2001 Texas Longhorns football team
| 2001 Texas Longhorns football | |
|---|---|
Big 12 South champion Holiday Bowl champion | |
Big 12 Championship Game, L 37–39 vs. Colorado | |
Holiday Bowl, W 47–43 vs. Washington | |
| Conference | Big 12 Conference |
| South Division | |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 5 |
| AP | No. 5 |
| Record | 11–2 (7–1 Big 12) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Greg Davis (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Pro-style |
| Defensive coordinator | Carl Reese (4th season) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Captains | |
| Home stadium | Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Colorado xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Nebraska x% | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa State | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas State | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missouri | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Texas xy | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Oklahoma | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Tech | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas A&M | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oklahoma State | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Baylor | 0 | – | 8 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Colorado 39, Texas 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2001 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin as a member of the South Division of the Big 12 Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by head coach Mack Brown and played their home games at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. The Horns compiled an overall record of 11–2, 7–1 in conference play, enough to win the South Division and a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game where they lost to Colorado 37–39. They were invited to the Holiday Bowl where they came back to beat Washington 47–43.
The Longhorns began the season ranked No. 5, their highest preseason ranking since 1983, with lopsided victories over New Mexico State, North Carolina, Houston, and Texas Tech before their showdown with defending national champions Oklahoma in Dallas. The game was a defensive battle, and untimately hinged on a crucial play in the 4th quarter.[1] Down 3–7, Chris Simms and the Longhorns took over on their own three yard line. Oklahoma safety Roy Williams literally leapt over the offensive line to make contact with Simms the moment he released the ball, which fell into the arms of Sooner linebacker Teddy Lehman for a game sealing pick-six.
The loss dropped the Longhorns to No. 11 but they rattled off six straight conference victories to finish 7–1 in conference play. Oklahoma State's upset of Oklahoma secured Texas' South Division title and a rematch against Colorado in the Big 12 Championship game. The game was the worst of Simms career, committing four turnovers including a 64-yard pick six in the first half. Simms exited the game with a fractured finger and backup Major Applewhite was able to cut the lead to 30-36 late but fell short after a roughing the punter penalty allowed the Buffaloes to take a 9-point lead.[2]
The loss cost Texas an appearance in any of the four major BCS Bowls. Instead the Longhorns were invited to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego to play Washington. Applewhite started and, despite a sluggish start, led a dramatic[3] 19-point comeback in the fourth quarter to win the game 47–43.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | New Mexico State* | No. 5 | FSN | W 41–7 | 82,856[4] | |
| September 8 | 11:00 a.m. | North Carolina* | No. 4 |
| ABC | W 44–14 | 83,106[4] |
| September 22 | 8:00 p.m. | at Houston* | No. 5 | ESPN2 | W 53–26 | 31,784[4] | |
| September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | Texas Tech | No. 5 |
| FSN | W 42–7 | 83,081[4] |
| October 6 | 2:30 p.m. | vs. No. 3 Oklahoma | No. 5 | ABC | L 3–14 | 75,587[4] | |
| October 13 | 11:30 a.m. | at Oklahoma State | No. 11 | FSN | W 45–17 | 47,390[4] | |
| October 20 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 14 Colorado | No. 9 |
| ABC | W 41–7 | 83,156[4] |
| October 27 | 1:00 p.m. | at Missouri | No. 7 | W 35–16 | 51,123[4] | ||
| November 3 | 11:30 a.m. | at Baylor | No. 5 | FSN | W 49–10 | 40,451[4] | |
| November 10 | 11:30 a.m. | Kansas | No. 5 |
| W 59–0 | 83,111[4] | |
| November 23 | 11:00 a.m. | at Texas A&M | No. 5 | ABC | W 21–7 | 87,555[4] | |
| December 1 | 7:00 p.m | vs. No. 9 Colorado | No. 3 | ABC | L 37–39 | 65,675[4] | |
| December 28 | 7:30 p.m | vs. No. 21 Washington* | No. 9 | ESPN | W 47–43 | 60,548[4] | |
| |||||||
Rankings
| Week | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| AP | 5 (5) | 5 (4) | 4 (4) | 5 (4) | 5 (4) | 5 (4) | 11 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Coaches Poll | 6 (2) | 6 (2) | 6 (1) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| BCS | Not released | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 7 | Not released | |||||||
Roster
| 2001 Texas Longhorns football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
|
Defense
|
Special teams
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
- ^ "'The Superman Play' at 20: Roy Williams' amazing leap still resonates in Red River Showdown". ESPN. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ "No. 3 Texas – Big 12 Championship Game – Buffs Claim Big 12 Title". cuatthegame.com. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ "Culligan Holiday Bowl: Texas vs. Washington". ESPN. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Cumulative Season Statistics". University of Texas–Austin Department of Athletics. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
- ^ All Time Results Archived November 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine