Game-by-game predictions for Texas in 2022: Can the team leave 2021 in the past?

With Quinn Ewers being officially named as Texas’ starting quarterback, the buzz surrounding the Longhorns is only continuing to grow.

The trajectory of Steve Sarkisian’s time at Texas could very well be defined by how the 2022 season goes. With a new quarterback and defensive reinforcements, there aren’t many excuses for why Texas’ 2022 team wouldn’t be able to turn things around.

Here are predictions for every regular season game on the 2022 Texas football schedule:

Sept. 3: Louisiana-Monroe at Texas

Texas’ season opener against Louisiana-Monroe should be an easy start to the year for the Longhorns. The Warhawks went 4-8 last season and dropped games against SEC opponents at Kentucky (45-10 loss) and LSU (27-14 loss.) ULM hasn’t had a winning record since 2012.

Prediction: Texas 49, Louisiana-Monroe 7

Sept. 10: Alabama at Texas

This is the game that college football fans have been looking forward to. While Longhorn fans don’t want to be reminded about what happened the last time these two teams met, Texas actually has a 7-1-1 all-time record against Alabama. The Longhorns could actually take this highly-anticipated matchup against the Crimson Tide if everything goes according to plan.

Prediction: Texas 42, Alabama 38

Sept. 17: UTSA at Texas

Head coach Jeff Traylor is building something special at UTSA. His team opens its season with a Top 25 matchup against Houston. Last season, the Roadrunners went 12-2 and won the Conference USA title. The UTSA game could be a deceivingly difficult game for Texas if the Longhorns aren’t paying full attention.

Prediction: Texas 35, UTSA 28

Sept. 24: Texas at Texas Tech

The Longhorns had a close call during their last visit to Lubbock. In 2020, Texas pulled off a win despite being down by 15 points with a little over three minutes of play. The Red Raiders will be doing everything they can to ensure that Texas doesn’t have another comeback on their watch.

Prediction: Texas Tech 56, Texas 42

Oct. 1: West Virginia at Texas

Texas always seems to find itself in close situations with West Virginia. The last four meetings between the two teams have been decided by less than 10 points each game. Texas should be able to pull this one off, even if the score gets tight.

Prediction: Texas 21, West Virginia 18

Oct. 8: Texas vs. Oklahoma (Red River Showdown at The Cotton Bowl)

Well, Texas fans don’t need to be reminded of the absolute disaster that the 2021 Red River Rivalry game was. The Longhorns seem to be in much better shape this year and more equipped to handle tough situations. Expect some highlight-worthy plays from new starting quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Dillon Gabriel.

Prediction: Texas 56, Oklahoma 49

Oct. 15: Iowa State at Texas

For the first time in four years, Iowa State’s starting quarterback is not Brock Purdy. Purdy was taken by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2022 NFL draft after earning All Big-12 First Team honors. Iowa State may need to take some time to find its new offensive identity with new starter Hunter Dekkers.

Prediction: Texas 23, Iowa State 19

Oct. 22: Texas at Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State is coming off of one of its best seasons in recent memory, so expect the Cowboys to achieve a similar (if not higher) level of success this year. Boone Pickens Stadium is also one of the rowdier environments in the Big 12, so that could also play a part in how Texas performs.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 41, Texas 32

Nov. 5: Texas at Kansas State

Texas should be able to take care of Kansas State when the Longhorns roll up to Manhattan in November. The Longhorns are currently on a five-game win streak against the Wildcats, and there’s little reason to suggest that they wouldn’t be able to continue that this season.

Prediction: Texas 28, Kansas State 21

Nov. 12: TCU at Texas

This could very easily be one of Texas’ more contentious games on the schedule. Gary Patterson’s former team will pay Austin a visit for what could be one of Texas’ more exciting matchups of the season. The last time TCU played at DKR, the Horned Frogs narrowly beat the Longhorns in a 33-31 win. Patterson’s presence could definitely help the Longhorns, but don’t be surprised if the final score is extremely close.

Prediction: Texas 35, TCU 33

Nov. 19: Texas at Kansas

Since Texas’ shocking 2021 loss to Kansas became the laughingstock of the college football world, it’s safe to say that Texas won’t lose to Kansas for a while. The Longhorns seem more prepared to avoid embarrassment by the worst team in the conference.

Prediction: Texas 45, Kansas 21

Nov. 10: Baylor at Texas

Texas will end its regular season slate with a matchup against the reigning Big 12 champion. Dave Aranda is one of the best college football coaches in the nation, so expect his team to be just as successful in 2022 as it was in 2021. Despite a starting quarterback change, Baylor is still going to be one of the best teams in the country.

Prediction: Baylor 49, Texas 44

Prediction for the 2022 season: 9-3 (7-3)