Five Takeaways From Texas Longhorns Win vs. Texas A&M Aggies

The Texas Longhorns finished the regular season on a high note defeating their long-time rival the Texas A&M Aggies in the revived Lone Star Showdown Saturday.

The Texas longhorns celebrate a stop on fourth and goal at the 1-yard line by edge rusher Ethan Burke (91) during the Lone Star Showdown at Kyle Field on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 in College Station, Texas. / Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was 13 long years of the special Lone Star rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies not being played. But on Saturday, the two programs finally met on the field again and in ended with a 17-7 Longhorns victory.

It wasn't pretty by any means, but the win for the Longhorns will face them against the Georgia Bulldogs again in the SEC Championship game next week after finishing 7-1 on the season in the conference and 11-1 overall.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the victory at Kyle Field.

1. Texas should use the Ewers-Manning duo more.

Words can not describe how surprising it was to see Arch Manning role out with the offense on the fourth and two in the first quarter and immediately score a touchdown on a keeper.

It obviously surprised Texas A&M too who didn't adjust in time to play in Arch's speed who blew past several defenders to dive in the endzone to break the score in.

Ewers had a decent game that was overshadowed by his two turnovers in the third quarter, which helped bring Texas A&M back into what looked like a potential blowout. But Ewers had many gutsy performances and wasn't afraid to use his legs despite his ankle injury from last week's win against Kentucky.

Using both players' abilities to their strengths and keeping the defense on their toes could be a very successful formula for weeks to come. Arch could not make a big play after his touchdown, but the six points on that one set up Texas very nicely in the beginning.

2. The offensive line really pulled through.

Only one false start on the entire game with the rowdy crowd was very impressive.

The injury to offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. during the game surprisingly wasn't as impactful on the outcome. The Texas o-line held their own against a very good Texas A&M front seven and the crowd and it should be noted after the struggles that the offensive line experienced midway through the season, especially against Georgia.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian stated post-game that he does not know the severity of Banks's injury just yet. That could end up very costly if he can't come back in time for the Georgia game but for the time being, we should give credit to the pass and run protection from the offensive line Saturday.

3. The defense against Marcel Reed all night was phenomenal.

Marcel Reed looked to have the Texas defense figured out in the first drive, but after that, he had a really difficult time using both his legs and his arm all night. So much so that the A&M offense didn't even score the entire game.

Reed finished with 146 yards after completing 16 of his 23 throws. He rushed for 60 yards on 14 attempts but was never able to break out for any long runs aside from one 24-yard run.

Limiting his legs and forcing him to throw proved to be a good gameplan for the Longhorns defense. But even when he used his legs it still didn't work out sometimes.

The stop on fourth and goal at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter that essentially ended the game. The defense was completely prepared for the Reed keeper and stopped it to save the Longhorns from a one-score game.

Plays like that prove how the Texas defense could be really the best in the nation, and they proved it with their play against Marcel Reed tonight.

4. Matthew Golden is the No. 1 receiver.

Golden finished the game with 73 yards on three catches. Two of those catches happened on the same drive in the third quarter that moved the Longhorns all the way into the red zone before Ewers threw a pick-six.

But his involvement needs to be more than just one or two drives. His ability to make big-time plays cannot be ignored for too long or the offense gets very stale. His other catch went for 44 yards and the drive resulted in a touchdown in the second quarter. Getting him more than three catches should be a goal against Georgia next week.

5. The defense is the best in the nation.

We wanted to highlight a specific player on this defense, but just couldn't, as it was a full team effort tonight.

Michael Taafe and his interception, Vernon Broughton and his two sacks and fumble recovery, Anthony Hill Jr., who got robbed of the Butkus Award finalist list, was everywhere as well.

The defense ranks second according to Pro Football Focus, only behind Ohio State who lost to Michigan earlier on Saturday. Texas and Ohio State both hold the lowest amount of touchdowns allowed in the nation at 14. And with both teams playing almost an even schedule with competition, it really isn't crazy to say that they are the best in college football.

But with that being said, will the defense hold up against Georgia next week? The game will kickoff at 3 p.m. CT on ABC next Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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