Texas Football: 5 Keys to Victory in the Longhorns Game vs. West Virginia

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In a marquee matchup of top-ranked teams in the Big 12, No. 11 Texas (4-0, 1-0) and No. 8 West Virginia (4-0, 1-0) will meet in a conference showdown that will test the resolve of both teams.

Offensively, the two sides boast the top-rated passers in the country. Defensively, both have had their respective problems.

The Mountaineers, led by senior quarterback and Heisman candidate Geno Smith, feature a wealth of talent, chemistry and experience across the board offensively.

Scoring on Dana Holgorsen's defense should not be a problem.

Baylor poured on 63 points last weekend, only to get one-upped by a touchdown in a losing effort.

Stopping the Mountaineers is a real challenge that hardly any team has been able to overcome in recent games. Interestingly, Holgorsen comes from the Oklahoma State offensive pool, which could have impart some similarities in that phase of the game.

Here are five keys for the Longhorns' matchup with West Virginia.

Limit the Explosive Plays

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The first thing to accept when the Mountaineers come to Austin is that they will score points via sheer talent.

Allowing points with cheap tackling and untimely mistakes and penalties will create an even bigger hurdle for the Longhorns.

Receivers Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin are the primary playmakers for West Virginia, outside of the quarterback Geno Smith. Taking away those yards after catch and limiting action deep down the field will put a wrench WVU's offensive production.

The Mountaineers do not have too stout of a running game, so dropping numbers in coverage plays to the strength of the Texas defense.

They still need to tackle.

Tackle

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Poor tackling has plagued the Longhorns and has become something of a broken record in their 4-0 start to the season.

In the early games, the miscues hardly amounted to anything, but against West Virginia those shortcomings will lead to quick scores and bloat the tempo of the game to unnecessary and disadvantageous levels for Texas.

This is especially important in containing quarterback Geno Smith, arguably the most athletic option at the position in the country.

Texas will want to keep the tempo low and the score even lower. Keeping the Mountaineers from moving the chains and scoring on huge plays is something that precision tackling will allow.

Run the Ball

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The preliminary strength of the Longhorns' offense is their running game.

Texas can control the clock and tempo by imposing a brute ground game, two aspects of the game that should lend bigger favors to the Longhorns.

A fluid running game will allow co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin to open things up through the air where quarterback David Ash has excelled thus far.

Most importantly, when the Longhorns run the ball well and eat up the time of possession race, it means that Geno Smith is on the sidelines.

That is the best way to keep West Virginia out of the end zone and off the scoreboard.

Win the Turnover Battle

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Texas has done a fantastic job of creating turnovers on defense and limiting them on offense.

Geno Smith threw the ball 51 times for the Mountaineers in their win over Baylor, so there is ample opportunity for the Longhorns' defense to create big plays in the secondary.

By creating turnovers and converting those turnovers into points, the Longhorns will have done two things: create disruption for West Virginia and decrease pressure for Texas.

Turnovers are swings in momentum on which Texas can thrive.

In a game features two of the Big 12's best, those exchanges are paramount.

Make Big Plays on Special Teams

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Special teams have been a huge roller coaster for the Longhorns in 2012.

Punting, coverage and returns have been strong, but the kicking game is a dead weight that Texas has dragged for too long.

A pick-me-up in the form of a D.J. Monroe touchdown return, a big tackle in the open field deep in West Virginia territory or simply an Alex King punt that pins the Mountaineers into a corner will be critical points in the game that lead to momentum swings.

In a game of this magnitude, controlling those sweeps in momentum one way or another is vital in securing a result.