Quinn Ewers threw two touchdown passes to Gunnar Helm in the first half, leading No. 3 Texas to a 31-14 win over Kentucky on Saturday. The victory kept the Longhorns in first place in the Southeastern Conference during their first season in the league.
Quintrevion Wisner ran for 158 yards and scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter for Texas (10-1, 6-1, No. 3 CFP). The Longhorns can secure a spot in the SEC championship game if they win next week against No. 15 Texas A&M, which will be the first meeting between the two teams in 12 years.
“Back-to-back 10-win seasons, but more work to do. Obviously, we’ve got a big game next week,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “What that game means to the entire state of Texas. It’s so cool we’re playing the game again.”
This was also potentially Quinn Ewers’ last home game for Texas, depending on whether the Longhorns host a College Football Playoff game. Ewers, a three-year starter, still has a year of eligibility left but participated in Texas’ senior day pregame ceremony. He had considered leaving for the NFL after leading Texas to the playoff last season and has also dealt with an injury this season that caused him to miss two and a half games.
He avoided discussing his future after the game, saying, “I’m just glad we won. We’ll see what happens from here on out.”
Ewers completed 20 of 31 passes for 191 yards in a performance that helped extend his record to 24-7 as a starter.
His first touchdown pass to Helm came on Texas’ opening drive. Ewers rolled to his left on 4th-and-goal and found Helm in the back of the end zone. The second touchdown came on a touch pass where Helm made a difficult catch at the sideline, despite a big hit, to give Texas a 21-7 lead.
“I really like throwing the football to him,” Ewers said.
Kentucky (4-7, 1-7) made it 24-14 after Jamon Dumas-Johnson returned a fumble from Ewers for a 25-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Wisner’s powerful running helped Texas close out the game in the fourth quarter, as he capped a 15-play, 8-minute drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Texas used the drive to run down the clock, with Wisner carrying the ball 12 times during the possession.
Sarkisian called it a “culture, attitude drive.”
“Being able to close out the clock and send it home means a lot,” Wisner said.
