Texas vs. Kansas 2012: Longhorns fans find silver linings in ugly win

Many Texas fans likely didn't think they would have any reason to be nervous toward the end of the Longhorns' game against the Kansas Jayhawks Saturday, but they were wrong. Texas (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) escaped Lawrence, Kans., with a 21-17 win over the Jayhawks (1-7, 0-5), needing a touchdown with 49 seconds remaining to avoid a disastrous defeat.

Despite what looked like an ugly victory, some Longhorns fans are finding silver linings. Over at Burnt Orange Nation, SB Nation's Texas blog, writer The Audit Horn saw a few things in Saturday's game that provide glimmers of hope for fans in Austin. Running back Johnathan Gray, who finished the game with 111 yards on 18 carries, was one of those silver linings:

Johnathan Gray paid instant dividends on his first career start with a 31 yard carry to set Texas up in the red zone on its first drive (a set up which led to another Joe Bergeron TD steal). Gray took advantage of the start and the continued absence of Malcolm Brown to pace the Texas rushing attack, which finished with 35 carries for 211 yards (6.0 yards per rush). Don't look now, but Gray's 81 rushes for 424 yards are now second on the team and only 26 yards behind Joe Bergeron.

On the other side of the ball, defensive end Alex Okafor provided a nice effort for the Longhorns. With Jackson Jeffcoat out for the season on the opposite end of the line, The Audit Horn finds that Okafor has taken over as a leader:

Alex Okafor continues to step up as a leader of the Texas defense in Jackson Jeffcoat's absence. This week was 13 tackles, 11 solo (both led the team), 1 of the team's 8 tackles for loss, and 1 of the team's 2 forced fumbles.

Next up for the Longhorns is a date with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Texas and Texas Tech meet Saturday, Nov. 3 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock.

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Texas missed out on entering the rankings after winning a close one against Kansas, but four other Big 12 teams are ranked this week in the AP Poll.

College football rankings, Week 10: Texas No. 22 in this week's Coaches Poll

Despite a lackluster performance in Saturday's 21-17 win over Kansas, the Texas Longhorns have jumped up to No. 22 in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll.

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Case McCoy comes off the bench to lead Texas to victory, but does he pass David Ash in the process?

Texas vs. Kansas: Longhorns escape with 21-17 victory

The Texas Longhorns nearly lost in Lawrence, but the Kansas Jayhawks allowed a touchdown with 12 seconds left. Texas emerged with a 21-17 victory.

Texas vs. Kansas score update: Longhorns continue to threaten but can't put points up

The third quarter between the Texas Longhorns and the Kansas Jayhawks has been all about the defense. But it's been the Jayhawks' defense stepping up more than the Longhorns as the Jayhawks still hold a 14-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter of their Big 12 contest in Lawrence.

The Longhorns got the ball to the 6-yard line of the Jayhawks on their first possession of the second half but was unable to score. The Jayhawks were able to make a stand on 4th and goal from the 1-yard line, stopping Longhorns running back Joe Bergeron for a loss.

The Longhorns' defense has done its part, forcing the Jayhawks into a punt during their first possession of the second half.

But the Jayhawks recovered what looked like a fumble with 2:39 remaining in the third and then Lubbock Smith picked off Longhorns quarterback David Ash on the very next play after the Longhorns had again entered the red zone.

Texas vs. Kansas score update: Jayhawks take lead over Longhorns at the half

The Kansas Jayhawks are halfway to shocking the 23rd-ranked Texas Longhorns in Lawrence, leading the Longhorns, 14-7, at the end of the first half of their Big 12 contest.

Texas led after the first quarter, but it was all Jayhawks in the second. Christian Matthews' 15-yard touchdown run tied the game with 12:06 remaining and Tony Pierson followed it with an 11-yard touchdown run with 7:16 remaining to give the Jayhawks the lead.

Kansas' running game is the story in this one. Led by James Sims, who has amassed 139 yards on 14 carries in the first half, four running backs have gotten carries. As a team, they have rushed for 177 yards, which allowed the Jayhawks to dominate time of possession (17:42 to 11:17).

The Jayhawks entered the game 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12 and knocking off the Longhorns in this manner would be a gigantic boost for Kansas, as well as an equally-sized blow to the Longhorns.

Texas vs. Kansas score update: Longhorns use ground game to take 7-0 lead

The Texas Longhorns lead the Kansas Jayhawks 7-0 after one quarter, using their stable of running backs to get in the end zone early in the first quarter.

The Jayhawks had the ball first, losing 13 yards on the three-play drive before punting the ball to midfield. The Longhorns took over at the Kansas 43-yard line and quickly gained 31 yards on a Johnathan Gray run all the way down to the Jayhawks 12-yard line. The Longhorns then used one more Gray run before Joe Bergeron took the next two carries, including a three-yard run to make the score 7-0.

The Jayhawks offense got going on their second drive, mostly on the legs of running backs James Sims and Taylor Cox. Sims and Cox combined for 43 yards rushing, getting the ball all the way down to the Longhorn five-yard line before a fumble pushed the ball back to the Longhorn 21. Quarterback Michael Cummings was then sacked at the 29-yard line. The Jayhawks elected to go for it on fourth down and failed to get the first down.

The two teams traded punts on their next two drives, keeping the score 7-0 heading in to the second quarter.

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Texas vs. Kansas odds: Longhorns are 3 TD road favorites

With a defense that has massively under performed expectations, Texas has struggled to put away teams this season. However, despite the schematic edge provided by new head coach Charlie Weis, the Kansas offense has been the perfect antidote for sickly defenses in 2012.

On Saturday, the movable force meets the resistible object in Lawrence, as the Longhorns try to get back over .500 in conference play. The odds makers, at least, haven't lost all confidence in Manny Diaz and Co., as Texas is a -23 point favorite over the Jayhawks.

Weis, in his defense, was handed by an absolute mess by the previous coaching staff, but he hasn't been able to do anything to fix it in 2012. Kansas is 1-6, with their only win coming in a home game against an FCS opponent (South Dakota State) in Week 1.

And while they've been mollywhomped on the road in Big 12 play, they have been able to keep games competitive at home: losing 20-6 to TCU and 20-14 to Oklahoma State.

Saturday's game, one of only two home games left in their season, could be the best chance for Weis to pull off an upset and generate some optimism around his program headed into Year 2.

However, even more than the spread, the over/under of only 59.5 reveals how unlikely Vegas thinks that will be. For some perspective, the Longhorns defense has given up an average of 49.25 points in four conference games this year.

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