Wyoming Game Preview
The Wyoming Cowboys come to Austin on Saturday night after a pair of wins to begin the season. Photo: Troy Babbitt, USA Today
Outlook
The third game of the 2023 season for the Texas Longhorns is here. Texas is set to play Wyoming this Saturday night at 7pm in DKR. The game will be televised on Longhorn Network.
The Horns are coming off an emotional and emphatic program win against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa a week ago. While many fans (myself included) are sure to be still riding the high from the 34-24 win, we do hope Coach Sark will have the boys focused and ready to go. In what should be a raucous crowd at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, it will be the first time Texas fans welcome home a Longhorns team ranked in the top 5 in the AP poll since early in the 2010 season. The last time it happened was actually also against Wyoming, as the #5 Horns prevailed 34-7 that year.
Texas comes into week 3 averaging 35.5 points per game. Photo: Will Gallagher, Inside Texas
Texas Offense vs. Wyoming Defense
The Texas offense comes into this game averaging just 35.5 points per game, but there are a lot of positive signs to take away from the Alabama win. Notably, the play of quarterback Quinn Ewers and the plethora of Texas’ receiving options. If Texas can get going with the short and intermediate passing game like it did early against Alabama, setting up for a few devastating deep shots, it should have no trouble breaking down the Cowboys’ secondary. The big thing to watch for will be consistency of the Ewers deep ball from game to game.
As far as the Wyoming defense goes, their strength will be in run defense, which could pose a problem for the Horns as the running game has yet to hit its stride this year. It should be noted that Wyoming has allowed just 18.5 points per game in regulation through two games. Look for freshman running back C.J. Baxter (assuming he’s healthy enough to go) to get a few more looks and for Sark to establish the run early on.
Advantage: Texas
The Texas defense came up with huge plays all night against Alabama
Texas Defense vs. Wyoming Offense
The Longhorns’ defense really showed out in Tuscaloosa, coming up with 5 sacks and 2 INTs, and making some timely stops when the team needed it. Thus far the defense is giving up 17 ppg and you would have to say it is the strength of the team. An area of weakness to keep an eye on would be giving up the deep ball to Jalen Milroe on a couple occasions. But you have to give credit to our safeties for also making some plays with those 2 interceptions. There were also a few missed tackles on a late score but that does not appear to be a pattern and doesn’t present much of a concern. As long as the Texas defense brings the same kind of energy and effort that we saw from them last Saturday, they should have no problems containing the Wyoming offense and even forcing a few turnovers.
As for Wyoming, offense is not their strength - averaging just 345 yards per game, which would rank them around 100th in FBS. Their 33 ppg is also inflated by the overtime win over Texas Tech in which they only scored 20 in regulation. A 31-17 win over FCS Portland State, a team that lost 81-7 to Oregon, also doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence. Still, this team is 2-0 and their offense has come up big when it has mattered. It will depend on the play of 6th year quarterback Andrew Peasley - not the most accurate thrower but will create yards with his feet and has played with a lot of heart thus far.
Advantage: Texas
Craig Bohl is looking for his first win against an AP top 10 ranked opponent as a head coach. Photo: UW Athletics
Coaching
Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl comes to Austin with a 53-56 record with the Cowboys. He previously won 3 FCS championships in a row with North Dakota State. He has taken Wyoming to a bowl game in 6 of the past 7 seasons after just a 6-18 start in his first two seasons. Bohl has over 40 years of total coaching experience and won’t be intimidated by the atmosphere. He should have his Cowboys ready to go.
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian comes in off maybe the best single win on his career resume. He now has a 15-12 overall record with Texas but is 8-3 in the last 11 contests. You can sense that he is starting to really get a hold of the locker room and is carrying himself with more calm and confidence in his team. Expect Sark to have the Horns locked in and fired up again in a game that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Advantage: Texas
Prediction
Texas 38, Wyoming 13
Hook ‘em
