UPDATE: The No. 14 Texas Longhorns are gearing up for an intense showdown against the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on December 31 at 3 p.m. ET in Orlando. However, the Longhorns will be significantly shorthanded as they navigate crucial player departures due to transfers and NFL opt-outs.
As the team prepares to take the field on New Year’s Eve, they will be without their top two rushers, CJ Baxter and Tre Wisner, impacting their offensive strategy dramatically. This game marks a pivotal moment in the Steve Sarkisian era, being the first without defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, who was fired after the Longhorns missed the College Football Playoff for the first time in three years.
In a surprising move, former Florida and South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, who previously served as Texas’s defensive coordinator from 2008-2010, has stepped in as Kwiatkowski’s replacement. This change sets the stage for a fresh approach just before the bowl game.
“Yeah, that one hurt a little bit. With PK being my coach coming in from high school,” said All-American edge Colin Simmons. “But you know, like Coach Nansen said, it’s a business.”
Fellow linebacker Ty Anthony Smith expressed similar sentiments, emphasizing the excitement of moving forward despite the changes. “Obviously, I wasn’t as happy when he left… but just being excited. Understanding that the future for him, whatever it holds, he’ll go there and do great things,” Smith stated.
UT’s co-defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen and offensive coordinator Kyle Flood addressed the impact of these changes on the team. “They’re used to change. We understand with guys opting out, and now coaches and changes like this. It’s just part of it,” Nansen noted. Flood added, “There’s an exciting part to it as well where you get some younger players who maybe didn’t have as big a role during the regular season. Now their role gets to expand…”
The Longhorns are now tasked with the challenge of stepping up in the absence of key players, which opens the door for younger athletes to showcase their potential on the national stage. The urgency of this matchup against Michigan highlights the immediate stakes for Texas as they aim to finish the season on a high note.
As the countdown to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl continues, fans and analysts alike are anticipating how these changes will affect both teams. The Longhorns’ capacity to adapt and perform under pressure will be tested as they face a formidable opponent in the Wolverines.
Stay tuned for live updates and insights as the game approaches, and prepare for what promises to be an electrifying conclusion to the college football season.
