AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A season opener between college football heavyweights Texas and No. 10 Notre Dame should be a preview for the national title chase.
Instead, it’s a referendum on Longhorns coach Charlie Strong.
He’s coming off two losing seasons at a program that likely won’t tolerate a third. Strong is still searching for a dependable quarterback and has put his future in the hands of hotshot offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who wouldn’t leave Tulsa until he was pried away with a personal visit from the Texas president and athletic director and a three-year guaranteed contract worth $850,000 annually.
And now here come the Irish, who expect to be in the College Football Playoff hunt in December. Beat Notre Dame and the pressure – for now – eases off Strong. Lose again and it only gets worse . No Texas coach has had three consecutive losing seasons since the 1930s.
“It’s big,” said Strong, whose 11-14 record includes a 38-3 loss to the Irish last season. “We’re at home … We need it within our program to play well. I expect us to go play well.”