Why Matthew Golden Emerged As Most Trustworthy Texas Longhorns WR

Texas Longhorns receiver Matthew Golden has stepped up when the Longhorns need him most, making him a reliable target in big moments.

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden (2) makes a catch against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the second half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Junior wide receiver Matthew Golden is arguably one of the best transfer pickups that the Texas Longhorns have accumulated during the Steve Sarkisian era.

Golden's ability to strike at large during crucial games has been a consistent key in Texas' best season since 2009, and his undeniable chemistry with starting junior quarterback Quinn Ewers was a major catalyst in the 39-31 double-overtime win against Arizona State on Wednesday to secure the Peach Bowl title.

On Texas' first drive of the game, Ewers connected with Golden on a 54-yard pass that set the Longhorns up for a touchdown reception by sophomore wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. to put them in the lead, but Golden's shining moment wouldn't come until the first overtime.

After the Sun Devils already secured a touchdown, Ewers looked to the end zone on a 4th-and-13 and found Golden in the right corner from 28 yards to tie the score once again.

"Just knowing we had to regroup, we knew it was gonna come down to this play, and we just had to find whatever we had to do to, and I came down with that ball," Golden said during postgame interviews. "We knew it was gonna be a hard-fought battle. We just knew that we just had to come out here and execute."

QUINN EWERS TO MATTHEW GOLDEN

DOUBLE OT ON THE WAY

pic.twitter.com/uIzA1TPPiP

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 1, 2025

Golden ended the afternoon with 149 receiving yards on seven receptions, his second-best in total yards, one touchdown and garnered a new career-long reception from his explosive first quarter play.

In the past four games he's started in, Golden has averaged over 20 yards per reception and recorded a career-high of 162 receiving yards against Georgia in the SEC Championship. His recent increase in production has been a result of fellow junior transfer wide receiver Isaiah Bond suffering an ankle injury late during the SEC Championship, and even though Bond suited up to play versus ASU, he did not have any receptions.

Sarkisian said that Golden has been a reliable target for Ewers in Bond's absence and that his accuracy hasn't gone unnoticed when it comes to calling momentous plays.

"I think that's probably a credit to Matthew and to Quinn," Sarkisian said. "As a quarterback, you're always trying to find rapport and trust in a receiver. And as a play caller, you are, too, and you earn trust with consistency and time. And I think there's a level of consistency in Matthew's game that he's earned a lot of trust in myself and earned a lot of trust in Quinn that in a lot of the critical moments, it's easy to try to find him because you know he's going to be in the right spot and you know he's going to be competitively tough and make those plays. And I think over time, I've learned, at least, that the moment doesn't ever get too big for him either. He remains very poised and composed in some of the bigger moments that we've had."

Spending his previous two collegiate seasons at Houston, Golden ended the 2023-2024 season tied for first in most receiving touchdowns with six and was third in average yards per contest despite missing three.

He now sits in first with 936 total receiving yards on 56 receptions, 16.71 average yards per catch and nine receiving touchdowns for Texas across all 15 games.

When asked if he had expected to make an immediate impact like he has on such a big stage, Golden said that it's all been in due time.

"I definitely did [expect to be making plays]. You know, just waiting my turn and waiting my time," Golden said. "Like I said, it's all on God's time, so just knowing that whenever I get the opportunity, I just got to go out there and do my job."

It can be expected for Golden to have plenty of opportunities to continue to prove himself as the Longhorns look to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 10.

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