Texas Longhorns football will have another shot at Washington Huskies after their Alama Bowl meeting last year that the latter bagged.
The two teams are locked for the Sugar Bowl in the College Football Playoffs. This will be the Longhorns' first appearance in CPF and the Huskies' second.
While Washington appears to be the more experienced (and seeded higher), the Longhorns are odds-on favorites to win the match.
Coach Steve Sarkisian's squad is -4.5 favorites. There's nothing to be hyped about, as Texas still has things to fix in their squad.
First, the school responsibilities of players that limit their time on the practice field.
"You have to compartmentalize the month," he said. "For the first couple weeks, it's about them finishing school and doing great there. We have to make sure our conditioning is on point, and then we have about eight practices before we send them home for Christmas."
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As for the game itself, here are some things the coach can focus on to secure a spot in the next stage of College Football Playoffs.
1. Linebacker issue
Sarkisian could exploit the team's lineback department given the struggle by the Huskies in that position.
Jaylan Ford, David Gbenda, and Anthony Hill Jr., recently cited as part of the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, have been delivering all-season long, which is a problem for the Huskies.
Their upcoming opponents allow 4.2 yards per attempt per run and nearly 85 percent of the reps in the red zone.
2. Washington's wrecking WR
The national title can wait. Texas must first take care of the prominent wide receivers of their Sugar Bowl opponents.
Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja'Lynn Polk stand out among the rest in the WR position. ESPN College GameDay co-host Desmond Howard even hailed Washington as home to the best wider receiver prospects in college.
Michael Penix always has a field day with any of these three. Last year, he and Polk wrecked teams. The latter ran 700 yards in just 22 catches.
Longhorns will have a chance at winning if they can limit this trio or disrupt Penix's plays.
Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell are great WRs but can't fold in big moments. Worthy made 3 drops and only 7 catches on 14 targets in their Alama Bowl against Washington last year.
3. Quinn Ewers' deep ball and red zone
Michael Penix Jr., a Heisman nominee, is the better quarterback in this tie. However, Texas' Quinn Ewers could reach his level soon. The No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2022 is now in his sophomore year, and he has shown progress.
He missed two games this season. Despite that, he converted 70 percent of his passes and threw for 3,161 yards.
There's a lot left to be desired on Ewers, though. He got sacked on 27.5% of his pressures, and the Huskies' rusher will definitely target him again. It is worth noting that he has thrown just one of his 21 TD passes while under pressure.
Ewers needs to be protected to fulfill his potential on the field.
Related article: 3 Problems Washington Huskies Football Need to Fix to Win National Title
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