Kansas at Texas Line

Written by Rock Henderson

The Big 12 North will battle with the class of the Big 12 South when the Kansas Jayhawks travel to Austin, TX and take on the #2 Texas Longhorns. This season hasn’t gone according to plan for coach Mangino as the Jayhawks were expected to challenge for the division crown. They come into this match-up losers of five straight games and face a tall task to stop the bleeding against the explosive Longhorns. Texas has aligned itself to be one of two teams that will play for the National Championship and all it has to do is keep winning games. According to our football lines, the Longhorns are a 28 point favorite.

A 34-30 loss at Colorado sent Kansas into a tailspin midway through the season and they have failed to recover. This team has plenty of talent, but their defense is young and inexperienced which has resulted in giving up way too many big plays. QB Todd Reesing has had an off year for one of the best at his position in the loaded Big 12. After throwing for 30 plus touchdown passes the previous two years, Reesing has tossed 18 scores against eight interceptions. He will eclipse the 3,000 yard mark for the third consecutive season, but all things considered Reesing’s senior year has been a disappointment. Freshman RB Toben Opurum has been a nice surprise for Kansas. His physical running style has resulted in 541 yards gained and nine touchdowns. He will be the featured back for the Jayhawks the next three years as senior Jake Sharp is set to graduate. WR Desmon Briscoe is still putting up huge numbers despite the team’s struggles. The future NFL wide out has caught 65 balls for 994 yards and seven scores. Kerry Meier has transitioned well from QB to WR and has caught a team high 83 balls this year in which six went for scores.

The Texas Longhorns seem to be playing their best football at the right time of the season as their closest game has been a 27 point margin in their last four outings. QB Colt McCoy is making a late push for the Heisman Trophy as the senior gunslinger has thrown for 2628 yards and 19 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He has run with the ball less this year and really tried to improve on his passing skills that will carry over to the next level. Sophomore RB Cody Johnson has taken over as the main ball carrier for the Horns, rushing for 316 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 74 attempts. There is no doubt who opposing defenses must slow down if they want to contain the Longhorn offense. WR Jordan Shipley is in his sixth and arguably best year at Texas as the 23 year old has caught 81 passes for 1096 yards and eight touchdowns with two games to play. The talented Shipley has also thrown him into the Heisman race and with it a strong finish he could receive an invite the Heisman presentation. What really makes this Texas team click this year is a nasty defense that is allowing only 12.6 ppg. Led by LB Sergio Kindle, they have the speed of an SEC defense and play with the physicality of a Big Ten D.

This is a large number and for good reason. Texas has put the hammer down on their most recent opponents as they try to impress voters. Kansas has no answer for the McCoy/Shipley tandem. In the past, Reesing would be able to keep KU in the game with the spread passing attack. This year’s Texas defense is arguably the best in the nation and defend the pass extremely well. Don’t think twice about laying these points. Play: Texas -28

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