Texas Football: Reactions From Texas' Tough Road Loss

Longhorns fall on a last-second field goal

Despite a furious fourth-quarter rally, Texas couldn't quite pull off the road win at Iowa State. Here are some notes fro the game. 

Live by the sword die by the Sword 

After driving to win two games on a last-second field goal earlier in the season, the Longhorns fell victim to a similar circumstance on the road in Ames. Texas rallied to take a fourth-quarter lead, but the Cyclones took advantage of a major Texas mistake when the Longhorns jumped offsides on a 45-yard field goal attempt to give the Cyclones a fresh set of downs. 

In a scene that mirrored what Texas had done to the Wildcats only a week earlier, the Cyclones bled out the clock to just four seconds before attempting a game-winning field goal to walk off the field with a 23-21 victory. 

For Iowa State it was a turn of fortune after losing all four of its games by a combined 11 points. For the Longhorns, it likely means the end of a shot at a Big 12 title. 

Fourth-quarter rally 

Texas' furious fourth-quarter rally nearly brought the Longhorns back. After being held to just 153 yard through three quarters, the Longhorns more than doubled that number on the back of quarterback Sam Ehlinger. 

Ehlinger was involved in all 27 plays - either as the runner or the passer - as Texas drove down the field for back-to-back touchdowns to take the lead. 

Conservative play-calling

In contrast, on Texas' last drive involved a quarterback keeper for no gain, a handoff to Keaonta Ingram for no gain and a screen pass that would have likely lost yardage had it not been dropped by Devin Duvernay. 

With 4:01 on the clock, Texas ran just a minute off with no yards and no first downs to set up the game-winning drive from the Cyclones. 

Lack of running 

Some of it had to do with the scoreboard, but Texas was unable to run the ball with its running backs all night against Iowa State. 

The Longhorns managed just 14 carries for 35 yards between its two running backs with neither guy able to get going. It's especially frustrating for Texas fans after Ingram went for a career-high a week ago against Kansas State. 

Sam Ehlinger finished as the team's leading rusher with 33 yards. 

Fallout 

Where does Texas go from here? The Longhorns are now all but out of the Big 12 title picture, needing a nuclear meltdown from either Oklahoma or Baylor to have a shot. 

So what does Texas play for at this point? The Alamo Bowl might be the best landing spot, but not many fans want to stomach a trip to San Antonio after going to New Orleans a year ago. It will be up to the Texas coaching staff to keep this team engaged for its final two regular-season games.