Texas Longhorns Survive vs. Houston Cougars After Ewers Injury

The Texas Longhorns got all they could handle and more from the Houston Cougars on Saturday.

HOUSTON, TX -- Coming out of the bye week following their loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, the Texas Longhorns needed to make a statement. 

And through the first quarter of TDECU Stadium, it looked like that was exactly what was going to happen. 

After starting off the game at a blistering hot pace, and taking a 21-0 lead, the Longhorns let the Cougars right back into the action, with Houston rattling off 14 straight to end the first half, on top of a failed fake field goal attempt by Texas.

Houston then started the third quarter with the football, and took advantage, marching down the field and tying the game at 21.

The Longhorns were able to turn a Houston turnover into a field goal, taking a 24-21 lead in the third quarter, but were unable to make anything out of a Donovan Smith interception on the next drive.

Then, disaster struck for the Horns again, with star quarterback Quinn Ewers getting knocked out of the game with an undisclosed injury. Ewers finished the game completing 23 of 29 passes for 211 yards and two scores. 

Quinn Ewers throws a pass vs. the Houston Cougars / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

The injury occurred after Ewers attempted to lower his shoulder on a defender while attempting to scramble for a first down. 

Redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy came in in relief of Ewers, who was taken to the locker room for further evaluation. 

Murphy then went three and out on his first drive under center, leading to a punt, which Houston turned into a field goal and a 24-24 tie game. 

Then Murphy and the Horns responded, marching right back down the field on a drive that was capped off by a C.J. Baxter touchdown, giving Texas a 31-24 lead. 

From there, the Texas defense was able to come up with a big stop on fourth down deep in their own territory, ending the game. 

Following the one and only Big 12 matchup with Houston, the Longhorns will now turn their attention back to Austin, where they will host the BYU Cougars at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. 

BYU is 4-1 all-time against the Longhorns, with the lone Texas win coming in 2011.