Texas could choose to play the "what if" game again after a 20-19 loss to No. 1 Alabama at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
That was the eternal question after Colt McCoy left the 2009 BCS championship against Alabama with a shoulder injury. Yes, star quarterback Quinn Ewers left in similar fashion against the Crimson Tide after a roughing the passer penalty in the second quarter. In this case, Dallas Turner played the role of Marcell Dareus.
BENDER: Four takeaways from Alabama's win over Texas
"What-if" is entertaining at least. What if Ewers does not get hurt? What if Texas doesn't botch a 20-yard field goal as time expired in the first half? What if Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is rolled over for a safety instead of throwing an incomplete pass in his own end zone in the third quarter?
Quinn Ewers walks off the field after taking a huge hit pic.twitter.com/yTltgbJLc7
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 10, 2022
Oh, that's a painful game for a program that showed up for Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" game in old-fashioned Texas heat against the top-ranked team in the country. It's not about "what if" for the Longhorns anymore. It's about "what's next." We're not talking about the usual social media dosage of "Texas is back" mockery. It was fair to do that in the past, especially after last year's 5-7 season.
MORE: 'Roughing the passer' call knocks Ewers out of game
It cannot be like that in the future. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian showed hints of what this program could be in the age of NIL. Texas was not overwhelmed by Alabama by any means, and that's a gap that could close with continued five-star recruiting, the arrival of Arch Manning and the SEC spotlight that's on the horizon.
"I think we're coming," Sarkisian said via On3.com's Joe Cook afterward. "I think we're recruiting really well right now. I think we're recruiting not just the body types, but the personality traits that fit our style and the way we go about our business."
Sark: "I think we're coming. We recruited well a year ago. I think we're recruiting really well right now. I think we're recruiting not just the body types but the personality traits that fit our style and the way we go about business."
— Joe Cook (@josephcook89) September 10, 2022
Texas isn't back, but few expected the Longhorns to be that close to the Crimson Tide in this matchup.
Ewers' injury was excruciating because he was dealing in his second college start. The five-star freshman, who reclassified for NIL purposes then transferred from Ohio State before this season, lived up to expectations. He was 9 of 12 for 134 yards – an average of 11.2 yards per attempt – before exiting with the injury. Hudson Card toughed it out in his place and hit 14 of 22 passes for 122 yards. Neither quarterback threw an interception.
MORE: No. 1 Alabama rallies past Texas
Texas made just as many plays of 20 yards or more on offense as the Crimson Tide. Bijan Robinson, Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington didn't look out of place against SEC competition. The Crimson Tide had nine defensive penalties, including back-to-back pass interference calls at the end of the first half.
The Longhorns are better on defense, too. Sure, Bryce Young (27 of 39, 219 yards, TD) worked his magic on the last three drives, but that's what Heisman Trophy winners do. Texas limited Alabama to a 5 of 15 conversion rate on third down, and again, they didn't look overwhelmed by the Crimson Tide's offensive line or skill-position players.
In the end, Alabama snuck out of DKR with a 20-19 victory after Will Reichard's 33-yard field goal with 10 seconds left, which put the Crimson Tide on track for another SEC championship, College Football Playoff and perhaps another national championship. Alabama leaves it "what if" moments for those spotlight games against Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson.
About those "what if" moments from Saturday? A quick review:
- Texas' botched field goal at the end of the first half means Alabama would have likely been going for a touchdown instead of a field goal in the fourth quarter.
- It looked like the referees could have called a safety when Young threw an incomplete in the end zone, but they chose to review the play for targeting then waved off a roughing the passer call instead. Bad call.
this is a really cool view of the play from @CFBONFOX — some crazy gymnastics by Bryce Young to get the pass off and not take a safety pic.twitter.com/1dHXEJySnE
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) September 10, 2022
- We are going to wonder what the game looks like with a healthy Ewers until these two meet again next season.
The rest is about "what's next." Texas is on the right path. Ewers' injury is the biggest immediate concern, and Sarkisian said it is a clavicle sprain that will require an MRI. If Ewers is back – and even if he isn't – the Longhorns proved they can compete for a Big 12 championship this season. Texas had five losses of eight points or less in 2021. This wasn't a victory – and it was a missed opportunity – but they have to maintain that intensity against Big 12 rivals who sell out to beat the Longhorns every year.
Everything else? It should fall into place. The recruiting? Texas has the No. 2 class in the 2023 recruiting rankings according to 247Sports, one place behind Alabama. The quarterback situation? Ewers and Manning will be battling for the job next season. The SEC? Texas showed it could hang with the conference's dynastic power on Saturday, and better games are down the road.
Texas isn't back yet. But for once, we're excited to see what's next.
