Saturday, September 27, 2014

Memorial Stadium in Lawrence

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

While the Charlie Strong era has been off to a pretty weak start in Austin, there is reason for hope in Austin. The Longhorns (1-2) have lost two straight games but against two quality opponents while they themselves are in a rebuilding mode. Plus, neither of those losses came in Big 12 play where they kick of conference games against Kansas (2-1), who hasn't beaten UT since FDR was in office.

When Texas fans wanted their team to 'keep it 100' they didn't mean the Longhorns national rankings in passing yards (103rd), rushing yards (101st), and points for (107th). Coach Strong needed to get off to a great start to help UT fans forget the Mack Brown era but he's lost a 20-17 thriller to UCLA and a 41-7 throttling to BYU in consecutive games. Granted the Bruins and Cougars are each great teams, but both losses came in Texas which some fan deem unacceptable. Either way the Longhorns have found their QB of the foreseeable future it seems as sophomore Tyrone Swoopes has stepped in for the now-retired David Ash and improved in each game, including a 24/34 196 yard, 2TD 0 INT performance against UCLA.

Kansas has beaten Texas before, twice to be exact. The Jayhawks won a 12-0 thriller in 1901 followed by squeaking out a 19-18 win the 2nd time the teams met in 1938. Since then the Longhorns have won 11 straight games including a 35-13 win last year in Austin among program uncertainties. QB Montell Cozart has a 61.4 completion percentage and a 5 TD to 1 INT ratio at home this year and KU has two feature backs that have eclipsed 200 yards in De'Andre Mann and Corey Avery. The only Kansas blemish on the year was a 41-3 loss to a good Duke team and the Jayhawks come in off a 24-10 win over Central Michigan.

While Kansas would like a win on Saturday, Texas and more importantly Strong absolutely need to have it. Strong has kicked 9 Longhorn players off the team this season in an attempt to rebuild the reputation of the program. Unfortunately in Austin, wins trump developing model citizens and some fans are starting to grumble already. Texas plays #7 Baylor and #4 Oklahoma in the next two weeks and can't afford letting this one get away to Kansas.

Texas Longhorns Betting Trends

Texas Longhorns are 2-1-0 Against the Spread

Texas Longhorns are 1-2-0 against the Over/Under

Kansas Jayhawks Betting Trends

Kansas Jayhawks are 1-2-0 Against the Spread

Kansas Jayhawks are 0-2-0 against the Over/Under

Injuries to Watch

Texas Longhorns

09/22/14 RB Daje Johnson Disciplinary expected to miss Saturday vs. Kansas
09/22/14 TE Greg Daniels Knee "?" Saturday vs. Kansas
09/22/14 DB Josh Turner Suspension expected to miss Saturday vs. Kansas
09/17/14 DT Desmond Jackson Foot out for season
09/05/14 LB Deoundrei Davis Dismissed has left team
09/04/14 OT Desmond Harrison Suspension out indefinitely
09/04/14 S Erik Huhn Knee out for season
09/01/14 QB David Ash Concussion out for season
09/01/14 C Dominic Espinosa Ankle out for season
08/18/14 OL Rami Hammad Personal has left team
08/14/14 QB/TE Miles Onyegbule Knee out for season
08/07/14 OT Kennedy Estelle Suspension out indefinitely

Kansas Jayhawks

09/03/14 DB Kevin Short Academics out for season
08/21/14 HB Brandon Bourbon ACL out for season
08/21/14 HB Taylor Cox Achilles out for season

Josh's Pick: Take Texas

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