The Texas Longhorns and Washington Huskies will square off in a bowl game for the second straight year. There’s a trip to the national tournament on the line this time.
The Valero Alamo Bowl the previous year saw a lot of offensive fireworks, as the Huskies won 27–20 thanks to a combined 865 yards from both teams. This year’s Sugar Bowl battle will probably be just as interesting, if not more so, because of the high stakes.
Texas can defeat Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinals for the following three reasons:
1. The defensive line
T’Vondre Sweat, a defensive tackle who has earned a spot in the first round, was voted the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and took home the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best interior player in the country each year. On every play, Washington will need to take him into consideration. Byron Murphy II, the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and a projected Round 2 draft choice, is positioned next to Sweat. Together, the two produced 64 hurries, 16 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and six quarterback hits.
The Longhorns have a potent rotation of linemen, including defensive ends Ethan Burke, Barryn Sorrell, and Jett Bush in addition to defensive tackle Alfred Collins, to throw against the Huskies offensive line UW’s way. The foursome combined for 99 pressures, 67 hurries, 21 QB hits, 18 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries.
The Longhorns put up a lot of pressure up the middle, but they also block running lanes and create a wall at the line of scrimmage, which hurts running back Dillon Johnson and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of the Huskies.
2. The pass-catchers
While Washington has a trio of athletically gifted wideouts who will all likely be drafted in April, Texas is no slouch when it comes to weapons in the passing game. Xavier Worthy headlines an underrated group that also features Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders — three of whom are top-60 draft prospects.
Worthy leads the team in receptions (73) and yards (969), and he’s always a threat to take a punt return to the house. Mitchell (51 receptions, 813 yards) leads the team in touchdowns (10), and Whittington put up solid numbers as UT’s No. 3 wideout with 38 catches and 435 yards.
Conversely, Sanders, who had 39 catches for 607 yards and two scores, is arguably the No. 2 TE in the 2024 draft behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers. He finished second in yards per reception (5.6), fifth in receiving yards and yards after the catch (326), and 14th in receptions among all tight ends this year.
3. The coaching staff
While Washington’s Kalen DeBoer has established himself as one of the top college coaches over the last two years, Steve Sarkisian has the decided edge in big-game experience having spent three years in the NFL (one with the Raiders, two with the Falcons) and three seasons as an offensive analyst and then offensive coordinator at Alabama, where he won a national title in 2020 and coached in another in 2016.
Beyond Sarkisian’s extensive experience, the rest of the Texas coaching staff has a combined 15 games of experience coaching in the CFP, while Washington’s staff has none.
