Longhorns Dud vs. Wyoming A Wake Up Call?

The Texas Longhorns came out flat against the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday, and it nearly cost them.

AUSTIN - After taking down the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa a week ago, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns were the toast of the college football world.

However, as seems to be a trend after a team takes on a Nick Saban-coached Tide team, there was a bit of a hangover in Austin on Saturday night against the Wyoming Cowboys.

Luckily, the Horns were able to take care of business vs. the Cowboys, winning 31-10 in front of a sold-out home crowd at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

That said, the hangover nearly cost the Longhorns their shot at the College Football Playoff, and adjustments must be made.

© Scott Wachter, USA TODAY

The issues began on the offensive side of the ball for the Horns, with Quinn Ewers and the Texas receivers looking out of sync for the vast majority of the contest. 

After his maestro performance against Alabama the week prior, Ewers responded by completing just 11 of 21 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns - a far cry from his 349-yard, three-score outing in Tuscaloosa. 

To make things worse, the Longhorns were also largely ineffective on the ground, until late in the third quarter, when Jonothan Brooks exploded. 

Brooks would ultimately end the game with 21 carries for 164 yards.

Meanwhile, on defense, the Horns looked like a shell of the team that took the field at Bryant Denney Stadium. 

Not only did they give up 110 yards on the ground to Harrison Waylee, but Ewers was outdueled by Wyoming's backup quarterback for most of the game.

Again, a late play changed that outcome, this time from Jerrin Thompson's pick-six to put things on ice. 

Ultimately, and most importantly, of course, the Longhorns were able to survive the scare from the Cowboys - thanks in large part to a screen pass to Xavier Worthy that went 44 yards for a touchdown, and broke the game open.

But whether it was by sheer talent or blind luck, the result is the result, and they will now move on to a Week 4 trip to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears.

With that said, if they don't learn from their mistakes leading from Week 2 to Week 3, and start fast, the Longhorns may not survive their Big 12 opener, much less challenge for a College Football Playoff spot.