Texas vs. BYU football game preview, prediction

What to expect as Texas and BYU meet in this Week 9 college football game

For the second straight week, a legacy Big 12 program squares off on the same field against one of the conference's newcomers as No. 7 ranked, one-loss Texas meets up with BYU in college football's Week 9 action on Saturday.

• Texas sits at 2nd in the Big 12 standings behind OU after the Red River Shootout loss
• But the Longhorns are still favored to contend for the league title, provided they don't lose another game
• Texas is without starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, who was injured vs. Houston
• BYU sits at 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play
• Cougars rank 132nd out of 133 FBS teams in rushing yards per game

Texas vs. BYU preview, prediction

Texas vs. BYU football predictions / USA Today Images

How to watch

When: Sat., Oct. 28
Time: 2:30 p.m. Central
TV: ABC network
Stream live: fuboTV (Try for free)

Texas vs. BYU game odds

Courtesy of SI Sportsbook

Line: Texas -19.5
Total: 50.5 points
ML: Texas -1613 | BYU +700
FPI pick: Texas 94.9% to win

What to watch for

1. The QB situation. Maalik Murphy steps into the starting position in place of Quinn Ewers, who injured his shoulder in last week's game. The freshman elected to stay at Texas rather than transfer after Arch Manning's arrival and how he gets a chance to prove himself. Murphy showed off his arm strength and accuracy during the spring game and consistency on his intermediate attempts, too. Both the Longhorns' options here are critically low on experience, but possibly very high on potential.

2. Ground game. Key to helping settle its quarterback will be Texas' ability to run the ball with effect. Lead tailback Jonathon Brooks has 825 yards rushing and six touchdowns this season and is 1 yard shy of eclipsing 100 yards in five straight games. Generating consistent yards on the ground early will help open things up for Murphy and/or Manning to find easier throwing lanes as a result. BYU ranks 9th in the Big 12 in run defense, allowing more than 150 yards on average and 4.1 yards per carry.

3. BYU's two-faced offense. Anywhere outside the opponents' 20-yard line, the Cougars' attack is decidedly anemic. BYU ranks dead-last in the Big 12 with 301.9 total yards per game on average, with Kedon Slovis posting 6.7 yards per pass, and hitting only 30.8 percent on third down tries, but the offense is surprisingly efficient once it gets into the red zone, scoring on 91.3 percent of its total attempts, 3rd in the league.

Texas vs. BYU prediction

The Longhorns clearly project as the superior offense in the game, but when you have changeover this dramatic at the quarterback position, production could take a hit. Murphy has the tools to push the offense downfield in spurts, but it'll be the run game against BYU's subpar run stop that keeps Texas ahead in this one.

College Football HQ picks...

• Texas wins 30-17
• Doesn't cover the spread
• And hits the under

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