Longhorns Hanging Tough With No. 1 Alabama In First Half Despite Quinn Ewers Injury

The Longhorns are locked in a tight one with the Alabama Crimson Tide through the first half of play

AUSTIN - The Texas Longhorns went into their Saturday matchup with the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin as major underdogs. 

However, through the first half of play, they have been able to hang tough with Nick Saban and company, heading into the locker room 10-10.

The major storyline of the first half for the Longhorns was without a doubt the injury to starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, who began the game 9-12 for 143 yards, and had the Texas offense humming. 

However, with 31 seconds to go in the first quarter, Ewers went down hard on his left shoulder, forcing him to leave the game with an as-of-yet undisclosed injury.

Hudson Card came in to replace Ewers, with Card completing 4 of 6 passes for 59 yards. 

Defensively, however, outside of one broken play that led to a long Alabama touchdown, the Longhorns' defense has been solid, holding down the fort while the offense attempts to get back on track. 

Through the first half, the Horns have allowed just 172 yards of total offense to the Crimson Tide, with their coverage and pass rush both causing issues for the defending Heisman trophy winner, Bryce Young. 

The Tide has also made a handful of critical mistakes, most notably in the penalty department, where they have been flagged 11 times for 58 yards in just two quarters.

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You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan

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