After a disappointing 2022 season with a record of 8-5, University of Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns knew they had to turn things around. Every year the Longhorns are faced with the lofty expectations that come with having a large and passionate fan base, and the 2023 season was like no other.
Prior to the start of the season, the Longhorns were ranked 10th in ESPN’s “College Football Preseason Power Rankings,” and faced criticism after losing star running back Bijan Robinson to the NFL Draft at the eighth overall pick. After a shaky freshman season, former five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers knew he needed to make a drastic change. Ewers spent the offseason mastering his craft and refining his physique, losing 20 pounds and getting his swagger back.
Texas started off the season with a win against Rice University with a final score of 37-10. The following week was arguably their biggest game of the season as they played against the nation’s third-ranked team: Alabama Crimson Tide. The 11th-ranked Longhorns entered the matchup as clear underdogs, but they played a complete team game with key players stepping up, such as Adonai Mitchell with a clutch touchdown reception. The Longhorns continued to dominate the next three weeks with key wins against Wyoming, Baylor, and Kansas. Week six of the season brought the now third-ranked Longhorns up to Dallas to face rival 12th-ranked Oklahoma in the famous Red River Rivalry. During the final drive of the game, the Longhorns lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Sooners as a result of their game-winning touchdown bringing the score to 34-40. The loss wouldn’t affect the Longhorns, as they went on to handle business and win the final six games of the regular season with a notable win against 23rd-ranked Kansas State. Clinching a spot in the Big 12 Championship, the Longhorns would head up to Dallas to face eighteenth-ranked Oklahoma State at AT&T Stadium. Ewers led the Longhorns to a 49-12 victory and a Big 12 Championship. With 452 passing yards and four touchdowns, this was arguably Ewers’ best performance of the season.
Following their domination in the Big 12 Championship, the Longhorns hoped to make the College Football Playoffs, which consists of the four best teams in the nation, as decided by a committee of college football experts. The Longhorns slid into the College Football Playoff in the number three spot, ranked just ahead of Alabama–the team they beat in week three. The Longhorns were slated to match up against the number two-ranked Washington Huskies in the Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. The Huskies, led by Heisman award finalist quarterback Micheal Penix Jr., were ranked as the top offense in college football by experts. Unfortunately, the Longhorns defense was not up to the task of stopping the elite Husky offense and Texas ended their season with a devastating loss by a score of 37-31.
The 2023 season was a year to remember for the Longhorns as they went 12-2 as Big 12 Champions and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff. Seven Texas Longhorns were acknowledged by the Big 12 with honors such as Adonai Mitchell earning Offensive Newcomer of the Year, Byron Murphy securing Defensive Lineman of the Year, and Anthony Hill Jr. sharing the title of Co-Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. Not only did T’Vondre Sweat win Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, but he was also awarded the Outland Trophy (given to the best interior lineman in college football).
Despite the heartbreaking loss in the Sugar Bowl, the 2023 season will be etched in history as a remarkable journey for the Texas Longhorns, culminating in a 12-2 record, a Big 12 Championship, and a well-deserved spot in the College Football Playoff
