Texas is back!
After a decade of underachieving, the 15th-ranked Texas Longhorns put it all together this year and capped it off with a thrilling 28-21 victory over No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Texas sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger threw for 169 yards and ran for three touchdowns and the Texas defense held Georgia’s high-profiled offense in check all night to come away with the victory. With the win, the Longhorns earned their first 10-win season since 2009 and did so against a team that many thought should have been in the College Football Playoff.
Ehlinger got some extra inspiration Tuesday night thanks to the Longhorns’ mascot. Bevo, the team’s live longhorn steer mascot, charged through a barricade and right towards Georgia’s red sweater-clad bulldog mascot.
Like Bevo, Sam Ehlinger used the same approach against the Bulldogs as he ran over, around and through the Georgia defense. Ehlinger was named the Most Valuable Player award and during the trophy presentation, he added, “We’re (Texas is) back!” to a raucous contingent of Texas fans.
Texas (10-4) continues its quick rise under coach Tom Herman after a decade of mediocrity and significantly underachieving. Now with a Sugar Bowl win and the return of Ehlinger, Texas will have high expectations coming into the 2019 season.
“It is incredible,” Ehlinger said. “We are on the way. This was a stepping stone for Texas to get back to the elite level. This is going to give us great momentum headed into the offseason, and I am really excited for what we are going to do next year.”
Georgia came in as nearly a two-touchdown favorite, but couldn’t get anything going until it was too late. Although they claimed they would be ready to play despite just missing out on a College Football Playoff berth, Texas quickly jumped out to a 17-0 in the first half thanks to turnovers and mistakes on special teams.
