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Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer
NEW ORLEANS — Texas players came up with a “Revenge Tour” theme headed into this season, specifically making it a point to take down the teams that beat them last year.
The tour started with Alabama in September, then featured wins over TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. One final stop remains: Washington, the fifth team to beat Texas in 2022. But the stakes are exponentially higher than in their matchup in the Alamo Bowl last December.
Texas and Washington play in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Monday night with a national championship game spot on the line.
“Obviously this is for a national championship, this rules it all, but that’s been the theme of this year is we obviously wanted revenge,” Texas edge rusher Barryn Sorrell said Thursday during the first media availability of the week. “It’s for all the guys that were here during that 5-7 year. We took some very tough losses and we took some very tough criticism behind it as well, so taking those moments and using it as fuel to get these wins.”
Indeed, coach Steve Sarkisian has led the Longhorns to their first CFP appearance after three tough years building the program. Texas went 5-7 in 2021, then 8-5 last year — going 3-3 down the stretch. But with veterans returning across the board, players knew that they could take this program even higher — and used all the losses a year ago to push them there.
The transformation has been evident beyond quarterback Quinn Ewers, who has completed more than 70% of his passes and thrown for more than 3,000 yards. Perhaps most emblematic of the turnaround this year has been the way Texas has played upfront, starting with its defensive line.
No longer willing to accept being just good enough, that unit played with a cohesiveness the players credit with not only another year in the system but playing together. As a result, Texas has dictated games with Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat setting the tone. Sweat won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in football, but if you ask him, he should have been a finalist for the Heisman after physically imposing his will week after week.
If there is one spot to point to that could be the difference in their matchup this year, this would be it.
Especially since Washington’s unit won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best offensive line.
“I’m not concerned at all,” Murphy said. “I give credit to those guys. They’re a good group of guys, great unit. But at the end of the day, it’s not about what they do. It’s about what we do. They look good on tape. I’m not taking nothing away from those guys. Come January 1, it’s going to be a great battle.”
Sweat added, “Let me see how I can say this. They’re a great group of guys, the O-line. I mean, they won awards. They’re just awards to me. You know what I mean? And they’ve got to face guys like us, so we’ll see how it goes down.”
Sweat also described Washington as “just another O-line. They’re here to win, just like we’re here to win. I mean, like I said, everybody will see Monday.”
During his first media availability later Thursday, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was asked whether the Texas defensive line reminded him of anyone the Huskies had played this season. He bristled at the suggestion that Texas had the better front and defended his offensive line.
“I’m not gonna lie, the D -ine is good, but at the same time, they haven’t played our O-line,” Penix said. Their whole defense, they do a great job, and they definitely play good ball, but we’re not playing the 49ers D-line or the Eagles D-line, so we’ll be good.”
Asked the key difference between the defensive front they played last year in the Alamo Bowl, Penix said, “I don’t know. It’s different seeing it on film and then being in the game. You’re watching a game against Texas Tech, K-State, all the teams they’ve played, and I don’t feel like those teams have the offensive line that we have. We’ll have to see when it comes game day.”
Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu did not want to get into the back and forth, saying only, “One thing that I think of when I go into games like this is: Respect all, but fear none. Their defensive line is really good, but we’re going to be ready. Just trust me.”
Texas has improved its run defense from a year ago, allowing just 80.8 yards per game, third best in the country. It also has 32 sacks on the season and in their game against Washington a year ago, one thing stood out: Texas had zero sacks on Penix.
Of course, Penix is hard to bring down — he has been sacked only 11 times this season. “That’s definitely been an emphasis, to get to him,” Sorrell said.
The challenge is one Texas has embraced. Facing a team that beat them last year has only increased their desire to show just how much further the defense has come from a season ago.
“It’s going to be a totally different ballgame this year,” Murphy said. “I feel like we’re a way better team. It’s a totally different defense from last year. This is what we wanted, so having this opportunity we’re going to try and take advantage of it for sure.”
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