Rushing Attack Leads No. 3 Longhorns Back into First Place

A 15-play drive in the fourth quarter and a dominant second half from running back Quintrevion Wisner helped the No. 3-ranked Texas Longhorns (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) hold off the Kentucky Wildcats (4-7, 1-7) and keep their SEC title hopes alive with a 31-14 win at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Nov. 23.

The Longhorns are now one win away from reaching the SEC Championship Game in their first year in the conference. Texas faces archrival No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1) in a pivotal matchup on Nov. 30.

Game Summary

The Longhorns began the game as usual, taking the first drive down the field for a score as quarterback Quinn Ewers found tight end Gunnar Helm for a 3-yard touchdown on fourth down. On the other hand, Kentucky's offense was, once again, its biggest weakness. It struggled for the majority of the game and only put up 7 points on a second-quarter TD pass from QB Brock Vandagriff to tight end Josh Kattus to tie the game at 7-7.

Still, Texas pulled away in the second quarter with 17 points over the final 6:34 of the first half to take a 24-7 lead into halftime.

Kentucky made a quarterback change in the second half, opting to put freshman Cutter Boley in the game. The unit had much more success. The Wildcats were able to drive into Texas territory on four of its five offensive drives. Yet they did not translate into points as Texas came up with a fourth-down stop near the goal line. Kentucky also missed a field goal after Anthony Hill Jr's sack on third down.

However, Texas' offense got a little sloppy, turning the ball over twice as Kentucky battled to stay in the game. The Wildcats' defense eventually came up with a massive play as linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson returned a Ewers fumble for a TD with 2:41 left in the third quarter to make it a 24-14 game.

The Texas offense continued to move the ball but could not score points to increase the lead. Wisner capped a 15-play drive with a 1-yard TD run to make it a 31-14 game. The defense then did its part, making timely sacks on Boley and intercepting a heave down the sideline to end the game.

Wisner had 158 yards and 1 TD while fellow running back Jaydon Blue added 96 yards and a score. The Longhorns amassed 250 rushing yards. Ewers added 191 yards and 2 TDs through the air. He played through an injury in the second half. It was his 22nd consecutive game with a TD pass.

Turning Point

After a missed 47-yard field goal attempt from Texas kicker Bert Auburn early in the fourth quarter, Kentucky took over with momentum on its side and plenty of time to cut into the 24-14 deficit. The Wildcats moved the ball efficiently through the air, quickly reaching the Texas 33-yard line.

A fumbled shotgun snap led to a 10-yard loss and derailed the drive. Kentucky had to punt the ball back to Texas after a couple of incompletions. Texas opted to keep the ball on the ground, running 8:22 off the clock with 15 plays for 86 yards and a game-sealing TD run from Wisner.

What it Means

Texas and Texas A&M fans should get exactly what they wanted when the return of their rivalry was announced. That's as long as the Aggies hold up their end of the bargain. Texas enters the Nov. 30 matchup as a first-place SEC team with a berth in the conference championship on the line.

When it clicks, Texas has one of the most complete teams around but it has struggled in some big games this year. SEC defenses have exposed some weaknesses in the offensive line, and the Longhorns will get a big challenge from the Aggies' defensive front. The injury to Ewers, although he stayed in the game, can also be a huge factor when it comes to pass protection and moving around the pocket against an elite defense.

Kentucky will not make a bowl game for the first time since 2015. The Wildcats are now 4-7 on the season and have just one SEC win. They will play a nonconference game against Louisville to finish the season on Nov. 30. On the bright side, it appears they have found a legitimate QB in Boley to lead their offense in the future.