Replay: Late kick by No. 1 Alabama spoils upset bid by the Quinn Ewers-less Texas Longhorns

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers arrives at Royal-Memorial Stadium ahead of the Alabama game on Sept. 10. He was hurt at the end of the first quarter and hasn't played since. But he has been practicing again, and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has declined to say whether Ewers will play this week.
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Alabama and Texas exchanged late lead-changing kicks at Royal-Memorial Stadium, but the top-ranked Crimson Tide escaped Austin with a 20-19 win.

The game-winning kick belonged to Alabama's Will Reichard, who booted a 33-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining. Texas sophomore Bert Auburn had given Texas a short-lived 19-17 advantage with his 49-yard field goal with 1 minute and 29 seconds left in the game.

Texas is now 1-1 this season, and the Longhorns will host UTSA next weekend. Alabama is 2-0.

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Finally, it's here: College football universe is focused on Austin, Texas vs. Alabama

Follow along below with live updates pre-game and during the contest:

Alabama 17, Texas 16 (4th, 8:29)

A seven-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Jahmyr Gibbs has placed Alabama in front of the Longhorns. The top-ranked Crimson Tide last led in the first half.

With Alabama facing a 4th-and-3 from the Texas 37 on the 11-play scoring drive, the Crimson Tide got a big conversion. Young found Ja'Corey Brooks for a 14-yard gain and a first down. Alabama scored two plays later.

- Danny Davis

Texas 16, Alabama 10 (4th, 12:55)

After driving to the Alabama 12 and gaining a first down, Texas opened the final quarter with three plays that netted six yards. The Longhorns then turned to Bert Auburn, whose third field goal of the day was a 24-yard conversion.

Before today, Auburn had made just one field goal in the two games he had appeared in at Texas.

- Danny Davis

Leading 13-10, Texas is marching to the end zone as the third quarter ends

Texas will enter the final quarter at Royal-Memorial Stadium with a 13-10 lead over No. 1 Alabama. The first snap of the quarter will take place on the Alabama 12.

Texas has a first down.

On the final play of the third quarter, Texas receiver Xavier Worthy recorded an eight-yard catch. The play ended with a personal foul called on Alabama. That was Alabama's 15th penalty of the game.

- Danny Davis

New attendance record set at Royal-Memorial Stadium

Texas has announced that today's game has been seen by a school-record 105,213 fans. The previous record for the stadium was the 103,507 fans that saw UT record a 37-14 win over USC in 2018.

- Danny Davis

Texas 13, Alabama 10 (3rd, 6:27)

A 33-yard field goal by Bert Auburn has given Texas its first lead of the day. A second-year kicker, Auburn has kicked two field goals today.

To set up the lead-taking kick, UT took over at the Alabama 40 following an odd sequence of events. Texas fans thought they had recorded a safety when T'Vondre Sweat seemingly took Alabama quarterback Bryce Young down in the end zone. The referees, however, called Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown for a targeting penalty and gifted Alabama a first down. After a review, that penalty was overturned but it was ruled that Young threw an incomplete pass before he was tackled by Sweat.

Alabama was forced to punt for its 4-yard line.

Quinn Ewers was back on the sidelines for that drive. Although UT has not officially released an update about Ewers' status, the starting quarterback is wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

- Danny Davis

Texas opens the second half with Hudson Card still leading the Longhorns' offense

Texas started the second half with sophomore Hudson Card as its quarterback. Texas did not provide an update about the status of either starting quarterback Quinn Ewers or cornerback D'Shawn Jamison, who also limped off the field in the first half with an injury.

Texas opened the second half with the football but lost four yards on its first three plays. That drive ended with a 62-yard punt by Daniel Trejo.

- Danny Davis

Penalties a problem for No. 1 Alabama in first half against Texas

Alabama is struggling with penalties — and, apparently, the capacity crowd at Royal-Memorial Stadium, too. The Tide have already been flagged 11 times, with several false starts and offsides, but also an important roughing the passer that knocked Quinn Ewers out of the game and a couple of defensive pass interference calls on Texas' final drive of the half.

This is already the most penalties Bama has had in a game since 2010. Bama had only six penalties all last week.

- Rich Tijerina

After a missed field goal, Texas and Alabama enter halftime with a 10-10 tie

A missed field goal on the final play of the first half spoiled a chance for Texas to take a lead into halftime. With time winding down, Texas faced a 1st-and-15 at the UT 38. The Longhorns, however, got a 42-yard pass from Hudson Card to Bijan Robinson, a short connection between Card and Ja'Tavion Sanders and two pass interference flags on Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.

That set Texas up at the Alabama 2 with eight seconds left. Texas receiver Xavier Worthy was ruled to be out of bounds on a shot to the end zone, and sophomore Bert Auburn then missed a 20-yard field goal to end the quarter.

Defensively, Texas forced a punt on Alabama's final three possessions of the first half. Alabama never got farther than the Texas 48 on those three drives.

Texas will receive the football to open the second half.

- Danny Davis

Alabama 10, Texas 10 (2nd, 5:59)

After a first quarter full of offensive highlights, both defenses have forced their first punts of the day. After a rough outing in UT's season opener, Isaac Pearson has been replaced by newcomer Daniel Trejo. (Pearson was also replaced by Hudson Card as the Longhorns' holder.) Trejo's first punt sailed 37 yards.

Texas ended Alabama's first possession of the second quarter when linebacker Jaylan Ford shot through the Alabama offensive line and sacked Bryce Young on a third-down play. That was the fifth sack of UT's season and second sack of the Longhorns' day.

- Danny Davis

Alabama 10, Texas 10 (2nd, 14:55)

With starting quarterback Quinn Ewers in the locker room with an undisclosed injury, Texas has tied this game. Bijan Robinson's third touchdown of the season was a 1-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

That's a new UT record for Bijan Robinson, who has now scored a touchdown in 12 straight games. It broke a three-way tie at 11 straight games with Ricky Williams (1998-99) and Cedric Benson (2003-04).

Robinson's short run was set up by a 46-yard pass from Ewers to Xavier Worthy that gave Texas a first down at the Alabama 1. Worthy's catch came one drive after the diving receiver dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone.

- Danny Davis and Rich Tijerina

Hudson Card enters the game after Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is injured

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was injured after a hit by Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner. Turner was flagged for a personal foul on the play.

Ewers walked off the field but Hudson Card will still enter the game. Texas has a first down at the Alabama 1. There is 31 seconds left in the first quarter.

Alabama 10, Texas 3 (1st, 2:24)

That tie on the scoreboard at Royal-Memorial Stadium didn't last for long. Alabama has taken a 10-3 lead after Jase McClellan scored on an 81-yard touchdown run.

McClellan's run was the longest against the Longhorns since Oklahoma's Damien Williams scored on a 95-yard run in 2012.

- Danny Davis

Alabama 3, Texas 3 (1st, 2:51)

Texas has tied this game on a 26-yard field goal by Bert Auburn. The Longhorns, though, missed out on a couple of chances to take an early lead at Royal-Memorial Stadium.

After marching into the Alabama red zone, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was unable to connect with Ja'Tavion Sanders in the end zone on second- and third-down throws from the 8-yard line. Ewers also had a potential touchdown pass dropped by standout receiver Xavier Worthy.

- Danny Davis

Alabama 3, Texas 0 (1st, 8:47)

Alabama has scored first at Royal-Memorial Stadium. A 52-yard field goal by Will Reichard has given Alabama a 3-0 lead.

After it took the opening kickoff and drove down the field, Alabama was successful on two third-down conversions. But on a third-down attempt at the Texas 30, Ovie Oghoufu came up with the sack for Teas and forced Reichard's long attempt.

- Danny Davis

Alabama transfer Keilan Robinson named a captain for Texas ahead of today's game

Former Alabama running back Keilan Robinson was one of the captains that Texas sent out to midfield for the pregame coin toss. Robinson, who transferred to Texas ahead of the 2021 season, was joined by teammates Jordan Whittington, Anthony Cook and Keondre Coburn.

Texas won the coin toss and deferred its decision to the second half. Alabama will open this game with the football.

Some Texas fans will not get to see any of the upcoming action. About 25 minutes before the game kicked off, UT announced that its student sections were full. No more students will be allowed into today's game.

- Danny Davis

How has Texas previously fared against the No. 1 team in the nation?

As we said above, this is the third time that Texas will host the No. 1 team in the country. On Nov. 4, 1950, No. 7 Texas held off No. 1 SMU 23-20 in front of a home crowd of 65,498. And then on Sept. 9, 2006, No. 2 Texas fell at home to No. 1 Ohio State 24-7. It was college football's first regular-season matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in a decade. That loss — which was Colt McCoy's second-ever start — snapped Texas' 21-game winning streak. The crowd was 89,422.

Texas has played the No. 1 team 16 times in school history. The Horns are 5-11 in those matchups.

- Rich Tijerina

Steve Sarkisian to face Alabama as a head coach for the first time

This is Steve Sarkisian's ninth season as a head coach after previous stops at Washington and USC. He has coached for Alabama, but he has never faced Alabama.

This is the 10th meeting for the Longhorns and Crimson Tide. Texas has dominated the all-time series (Texas is 7-1-1) although Alabama won the last meeting — and it was a big one: the 2009 BCS national championship game, a 37-21 win.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is 25-2 all-time against his former assistant coaches, both losses coming last year at Texas A&M in the regular season (Jimbo Fisher, who was Saban's offensive coordinator at LSU) and then to Georgia (Kirby Smart, Bama's former defensive coordinator) in the CFP championship game.

- Rich Tijerina

Matthew McConaughey narrates ESPN's report on Uvalde football

A week after Uvalde high school played their first home game, the team was featured on ESPN's College Gameday during their broadcast from Austin.

Uvalde native Matthew McCoughaney narrated the video story, which focused on how the team set out to honor the 21 lives killed in the Robb Elementary school shooting. The Coyotes ultimately won the game in front of their home fans thanks to a pair of plays with 36 seconds left.

– Nate Chute

Will we get a Colt McCoy appearance today?

The Arizona Cardinals open their season tomorrow afternoon at home against the Chiefs, but McCoy was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, which means he'll miss the first four games. So, maybe he'll indeed be at DKR.Twelve years later, that fateful hit from Marcell Dareus that knocked McCoy out of the 2009 BCS championship game continues to be debated --- ESPN's "College GameDay" is devoting a whole segment to it this morning, and one of the better signs we've seen today started out with "REMEMBER THE ALAMO," only "the Alamo" had been crossed out and replaced with "the shoulder," turning it into REMEMBER THE SHOULDER.

In all, McCoy's final game as a Longhorn lasted all of five plays --- two short completions to Jordan Shipley and Malcolm Williams, and a couple of handoffs, and then the first-down keeper from Alabama's 11 that went for no gain and ended his night.

The case could be made that McCoy's injury changed the fortunes of the Texas program. And Alabama's, too. Since that game, the Crimson Tide have won five more national championships in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020, along with three national runners-up finishes, 36 first-round NFL draft picks and three Heisman Trophy winners. Texas, meanwhile, has gone 83-67, had five losing seasons with only three first-rounders.

– Rich Tijerina

UT opens student section gates about an hour earlier than planned

The University of Texas opened the gates to the student section at about 8 a.m. — an hour earlier than planned

Thousands of students lined up on Robert Dedman Dr. for more than several hours before the game, which starts at 11 a.m. It’s unclear why UT opened the gates an hour early.

Students decked in mostly burnt orange attire flooded the stadium once the gate opened, with the line flowing consistently into the stadium for at least 30 minutes.

– Megan Menchaca

Thousands welcome start to College GameDay at Texas with enthusiasm

A massive crowd of mostly Texas football fans filled the LBJ Lawn for College GameDay on Saturday, which came to UT for the first time since the 2018 home game against LSU.

Fans donned the signature Home Depot hard hats and waved massive flags with college logos during the event. Many waited in line for hours to be in the front row with their signs, while others made their signs at the event.

Multiple fans also brought anti-Alabama signs referencing the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II, including “RIP Queen. She would have loved Alabama -20,” and “Saban killed the queen.”

Other signs made derogatory jokes about the team or stereotypes about people in Alabama, such as “Alabama has a small Nick” and “Bama eats tide pods.”

A few Alabama fans were in attendance, but they were outnumbered significantly by Texas fans. Whenever anyone mentioned Alabama on the speakers, the crowd let out large boos before cheering loudly for Texas.

The College GameDay event included appears from the Texas Spirit Squad, the Hellraisers and the Longhorns Band, which played “The Eyes of Texas” and other songs and to an enthusiastic crowd.

– Megan Menchaca

Texas fan wearing lucky ear rings

Megan Grigsby is a life-time Longhorn, who said she's only missed eight games her whole life. Wearing her lucky handmade copper Longhorn ear rings that she bought as a student at UT, Grigsby said she thinks the Longhorns are going to come out and get the win.

"When you're you're the underdog by 20 at home, man, that's an insult," Grigsby said. "I think Texas is gonna take it that way and they're gonna come out and play their hardest."

– Skye Seipp

Fans roll into Bevo Boulevard

Around 7:30, Texas and Alabama fans started to roll into Bevo Boulevard as it officially opens at 8 a.m. The crowd around Fox's set was a bit sleepy, but fanatics filled ESPN's College GameDay set. Students waiting to get into Royal-Memorial Stadium were still waiting in line that stretched multiple blocks.

Texas fans get creative with anti-Alabama signs for College GameDay

Hundreds of Texas fans, alumni and students lined up early Saturday morning to be at the front of the crowd for College GameDay.

Attendees brought classic signs with phrases such as “If Forrest Gump can get into Bama, anyone can,” and “If you’re toothless and you know it, Roll Tide.”

Kendal Bradley, a University of Texas senior, made signs for her and five of her friends, some of whom were members of Texas Darlins, a UT spirit group. Her sign said “Bark 4 Sark”

Bradley’s signs also referenced “Bama Rush,” the name popularized on TikTok that references the process of joining a sorority at the University of Alabama.

One sign said “UT fans, have a good day, not a great day,” referring to a popular saying by Kylan Darnell, a sorority girl at Alabama who went viral during “Bama Rush.”

Staff members handed out Tiff’s Treats and breakfast tacos from Rudy’s on Saturday morning to many of the fans standing in line, the earliest of whom had arrived at 10 p.m. on Friday.

Fans in line were mixed on whether UT would win the football game. Some loyal fans enthusastically claimed UT would clinch the game and others believed the game would be fun, but UT would lose as analysts predict.

Ashley Gerner, a UT fan, brought a sign to College GameDay — sponsored by Home Depot — that said “Saban shops at Lowe’s.”

Gerner said she and her family bleed orange, and she “wanted to hate a little but also not too much” with her sign. She predicted UT would win by a single touchdown.

Thousands of students line up hours before gates open for Texas-Alabama game

Cole Schuelke, a sophomore at the University of Texas, has waited in line to get into the Texas-Alabama game since 7 a.m. on Friday — about 26 hours before the gates to the student section officially open.

“I think that win or lose, this can be a game that sets a spark and sets the tone for the rest of Texas football for the next couple of years, so I wanted to be a part of it,” Schuelke said.

A few dozen students — largely members of sororities and fraternities — began unofficially waiting line on Friday. But by 4 a.m. on Saturday, about a thousand people had joined Schuelke and 20 of his friends in line.

Two hours later, the line was as long as the entire east side length of the stadium. Many were wearing classic game day apparel, including burnt orange t-shirts and shorts, cowboy boots and cowboys hats.

Some students brought blankets, snacks, alcohol or decks of cards to help them grab a quick nap or stay entertained for hours while they waited.

Peyton Williams, a UT senior and Alpha Phi sorority member, said she arrived at 9:30 p.m. Friday evening to get in line. She said she had been alternating shifts with friends to save the spot in line.

Williams said she arrived early because it’s the biggest football game at UT since she’s been a student and she wanted to see her team try to beat No. 1 ranked Alabama.

“I think the energy and the students action is going to be phenomenal. I think that this is a really big opportunity for our team to show what they can do,” Williams said. “This is a really big game for Quinn Ewers, and I'm excited to see what he brings to the program.”

Multiple people near the very front of the line, including Williams and Schuelke, told the American-Statesman that they hadn’t slept more than an hour or two since Thursday evening, with many pulling an all-nighter to stay in line to get a good seat.

Throughout the morning, fans throughout the line shouted cheers of “Texas. Fight” and “Alabama. Sucks” to stay hyped for the game. Crowd members faithfully boo-ed at every person in Alabama attire that walked by.

− Megan Menchaca

ESPN's College GameDay, Fox's Big Noon kick off to give away free breakfast

Early Saturday, there will be two dueling pre-game shows as ESPN sets up show near the LBJ lawn and fountain and Fox plants its flag at UT's Winship Circle. According to the school, the first 500 fans that show up to the ESPN set will be served free Rudy's breakfast tacos at 5 a.m. Fox is countering by feeding its attendees with Wendy's at 7:30 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Live updates: Texas football takes on No. 1 Alabama