Week 1 struggles leave most Texas Power 5 schools looking for answers
They say "everything is bigger in Texas," and through Week 1 of the college football calendar, that is true when discussing the level of disappointment for Power 5 schools in the state.
While Texas Tech and TCU scored easy wins over FCS opponents, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Texas all were handed dramatic losses over the opening two days of play.
Here's how it went down for each of the three schools that fell in defeat this weekend.
Texas A&M
Opponent: UCLA
Line: Texas A&M +3.5
Result: UCLA wins 45-44
Losing by one point on the road against a top quarterback is nothing to be ashamed of, but when you held a 34-point lead at one point, heads are gonna roll. That's exactly the situation Texas A&M finds itself in after blowing a 44-10 lead against UCLA, and allowing the Bruins to post the second-largest comeback in FBS history. The Aggies ran wild over the Bruins in establishing the lead, finishing with a monstrous 382 yards on the ground, but lost starting quarterback Nick Starkel to injury in the game. Freshman Kellen Mond proved ineffective in the passing game and the team finished with just 89 total yards. Kevin Sumlin likely won't be fired on the tarmac of the airport like Lane Kiffin was by USC years ago, but the embattled coach's seat will certainly be the hottest one on the plane back to College Station.
Baylor
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Opponent: Liberty
Line: Baylor -34
Result: Liberty wins 48-45
Matt Rhule's debut as Baylor coach couldn't have gone much worse as the Bears lost to FCS opponent Liberty as 34-point favorites on Saturday. Rhule made his name as a hard-nosed defensive coach at Temple, but appears to have adopted the "defense optional" style of the Big 12 right away. The Bears allowed a whopping 585 total yards by the Flames, and wasted a solid game by the offensive unit. Rhule was given a lengthy deal by the administration to fix the program, so he's certainly not on the hot seat, but nobody can be pleased with the opening week performance by the new coaching staff.
Texas
Opponent: Maryland
Line: Texas -18.5
Result: Maryland wins 51-41
Tom Herman's debut at Texas may not have been as embarrassing as Rhule's, but with sky-high expectations, the home loss to Maryland looks terrible. The Texas administration gave the former Houston coach a massive deal to fix Charlie Strong's errors, but that didn't happen on Saturday. The passing game looks strong with Shane Buechele but the rushing attack had a horrible day, failing to pass the 100-yard mark as a team. With road trips to USC and Iowa State before the end of September, the honeymoon could end real quick for Herman and the Longhorns.