Texas Looks to Avoid Classic 'Trap Game' Against Kentucky

Nov 21, 20243 min read

Texas-Kentucky — © Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

No. 3 Texas (9-1, 5-1 in the Southeastern Conference) hosts its final home game of the regular season on Nov. 23, when the Kentucky Wildcats (4-6, 1-6) visit Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.

It will be just the second time the two schools have met on the football field, with Texas winning their 1951 meeting, 7-6.

What's at Stake?

Texas is trying to avoid a classic "trap game," as it continues its push in the SEC title and College Football Playoff races. The Longhorns have a huge game in their season finale against No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1) on Nov. 30 but must take care of business against the Wildcats first.

Meanwhile, Kentucky needs to win out to become bowl-eligible.

Key Players: Texas

Offense

QB Quinn Ewers

Ewers will be a first-round pick in April's NFL Draft and has led the Longhorns' offense for the last three years. The passing game is Texas' most elite weapon, and the junior has thrown for 1,898 yards and 21 touchdowns with just 6 interceptions this season.

RBs Jaydon Blue, Quintrevion Wisner

Blue and Wisner continue to drive the Longhorns' rushing attack, although there have been some concerns with ball security. Wisner did most of the work last week as Blue sustained an injury, but both are expected to go against Kentucky. Each back has over 450 yards on the year and averages around 5.0 yards per carry.

TE Gunnar Helm

Helm is having a strong season and leads the Longhorns in receptions and receiving yards. He's become a reliable target on third down and has played his best games against the best teams on Texas' schedule.

WRs Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden

Bond gets most of the attention because of his speed and game-breaking ability, but Golden has been just as good this season, scoring 8 touchdowns. These two drive the passing game and open up the defense for the Texas offense to do its thing.

Defense

LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Hill is Texas' best defensive player and a tackling machine. He leads the team with 68 tackles and is second in sacks with 5.5. He also has 1 interception.

DBs Michael Taaffe, Jahdae Barron

Taaffe is a former walk-on and is now second on the team with 49 tackles, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception. Barron has been the other star in Texas secondary with 8 pass breakups and 4 interceptions to go along with 38 tackles.

LB/DE Colin Simmons

As a freshman, Simmons leads the Longhorns in sacks with 6 and can make things difficult for a Kentucky passing game that has had its share of struggles.

Key Players: Kentucky

Offense

QB Brock Vandagriff

The Georgia transfer has been hit-and-miss this season with 1,542 passing yards, 9 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions. Much of that may be because Kentucky predicates its offense on the running game, but the Wildcats will need Vandagriff to play mistake-free to beat the Longhorns.

RB Demie Sumo-Karngbaye

Sumo-Karnbaye leads Kentucky with 505 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. He has not accumulated 100 yards in a single game but did run for 98 yards against Georgia's defense.

WR Dane Key

Key is Kentucky's best receiver, leading the team with 686 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had a huge game against No. 9 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2) with 8 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown and has amassed 100+ receiving yards in 2 games this season.

Defense

LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson

Dumas-Johnson has 54 tackles this season with 3.5 sacks and 1 interception. The senior has 13 career sacks and is in his first season at Kentucky after spending three years with Georgia.

DB Jordan Lovett

Lovett leads all Kentucky defensive backs with 51 tackles—the second-most on the team—and is tied for the team lead with 2 interceptions. He'll be a critical factor in limiting the Longhorns' offense.

Trends to Watch

While the Wildcats have a sub-par overall record, they have proven a formidable foe against elite opponents. Their lone conference win was a road victory at No. 9 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2), and they played close games against No. 10 Georgia (8-2, 6-2), No. 11 Tennessee (8-2, 5-2) and a once-ranked Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3) team.

Texas has a clear path to the SEC Championship game and the College Football Playoff, but cannot overlook a scrappy Kentucky team ahead of its Nov. 30 road showdown with Texas A&M.