Longhorns Country

FINAL: Texas Longhorns Defeat Rice Owls 37-10

The Texas Longhorns and Rice Owls meet at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial to kick off their 2023 seasons. Follow along for live updates and highlights.

SI Editorial

In this story:

It is gameday in Austin, Texas, as the Texas Longhorns are set to kick off their season against the Rice Owls.

There are high expectations on the Forty Acres for Texas heading into Year 3 under coach Steve  Sarkisian —locally and nationally. The Longhorns are favored to win the Big 12 in their final years as members for the first time since 2009. They're no longer a dark horse to make the College Football Playoff but rather a fan and voter favorite. 

There's consistency on offense. Quinn Ewers returns at quarterback for his sophomore season and is looking to build off his Big 12 Newcomer of the Year status. There's talent everywhere in the receiving corps, including preseason first-team All-Big 12 receiver Xavier Worthy and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders. Not to mention, the Longhorns return all five starting offensive linemen and have quality depth led by Kyle Flood.

Texas last faced Rice in 2021 and dominated its way to a 58-0 win. What is the difference this time around? Quarterback. Former five-star passer JT Daniels is on his fourth team in six seasons, but has been a consistent option under center when healthy. 

Daniels, who began his career at USC, makes his third start at DKR since 2018. As a freshman, he went 30-for-48 for 322 yards and an interception in a 37-14 loss. Last season while starting for West Virginia, Daniels finished 29-for-48 for 253 yards with a touchdown in a 38-20 defeat. 

The Longhorns have won their last four season openers dating back to 2019. With a Week 2 matchup with Alabama set for next week, Texas will look to take care of business against the Owls before traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the No. 4 ranked Crimson Tide.

Stay tuned for more live updates after kickoff ...

First Quarter 

Rice won the coin toss and deferred to the second-half, giving the Longhorns the ball first.

(0-0) 15:00: Ewers starts the game with a first-and-10 pass to Jordan Whittington for a gain of seven. 

(0-0) 14:20: On the first third-down of the game, Ewers slipped on his scramble trying to convert the third-down and three. 

(0-0) 13:20: Ewers' pass to Ja'Tavion Sanders fell incomplete on fourth and two.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION (TURNOVER ON DOWNS)

(0-0) 13:20: A first-down run for the Owls picked up 10 yards. 

(0-0) 10:53: A pass from Daniels was broken up by Terrance Brooks on second and long. 

(3-0) 10:53: A wild-cat run from Rice was snuffed out by T'Vondre Sweat as he tackled the Owls for a loss of two. Which forced the Owls to settle for a field goal.

FIELD GOAL RICE

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(3-0) 10:07: Ewers found Worthy for a first down after a six-yard run from Cedric Baxter. 

(3-0) 8:07: Ewers went back to Worthy again after a three-yard loss on first down. Worthy picked up another first-down. 

(7-3) 7:17: After an incomplete pass to Worthy, Ewers hit Jonathan Brooks on a screen pass for a 37-yard touchdown pass. 

TOUCHDOWN LONGHORNS 

Texas 7, Rice 3

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(7-3) 5:48: Daniels' third-down pass fell incomplete on third-down, giving the Texas defense a three-and-out.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(7-3) 5:48: Baxter picked up four yards on a first-down run. 

(7-3) 5:00: Ewers found Adonai Mitchell for an 11-yard gain. 

(7-3) 4:36: A Ewers deep-ball intended for Worthy fell incomplete.

(7-3) 4:13: On third and nine, Ewers stepped up in the pocket, trying to avoid pressure, and was sacked. 

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(7-3) 4:13: Daniels' first-down pass was incomplete, thanks to tight coverage by Malik Muhammad. 

(7-3) 2:13: On third down, Daniels escaped pressure from Texas and found his receiver for only a gain of three before punting on fourth.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(7-3) 1:40: After an incomplete deep-ball intended for Mitchell, Ewers found Worthy for a gain of six.

Second Quarter 

(7-3) 15:00: Ewers finds Whittington for a 26-yard gain to the Rice 11-yard-line. 

(7-3) 13:03: After a two-yard run from Brooks and a scramble for no gain from Ewers, the Horns' drive stalled out as a pass to Brooks was dropped.

(10-3) 13:00: Bert Auburn connected on his 27-yard field goal attempt.

FIELD GOAL TEXAS 

Texas 10, Rice 3

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(10-3) 12:30: A Daniels' pass to Dean Connors picked up four yards on first-down.

(10-3) 12:16: The second-down pass from Daniels was incomplete, bringing up a third-and-six. On third-down, Daniels found Braylen Walker for a 36-yard gain.

(10-3) 10:14: Daniels is sacked by a host of Longhorns on second-and-six. 

(10-3) 10:03: Daniels' pass on third-and-long was picked off by Jaylan Ford. 

CHANGE OF POSSESSION (INTERCEPTION) 

(10-3) 9:43: Baxter takes a run 32 yards on first-down, which advances the Horns to the Rice 32.

(10-3) 9:20: Brooks then picked up six yards before Ewers found Mitchell for a six-yard gain and a first down.

(13-3) 8:01: A pass to Sanders in the endzone was incomplete on second-down. Ewers' third-down pass was incomplete before Auburn hit his 46-yard field goal.

FIELD GOAL TEXAS

 Texas 13, Rice 3

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(13-3) 7:44: Austin Jordan picked off Daniels on first-down, giving the Longhorns the ball back.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(13-3) 6:08: Keilan Robinson picked up three yards on a third-down run, prompting the offense to stay on the field for fourth and one. A run for Brooks was stopped short of the sticks.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(13-3) 5:08: After a first-down completion for Daniels, a run from Rice yielded just two yards. 

(13-3) 4:48: Daniels' pass on second-and-eight was behind him, prompting an incompletion. 

(13-3) 4:44: A pass on third-and-eight went over the head of the intended Owl receiver as the Longhorns collapsed the pocket. 

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(13-3) 4:30: Ewers found Worthy for a 17-yard gain on first-down. Then Ewers was sacked on first-down, losing 12 yards for second-down.

(13-3) 3:00: A run for Brooks picked up 18 yards, getting back in front of the chains. Ewers then went back to Brooks this time with a pass for the first-down. 

(13-3) 1:41: After a deep-ball to Worthy didn't connect, Jaydon Blue picked up a first-down on a 10-yard run.

(13-3) 1:15: Ewers picked up a first-down with his legs on a 14-yard run. 

(13-3) 0:29: Ewers was sacked on second-down losing seven yards back tot the Rice 42. 

(13-3) 0:11: Ewers then found Robinson for an 11-yard gain, before spiking the ball to stop the clock. 

(13-3) 0:11: Ewers was blasted on a second-down throw intended for Mitchell, which fell incomplete. Then on third-down, Sanders picked up no yards as he got out of bounds with just one-second left on the clock.

(16-3) 0:01: Bert connected on his 49-yard field goal attempt. 

FIELD GOAL TEXAS

Texas 16, Rice 3

Third Quarter

(16-3) 13:42: Daniels picked up five yards on a second-down scramble, bringing up a third-and-seven.

(16-3) 13:31: Daniels' third-down pass intended for Luke McCaffrey was incomplete. 

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(16-3) 13:17: A screen-pass to Worthy was taken 11 yards for a first-down.

(16-3) 11:39: After an incomplete pass to Sanders, Ewers scrambles for a first-down on third-down. 

(16-3) 10:18: Ewers finds Worthy for another first-down as he picks up 19 yards taking Texas to the Rice 12.

(23-3) 9:57: Ewers finds Mitchell for a nine-yard touchdown pass. 

TOUCHDOWN TEXAS 

Texas 23, Rice 3

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(23-3) 9:15: Alfred Collins bats down a second-down pass by Daniels.

(23-3) 8:45: Daniels found his receiver for a first on third-and-six.

(23-3) 6:45: Another third-down sees Rice unable to pick up the needed two yards on a wildcat run. 

(23-3) 5:45: A fourth-and-one run was stopped short of the chains as the Texas defense forced a turnover on downs. 

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(30-3) 5:33: Ewers finds Sanders for a big 44-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. 

TOUCHDOWN TEXAS 

Texas 30, Rice 3

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(30-3) 5:06: Daniels is sacked on first down by Ethan Burke. He then fires an incomplete pass on second and long. 

(30-3) 4:46: After pressure from the Longhorns' front-seven, Daniels fired another incompletion on third-and-long.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(30-3) 2:30: After not being able to pick up a third-down and two, Brooks picked up.a fourth-and-one on a five-yard run.

(30-3) 2:19: Blue picks up 19 yards on a third-and-six run for a first down.

(30-3) 1:33: Ewers finds Whittington for a 16-yard gain. 

(37-3) 0:57: Ewers finished off the drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown.

TOUCHDOWN TEXAS 

Texas 37, Rice 3

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(37-3) 0:06: A Rice fumble on a second-down run was recovered by the Longhorns.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

Fourth Quarter 

(37-3) 15:00: Maalik Murphy checks in at quarterback. Murphy's first pass fell incomplete as he tried to connect with Johntay Cook. 

(37-3) 14:55: Murphy finds Isaiah Neyor for a first-down and a 13-yard gain. 

(37-3) 14:29: Murphy found Cook for a first-down which was called back due to an offensive pass interference penalty. 

(37-3) 12:33: After being backed into a first-and-40 due to an offensive face masking penalty, the Longhorns were forced to kick a 56-yard field goal which was just wide left.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(37-3) 11:33: Rice picks up a first-down on a five-yard run.

(37-3) 10:43: Daniel then found his receiver Boden Groen for a 13-yard gain.

(37-3) 9:22: Daniels finds Walker for a first-down with an 11-yard gain.

(37-3) 6:30: On fourth-and-one, a run from the Owls picked up the yard that they needed. 

(37-10) 3:30: Daniels escaped a potential sack for Burke and picked up four yards on second and goal. Then finds his receiver for a 15-yard touchdown. 

TOUCHDOWN RICE 

Texas 37, Rice 10

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

(37-10) 3:04: Murphy found Cook again for a first-down on a 17-yard gain.

(37-10) 1:09: After a dropped snap on third-down, the Longhorns were forced to punt.

CHANGE OF POSSESSION

FINAL: Texas 37, Rice 10

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