AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Humbled again and dropped back out of the Top 25, Texas will try to regroup against Tulsa on Saturday.
If Tom Herman's rebuilding project wants to be taken seriously, the Longhorns can't afford yet another in a game they'll be heavily favored to win.
"We told the guys that this one game will not define us," Herman said of Texas' season-opening loss at Maryland. "Week one will never define anybody."
Herman's problem is that the first game was defined by the same problems that have dogged Texas for years: a slow start on both sides of the ball and a flurry of late turnovers. It was quite a shock for a program looking to break out of a nearly a decade of mediocrity — or worse.
"I saw people really, really hurt. More than ever," senior defensive end Breckyn Hager said. "(But) the determination of a re-born look in their eyes the next day was one of the most refreshing things I could have seen. Right now, we need to keep our mouth shut, show up and I believe you'll get a performance by our team that will dictate the rest of our season."
Texas hasn't started 0-2 since 1992. The Longhorns will face a Tulsa team that went 1-10 last season and rallied to beat Central Arkansas in its opener last week. The season won't get any easier for Texas from here. After Tulsa, the Longhorns host No. 17 Southern Cal and No. 16 TCU.
"It's a great opportunity to put a mark on things," Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said. "I can promise you our guys are going down there with the mindset to get a win."
TEXAS TURNOVERS
Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger struggled again with two fourth-quarter interceptions. He'd been good until then, checking Texas out plays and scrambling into open space. Herman said he remains the starter.
"A lot of people probably forget we snapped the ball about 90 times. They always want to remember the last one if it didn't go how they planned it to go," Ehlinger said.