The Texas Longhorns take their show back out on the road, after their week off, with their second bye week of the season coming at a critical time, allowing for key Longhorns players on both sides of the ball the chance to get back healthy before the final stretch of the season.
Texas makes the trip out to Athens this Saturday to take on the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs in a primetime matchup under the lights in Sanford Stadium, in a matchup that can shape up the SEC conference title and College Football Playoff picture for both teams.
With any high-profile matchup, the battle between the two quarterbacks will always be a key story. And it won’t be any different on Saturday as the Longhorns’ Arch Manning heads into the matchup throwing for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns in two consecutive games, while Georgia’s Gunner Stockton has thrown for nine touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ last three games.
Texas Longhorns defensive linemen Ethan Burke (91) attempts to get into the backfield during the second quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
At this week’s player availability on Monday, senior defensive edge Ethan Burke spoke about the talent Georgia’s quarterback has, highlighting Stockton’s intelligence and ability to run after a play breakdown.
“I think he’s talented if you get linebackers playing the run, and then they have to drop out, he makes the correct read on play action, and then given the option to roll out and run too,” Burke said. “He’s definitely a good athlete and can run pretty well.”
In recent weeks, Burke has gotten much more involved and become a game disruptor on the other side of fellow edge rusher Colin Simmons. In the Longhorns’ last three games, Burke has totaled 14 pressures, three sacks, and a forced fumble
The Texas defense converges on Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) in the first half of the Red River Rivalry. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Throughout the year, the Longhorns have faced two high-level rushing quarterbacks in Oklahoma’s John Mateer and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, and in both instances, the Longhorns’ defense was more than up for the task. The Texas defense allowed a combined 48 yards on 28 carries for an average yards per carry of 1.7 and just one touchdown. Burke detailed the Longhorns’ strength in defending against rushing quarterbacks this season.
“We’ve had to do a lot, running guys this year and just keeping them in the pockets, you know, essential, because a lot of guys, after their first two reads, they look to scramble, but if the pockets collapse, they have nowhere to go, and it usually ends up in our favor,” Burke added.
Texas will once again have to be up for the challenge of another quarterback with the ability to run with the football, as Stockton has totaled 321 rushing yards on 72 carries for seven touchdowns.
