SAN ANTONIO, Texas —
FINAL: TEXAS 38, UTAH 10
Texas dominated from start to finish. The Longhorns defense stood tall in the first half to allow Sam Ehlinger and company to extend a 10-0 lead at halftime. The UT defense did not allow any points until midway through the third quarter after taking a 17-0 lead. Ehlinger and the Longhorns offense was efficient and well-oiled. Ehlinger found his senior wide receivers Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay on numerous clutch occasions. Duvernay finished the game with 92 yards and a touchdown, and Johnson finished with 62 and a touchdown, also.
Ehlinger finished the game with 201 yards passing and three passing touchdowns, and added another 77 yards rushing with a rushing touchdown. Texas ran the ball effectively as a team against the Utes. Keaontay Ingram and Roschon Johnson also added another 111 yards and 49 yards on the ground, respectively. Ingram picked up 8.3 yards every time he ran the ball and Johnson racked up 8.2 yards per carry.
Defensively, Texas forced Utah to punt on seven of the Utes' 10 offensive drives and stopped them on downs on another drive.
With the win, Texas finished the 2019 season with a 8-5 record.
PHOTOS: Texas Longhorns beat No. 11 Utah Utes in Valero Alamo Bowl
4TH Q:
TEXAS 38, UTAH 10
TEXAS (Own 34):
Keaontay Ingram ran the ball up the middle for two yards. Texas subbed out all of its seniors and starters after this play. Ingram ran the ball up the middle for seven yards and a first down. Daniel Young ran up the middle for three yards. Young ran up the middle for no gain. Casey Thompson ran around the right end for eight yards. Young ran up the middle for no gain. Back-to-back Thompson carries ended the game and Texas wins the Alamo Bowl, 38-10.
UTAH (Own 25):
Zack Moss lost four yards on a run to the right. Derrick Vickers lost three more yards on a run to the left. A false start penalty backed up the Utes five more yards. On third and 22, Tyler Huntley was sacked for a loss of one yard. Utah punted the ball to the Texas 34-yard line.
TEXAS (Utah 49):
Keaontay Ingram took it to the house on the first play of the drive for 49 yards. Texas leads 38-10.
UTAH (Own 25):
Zack Moss ran the ball around the left end for no gain. Tyler Huntley's pass fell short and incomplete. Huntley's third down pass also fell incomplete. Utah punted the ball away and D'Shawn Jamison returned the punt to midfield.
TEXAS (Own 25):
Roschon Johnson ran around the right end for a gain of 20 yards. Johnson ran up the middle for a gain of three yards. Sam Ehlinger connected with Devin Duvernay for 37 yards. Ehlinger ran up the middle for five yards. Johnson picked up another five yards up the middle. Ehlinger finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown run, but it was negated by a holding penalty. Ehlinger's pass intended for Collin Johnson was incomplete. Ehlinger threw a jump ball for Duvernay in the end zone, which was caught for a 15-yard touchdown despite a defensive pass interference penalty. Texas leads 31-10.
UTAH (Con't):
Zack Moss ran around the left end for six yards. Brant Kuithe picked up 29 yards around the right end for a first down into Texas territory. Tyler Huntley hit Cole Fotheringham over the middle for nine yards. Huntley was sacked for a loss of six yards. On third and seven from the Texas 11, Huntley's pass over the middle was broken up. Down by 21 in the fourth, Utah decided to go for it on fourth and 11. Huntley scrambled around the left side and did not pick up the first down, but a personal foul against Texas gave Utah a new set of downs. Moss ran around the left end, but was corralled by the Texas defense for a loss of two yards. Huntley threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Demari Simpkins. Texas leads 24-10.
3RD Q:
TEXAS 24, UTAH 3
UTAH (Own 25):
Tyler Huntley ran up the middle for 26 yards. This play ended the third quarter. Texas leads 24-3.
TEXAS (Own 25):
Sam Ehlinger completed a screen pass to Devin Duvernay, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty on Brennan Eagles. Ehlinger completed a pass to Cade Brewer for 10 yards. Ehlinger burst up the middle for a 31-yard run. Duvernay took a jet sweep handoff and threw it back to Ehlinger for a gain of six yards. Keaontay Ingram picked up 10 yards on a speed option pitch to the right.
An unsportsmanlike penalty tacked on 15 more yards. Ingram lost two yards on a run to the right. Roschon Johnson carried the ball around the right end for a short gain but a face mask penalty set up the longhorns with first and goal on the six. Ehlinger ran up the middle and capped off the drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Texas leads 24-3.
UTAH (Own 25):
Huntley evaded a few Longhorns defenders and completed a 12-yard pass to Brant Kuithe. A faskmask penalty added 15 more yards to the end of the play. Zack Moss ran up the middle for four yards. Moss ran up the middle again for a gain of four yards. On third and two, Moss picked up the first down on his third straight carry of the drive. Huntley scrambled up the middle after he couldn't find an open receiver and picked up eight yards to the Texas 28-yard line. Moss was stopped in the backfield for a loss of four yards. On third and six, Huntley completed a screen pass Bryan Thompson for nine yards and a first down. Huntley completed a short pass to the right to Kuithe for a loss of one yard. Huntley took a shot at the end zone intended for Samson Nacua, which fell incomplete. On third and 11, Huntley completed a slant pass to Demari Simpkins for eight yards. Jadon Redding made the 32-yard field goal to put the Utes on the board. Texas leads 17-3.
TEXAS (Utah 43):
Keaontay Ingram ran up the middle for five yards. Sam Ehlinger completed a pass to Ingram out in the flat for a gain of 15 yards and a facemask penalty added 15 more yards to the end of the run. Ehlinger rolled out to his right and threw back across the field to Ingram for a 11-yard touchdown. Texas leads 17-0.
UTAH (Own 25):
Tyler Huntley ran up the middle for five yards. Huntley ran around the right end for six yards and a first down. Huntley scrambled up the middle and was tripped up for no gain. Derrick Vickers ran around the left end for five yards. Huntley completed a pass to Solomon Enis for four yards but was stopped short of the first down. On fourth and one, Utah decided to go for it on their own 45-yard line. Texas stopped Huntley short of the first down marker. Texas will take over at Utah's 43-yard line.
HALFTIME: TEXAS 10, UTAH 0
Texas controlled the entire first half. Sam Ehlinger has looked poised in the pocket and connected on a handful of big throws to his senior receivers, Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay. Ehlinger opened the game with a 34-yard strike to Johnson and later found him for the only touchdown of the first half. Duvernay's only catch of the first half came on a clutch 40-yard bomb on third down. Texas did not score on that drive, however, after being stopped on fourth and short. UT's defense has stepped up, forcing the Utes to punt on every one of their first half drives.
2ND Q:
TEXAS 10, UTAH 0
TEXAS (Own 20):
Keaontay Ingram ran the ball up the middle to end the first half. Texas leads 10-0 at halftime.
UTAH (Own 1):
Zack Moss ran up the middle for three yards. Moss ran around the right end for seven yards and a first down. Huntley completed a pass over the middle to Brant Kuithe for 19 yards. Huntley checked the ball down to Moss for eight yards. Huntley scrambled to the right for one yard. On third and one, Moss burst up the middle for a big gain of 26 yards. Huntley completed a pass on the right sideline, but a penalty wiped out the play. Huntley's pass over the middle fell incomplete. Some miscommunication led to an overthrown ball by Huntley on second down. Huntley was called for intentional grounding, which backed up the Utes 15 yards and a loss of down. On third and 23, Huntley took a shot downfield and it fell incomplete. Utah punted the ball into the Texas end zone for a touchback.
TEXAS (Own 14):
Sam Ehlinger laid up a jump ball for Collin Johnson for 29 yards. Ehlinger took a quick snap and ran up the middle for two yards. Ehlinger completed a stop route to Brennan Eagles for a gain of five yards. On third and three, Ehlinger threw a dime over the top to Devin Duvernay for 40 yards. Duvernay got a flip on a reverse but lost eight yards. Ehlinger completed a pass over the middle to Al'vonte Woodard for seven yards. Ehlinger scrambled to his left for nine yards to the Utah nine-yard line. On fourth and two, Texas went for it and did not convert the pass. Utah took over at their own seven-yard line. The fourth down play was reviewed and determined the Utah defender successfully intercepted the ball, which moved the ball back to the one-yard line.
UTAH (Own 25):
Tyler Huntley was sacked for a loss of nine yards. Huntley completed a pass over the middle Cole Fotheringham for a gain of nine yards. On third and 10, Huntley completed a stop route for Samson Nacua for a first down. A jet sweep to the left by Terrell Perriman gained five yards. Huntley scrambled around the right end for seven yards and a first down. Devonta'e Henry-Cole ran up the middle for three yards. Huntley was sacked for a loss of five yards. A false start penalty on third down backed up the Utes five more yards. On third and 17, Huntley completed a pass over the middle to Jaylen Dixon for 10 yards to midfield. Utah punted the ball to the Texas 14-yard line.
TEXAS (Utah 6):
Keaontay Ingram got one yard on a run up the middle. Sam Ehlinger connected with Collin Johnson for a five-yard touchdown. Texas leads 10-0.
UTAH (Con't):
On third and three, Zack Moss ran up the middle, but was stopped short of the first down marker. Utah punted the ball and Texas' D'Shawn Jamison returned the punt to the Utah six-yard line.
1ST Q:
TEXAS 3, UTAH 0
UTAH (Own 20):
Tyler Huntley checked the ball down to Zack Moss for a gain of six yards. Moss ran up the middle for one yard. That play ended the first quarter. Texas leads 3-0.
TEXAS (Own 7):
Sam Ehlinger ran a speed option to the right and pitched it to Roschon Johnson for a gain of four yards. Ehlinger ran up the middle for a gain of six yards and a first down. Ehlinger threw a deep ball down the left sideline for Collin Johnson, which fell incomplete. Roschon Johnson burst up the middle for a gain of 17 yards and a first down. Ehlinger looked for Marcus Washington on a stop route, but the pass sailed high. Roschon Johnson was stopped in the backfield for no gain. On third and 10, Ehlinger completed a shallow cross to Brennan Eagles, but Eagles was tripped up at the line of scrimmage. Texas punted the ball to the Utah 20-yard line.
UTAH (Own 24):
Zack Moss ran up the middle for three yards. Moss got the ball again for a gain of eight yards. Tyler Huntley took a shot downfield, which fell incomplete. Huntley completed a six yard pass to Samson Nacua over the middle. On third and four, Huntley checked the ball down to the running back, who was wide open, but the pass was dropped. Utah punted the ball to the Texas seven-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 22):
Sam Ehlinger threw an incomplete pass over the middle intended for Devin Duvernay. A defensive holding penalty moved the Longhorns up five yards. Ehlinger's pass intended for Collin Johnson fell incomplete. Keaontay Ingram was stopped for a loss of one yard on a run up the middle. On third and 11, Ehlinger was sacked for a loss of three. Texas punted the ball to the Utah 24-yard line.
UTAH (Own 25):
Tyler Huntley completed a pass over the middle to Cole Fotheringham for 12 yards. Zack Moss carried to the left for a loss of one yard. Huntley ran around the left end for a gain of nine yards. On third and two, Huntley was stopped in the backfield. Utah punted the ball to the Texas 22-yard line.
TEXAS (Own 27):
Sam Ehlinger opened the game with a deep shot over the middle to Collin Johnson for 34 yards. Keaontay Ingram took a carry up the middle for three yards. Ingram ran up the middle for six yards. On third and one, Ehlinger ran up the middle for a first down. Ehlinger pitched a speed option to the right and Ingram picked up nine yards. Ingram ran up the middle for a first down to the Utah 14-yard line. Ehlinger was sacked for a loss of one yard on first down. Ehlinger ran a designed quarterback power up the middle for five yards. On third and six from the Utah 10, Ehlinger's pass to the flat was almost intercepted, but dropped. Cameron Dicker made the 29-yard field goal and Texas leads 3-0.
PREGAME:
The Texas Longhorns and No. 11 Utah Utes will be the two participants in the 2019 Valero Alamo Bowl.
However, each team's journey to the bowl game couldn't be any more different. For Texas, the Longhorns entered the season on a high note after stunning Georgia in the 2018 Sugar Bowl. You may remember a "we're back" comment from the quarterback. Texas entered the season ranked and had expectations of making a run at the College Football Playoff. After a few losses along the way, a seven-win UT team is in the Alamo Bowl, but are still glad to be in it.
“Excited to be here in San Antonio at the Alamo Bowl," Tom Herman said in a press conference on Dec. 27. "It will be a great experience for our players and I know … I’ve never coached in one of these, but I have heard that this is as good as it gets when it comes to bowl games.”
Herman praised the Longhorns opponent, the Utah Utes, on the season they have had in the Dec. 27 press conference. Utah will enter the game as the No. 11 ranked team in the nation after losing to Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game.
Herman still expects his players to come out strong against the Utes.
“Our senior class has done something pretty special and these guys will have the opportunity to win a third straight bowl game for the first time in over 10 years," Herman said. "'06 through '08 was the last time Texas had won three straight bowl games. We really want to see them do that and to do it against an opponent like Utah that had an amazing season with 11 wins in front of hopefully what will be a heavily burnt orange clad crowd … that would be a really neat way to send our seniors out.”
Texas has an interesting history in the Alamo Bowl, too. 2019 will be the third time in UT's four appearances where the Longhorns are the underdogs in the game. UT was underdogs in 2012 and 2013 when they played Oregon State and Oregon.
No other team has played in the Alamo Bowl more times than Texas has since 2005, according to Alamo Bowl officials. Texas is 2-1 all-time in the Alamo Bowl.
It was announced on the eve of the Valero Alamo Bowl that Colt McCoy and Alex Smith would be honorary captains for the game. McCoy was the 2006 Alamo Bowl MVP and Alex Smith was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft after playing three seasons for Utah.
Texas and Utah will kickoff from the 2019 Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 31 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be aired on ESPN.
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