TEXAS LONGHORNS – PLAYER-BY-PLAYER EVALUATION

Texas 53, Alabama 51 (OT)

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Your Texas Longhorns, ranked No. 1 in the nation, just survived one of the wildest, highest-octane shootouts of your PML dynasty. A 53–51 overtime thriller against Alabama showcased the resolve of your roster, forced major contributors to step into pressure moments, and revealed exactly where your team’s strengths—and vulnerabilities—stand heading into the rest of the season.

Below is the full player-by-player evaluation, organized by position group.

QUARTERBACKS

T. Owens – 18/24, 222 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT (207.6 rating)

Owens delivered exactly the type of efficient, hyper-productive performance you needed to offset Alabama’s explosive offense. His command of the short and intermediate game was pristine—75% completion speaks for itself—and he repeatedly made the correct read in tight red-zone windows.

His calmness stood out. He took just one sack, managed the pace of the game, and finished drives with touchdowns instead of field goals. Owens showed a veteran-like ability to maximize YAC opportunities for his playmakers—attacking space rather than forcing hero throws.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Elite)

Maalik Murphy – 16/33, 241 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT (119.8 rating)

Murphy’s numbers don’t tell the whole story. His 48% completion rate reflects a streaky outing—he mixed high-level, NFL-caliber deep balls with stretches of inaccuracy. But his ability to stretch the field vertically kept Texas alive in key moments, highlighted by his 58-yard bomb to flip field position.

Most importantly, Murphy protected the football—0 INTs in a game this chaotic is massive.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (High-Impact but Inconsistent)

RUNNING BACKS

CJ Baxter – 12 carries, 75 yards (6.3 AVG)

Baxter ran with toughness and balance all game. His ability to break first contact (2 broken tackles) and create chunk yardage (18-yard long) kept you on schedule offensively. Though he didn’t score, he was one of your most reliable offensive pieces.

His added value as a pass catcher—1 catch for 10 yards—helped keep Alabama honest.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Steady, Physical, Reliable)

M. Terry III – 3 carries, 24 yards, 2 TD

Terry was the perfect change-of-pace hammer. Only three touches, yet two went for touchdowns. His short-yardage scoring decisiveness was crucial in a game where points mattered on every drive.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Goal-Line Assassin)

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS

Ryan Wingo – 7 receptions, 124 yards, 2 TD, 1 drop

Wingo played like a true WR1 superstar. His blend of vertical threat (35-yard RAC, 43-yard long) and red-zone precision gave Alabama’s secondary nightmares. Even with one drop, his RAC ability and body control in tight windows made him arguably the offensive MVP.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Game-Changer)

K. Lockett – 6 receptions, 117 yards, 1 TD

Lockett emerged as a dominant intermediate weapon, averaging nearly 20 yards per catch. His ability to win over the middle and break tackles after the catch (65 RAC yards) flipped the field multiple times.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Explosive Complement to Wingo)

J. Ffrench – 7 receptions, 99 yards

Ffrench provided chain-moving reliability all game. With 27 RAC yards and a 58-yard long reception, he served as Murphy’s safety valve and your go-to option on key downs. A steady, balanced performance.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Reliable Technician)

J. Endries – 10 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD

Endries was the volume monster. His 10 catches were essential for stabilizing drives, even if they came with a modest 8.6 yards per catch. The touchdown and tough coverage catches justified his heavy workload.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Glue Guy, High Usage)

J. Washington – 1 reception, 20 yards, 1 TD

A single play—one that mattered. Perfect usage: red-zone mismatch, touchdown, momentum.

Grade: ★★★☆☆ (Low Volume, High Impact)

OFFENSIVE LINE

While individual OL stats aren’t listed, the performance was telling:

• Only one sack allowed across 57 pass attempts.
• Consistent interior protection let Owens operate with rhythm.
• Run lanes for Baxter and Terry were firm and well-defined.

This was one of their strongest collective outings of the season.

Group Grade: ★★★★★ (Dominant in pass pro, efficient in run game)

DEFENSE

Your defense gave up 51—but in a wild shootout, individual players still made crucial plays that altered the outcome.

Kobe Black – 12 tackles (5 solo, 7 assists), 1 TFL

Black was a tackling machine. Alabama attacked him often in space, and he responded with clinic-level technique and consistency. His physicality helped stonewall boundary runs and bubble screens.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Defensive MVP)

D. Williams Jr. – 10 tackles (6 solo)

Williams was the steady heartbeat of your second level—clean angles, sure tackling, few mistakes. His ability to limit YAC on Alabama’s short game helped prevent several huge plays.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Steady, Smart, Productive)

X. Filsaime – 9 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack

Filsaime was your most disruptive defender. Whether flying downhill in run support or blitzing off the edge, he consistently created negative plays. The sack came at a moment when the defense desperately needed a stop.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Impact Defender)

E. Bowen – 7 tackles

Bowen’s feel for the game showed through consistently. He played under control, avoided getting beat deep, and cleaned up plays in the intermediate levels.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Dependable)

S. McOliver – 7 tackles, 1 INT

One of the biggest plays of the day: his interception. In a game where stops were rare, McOliver’s turnover proved absolutely essential. His tackling was strong too, contributing seven stops.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Turnover Creator)

L. Fano – 5 tackles, 2 sacks

Fano was your most effective pass rusher. Both sacks were huge momentum changers, buying time for your offense to catch up.

Grade: ★★★★★ (Pass-Rush Catalyst)

K. Phillips – 5 tackles

A solid rotational performance—read his keys well and helped limit Alabama’s inside zone and counters.

Grade: ★★★☆☆ (Quietly Effective)

R. Niblett – 4 tackles

Not flashy, but assignment-sound. Filled alleys and provided key special-teams snaps.

Grade: ★★★☆☆ (Role Player)

Z. Umeozulu – 3 tackles, 1 sack

Delivered a clutch sack and gave you strong rotational pressure.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Spark Plug)

A. January – 3 tackles, 2 TFL

January’s backfield penetration was noticeable. He created chaos on several early downs.

Grade: ★★★★☆ (Disruptor)

TEAM SUMMARY

Offense:

• 552 total yards
• 463 passing
• 89 rushing
• 57% on 3rd down
• 8.1 yards per pass
• 7.6 yards per play

This was a masterclass in answering pressure with pressure. Every drive mattered—and your offense rose to the moment.

Defense:

• Gave up 614 yards
• But created 2 turnovers, including a pivotal interception
• Delivered 4 sacks in critical situations

The defense bent—but made just enough plays to survive.

FINAL COACHING TAKEAWAYS

✔ Quarterback rotation worked perfectly
✔ Wingo/Lockett/Ffrench combo is unstoppable
✔ Baxter ran with balance and purpose
✔ Defense must tighten explosive-play leakage
✔ Tackling from Black, Williams, Filsaime was elite
✔ Pass rush created game-saving moments

This was a character win.
A survival test.
The type of victory that championship programs need on their résumé.