much of the night against Ohio State. UTSA has some talented pieces in the secondary, and some experience, and the Roadrunners have already picked off four passes in two games this season. Texas can't get careless with the football as we've seen already this year. Safety Joel Rogers is second on the UTSA team with 13 tackles. Texas has a major talent advantage on the outside and should be able to consistently make plays in the passing game in this one. Edge – Texas ****   Texas run offense vs. UTSA run defense This is another matchup where Texas should have a pretty significant advantage, but it's also something the Longhorns need to clean up. In the first two games, Texas has run the ball well if you're just looking at the statistics, but the performances have been a bit uneven. The Longhorns have shown they want to be more physical and balanced with the running game, and this is the type of opponent against which that should be possible. UTSA gave up 289 yards on the ground last week to Texas State, including a 149-yard performance from Torrance Burgess. The Roadrunners have some active linebackers, particularly Brandon Tucker, who had 13 tackles against Texas State and now has 18 stops on the year, but Texas should be able to pop off some big chunks in this one. Edge – Texas ****   Texas offensive line vs. UTSA defensive line UTSA has some experience along its three-man defensive front. Nose tackle Jameian Buxton is a space eater at 6-2 and 325 pounds. Defensive end Tai Leonard is a solid player who Texas will have to account for on every snap. UTSA isn't going to just lie down, but this is another matchup where the depth and overall talent of Texas should show up. The Texas offensive line, through two games, has been effective and very physical. The three returning starters have been very good. Melvin Siani has been fantastic and Dylan Sikorski has been a pleasant surprise. Edge – Texas ***   Special Teams UTSA has a solid kicker in Michael Petro. He doesn't have a big leg, but is pretty accurate from inside of 45 yards. Junior punter Caile Hogan, an Aussie, is very good. Gianni Spetic is 2-2 on kicks for Texas so he's held up his end of the bargain. Texas has some weapons in the return game, including Ryan Niblett, but we haven't seen much from that group just yet. This is by far the closest of the matchups. Edge – Texas *

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Teams: Texas

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