No. 15 Texas vs. Kansas
When: 6 p.m. Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin
Records: Texas (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big 12); Kansas (2-4, 0-3 Big 12)
Last meeting: Texas defeated Kansas 24-17 on Nov. 23, 2018, in Lawrence, Kan.
TV: Longhorn Network
What’s on the line?
With two losses at the midway point, Texas’ season will seemingly be on the line every Saturday from here on out. At 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play, the Longhorns need to win out if they want to control their destiny in the conference race.
A loss at any point in the second half of the season would force Texas to not only depend on a team like undefeated Baylor to lose twice, but the Longhorns would also need to beat the Bears in Waco just to be in a position to return to the Big 12 Championship Game.
While this week isn’t exactly a marquee matchup, the Longhorns are one slip-up from things getting shaky in Austin.
When Texas has the ball
It goes without saying: Texas needs to establish the run early Saturday. Keaontay Ingram is still technically the starting running back, according to the depth chart, but the past weeks have reflected anything but that.
Roschon Johnson’s combined 216 rushing yards over the past two weeks stack up quite favorably next to Ingram’s 27 yards on 13 carries in that same stretch. If Johnson leads the team in rushing for a third straight week, look for the entire fan base to jump on the Johnson bandwagon –– if it isn’t already aboard.
When Kansas has the ball
Don’t let Kansas running back Pooka Williams’ touchdown count (one rushing, one receiving) fool anybody: He presents a problem to the entire Big 12. He averaged 6 yards per carry against Oklahoma two weeks ago, rushing for 137 yards on 23 carries.
Coming off a bye week, look for Williams to present even more of a challenge with a fresh set of legs.
If quarterback Carter Stanley has time, he’s proven his ability to find wide receivers Andrew Parchment and Stephon Robinson Jr. If Kansas wants to derail Texas’ season, the Jayhawks need all four of these players to ball out for four quarters.
Prediction
Even after their infamous trip to Lawrence in 2016, the Longhorns have struggled to handle the Jayhawks. With an appearance in the Big 12 title game on the line last year, Texas squeaked by the 3-9 Jayhawks with a 24-17 victory.
The year prior, Texas got by the 2017 Jayhawks –– the squad that finished 1-11 –– by a score of 42-27. And we all know how 2016 went. It’s safe to say the Longhorns won’t cover the 21-point spread, but Sam Ehlinger and Co. will get back on track with a bounce-back win in Austin.
Score: Texas 38, Kansas 24
