Things aren’t going too well in Texas right now. The Longhorns were embarrassed, 38-3, by Notre Dame in week one, and after a week of turmoil, coach Charlie Strong demoted play-caller Shawn Watson, bringing in Jay Norvell to call plays.
How to watch Rice vs. Texas on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
Can Texas bounce back?
Texas looked listless on offense against the Irish, with the same problems from last season carrying over to this one. Tyrone Swoopes struggled mightily at quarterback, and it’s unclear whether he will be the starter for the rest of the season. Swoopes didn’t have much help, and the play calling was part of that. But it wasn’t just the offense — the defense was abysmal against Notre Dame, meaning the best aspect of last year’s team might be even worse.
And the news could get worse — it’s not like the Longhorns have a cupcake game to recover with. Rice won its opener against Wagner and the Owls could make some noise in Conference USA. If Texas doesn’t get things figured out quickly,
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Three big things to know
1. Jay Norvell is now calling plays for Texas after Shawn Watson was stripped of that duty following their season opening loss to Notre Dame. What does that mean for the Longhorns’ offense? It’s hard to imagine things going much worse for Texas on offense, but making the switch after a week seems mighty desperate. Here are some lessons from Norvell’s tenure at Oklahoma.
2. The 16-point spread is the lowest for a Texas-Rice game since 1998. A 16-point spread doesn’t sound awful in a vacuum, but Texas only being favored by that much over Rice is yet another sign of how far confidence in the Horns has fallen.
3. Remember: Whatever happens, it isn’t Mack Brown’s fault. It never is, just ask him.
Further reading
Check out Burnt Orange Nation and Barking Carnival for more on Texas and Underdog Dynasty for more on Rice.
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