Longhorns Aim For Strong Finish With Alamo Bowl Win Over Washington

The Texas Longhorns will look for their first nine-win season since 2018.

The Washington Huskies and Texas Longhorns have more ties than just Steve Sarkisian leading both programs at one point in time. Perhaps the obvious correlation between the two programs could start with last year. 

Both the Huskies and Longhorns finished below .500 and were left in the dust when bowl season arrived in 2021. Texas, which was in the early stages of the Sarkisian era, spiraled out of control after a 4-1 start, losing six straight games for the first time since 1956 to finish 5-7. Washington, which fired second-year coach Jimmy Lake midseason, lost six of its final eight games en route to a 4-8 record. 

Things have changed drastically for the program located just outside of downtown Seattle in Year 1 of the Kalen DeBoer era. The Huskies finished 10-2, with upset wins over then-No. 11 Michigan State, No. 24 Oregon State and No. 6 Oregon, and boasted the nation's No. 1 passing attack behind the arm of Michael Penix Jr. 

Texas, meanwhile, finished third in the Big 12 standings. With a win over Texas Tech or TCU, the Longhorns could have found their way into the conference championship earlier this month at AT&T Stadium. Should that have won, they'd likely be facing No. 5 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Eve. 

While the Valero Alamo Bowl isn't a part of the New Years Six matchups, it still serves as one of the better games in bowl season. Thursday night's showdown won't be any different from the Alamodome as both the No. 20 Longhorns and No. 12 Huskies look to end their seasons on a bit of a winning streak. 

“Anytime you spend a year off where you don't get to go to a bowl game, you don't earn a bowl game, and now you earn the right to get to one and one with the tradition that this bowl has, we’re obviously really excited and our players are looking forward to a great week and a great game," Sarkisian said Wednesday at the Alamo Bowl press conference. 

All eyes will be on Texas as multiple household names won't be seeing action. Both Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson, along with secondary running back Roschon Johnson, opted out before the Longhorns arrived in San Antonio to prepare for April's draft. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who finished second on the team in tackles (95), also opted out to prepare for the NFL Combine.  

That won't stop Sarkisian from trusting the run game against a potent Huskies' defensive front that held opponents to only 13 rushing touchdowns. The second-year Longhorns coach is high on the capabilities of rising sophomore Jonathon Brooks, along with junior Keilan Robinson and freshman Jaydon Blue. 

Combined, the trio totaled 271 yards on 56 carries. Brooks, who's expected to be the focal point of the run game in 2023, also finished third in rushing touchdowns with four scores. 

"We're fortunate," Sarkisian said. "It's a talented group, and now they're going to get their opportunity to go play and play at a high level against a good team." 

Texas could call the Alamodome its home away from home. Since 2006, the Longhorns have represented the Big 12 in the Alamo Bowl six times and currently own a 5-1 record. 

Both programs are trending upwards heading into 2023. Penix Jr. announced he'd be returning for another season, meaning the nation's top passing offense shouldn't fall off course. Meanwhile, Texas finished with a top-five recruiting class during Early Signing Period, landing nine players from SI99's list, including quarterback Arch Manning. 

“We're coaching the right way. I think we're recruiting the right way," Sarkisian said. "I think we've instilled the culture in our team the right way. But inevitably it comes down to performing and performing the right way on game day, and the next opportunity we have (to do that) is tomorrow night.”

Should Texas pull off the upset, it would mark just the third time since 2010 that the program finished with nine wins. Should Washington add to its six-game winning streak, it would mark the first 11-win season since 2016 and the fifth in program history. 

Both teams have more to play for than pride. For the Huskies, it's about proving their status for 2023. For the Longhorns, it's about creating a lasting culture that will carry over to the SEC in 2025. 

“We're trying to build something that is sustainable, that can withstand the test of time,” Sarkisian said. “We want to be able to build this the right way, and I think we are doing that. I think our players recognize that.”

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