Texas Football: Ranking the Top 5 Plays of the Longhorns' Regular Season

Despite their 5-7 record, the Texas Longhorns delivered more than their fair share of big plays in 2015.

Per CFBStats.com, the Longhorns led the nation in plays that went more than 80 yards from scrimmage. The Horns were also a top-10 team in terms of sacking the quarterback and ranked 16th in turnovers gained.

This team had its glaring flaws, but it didn't lack for guys willing to make plays.

Following are the five plays that contributed most to Texas' five wins this season, with extra weight placed on the ones that made possible the upsets over Oklahoma and Baylor.

Honorable Mentions

Jerrod Heard's 45-Yard Run vs. Cal

This was the hardest one to leave off the list. With 1:51 to play in his second start, Jerrod Heard had to lead Texas 81 yards down the field to force overtime with the Golden Bears. The redshirt freshman delivered with a 45-yard run, leaving the Cal defense in the dust while setting the Longhorns record for total offense in a game.

Heard did his part, but Nick Rose botched the extra point, sealing a gut-wrenching loss for the Horns.

Holton Hill Gives Texas the Lead

Getting his first real action of the season, freshman Holton Hill proved he was worth the hype against Oklahoma State. With Texas down 24-20, the long corner stepped in front of a Mason Rudolph pass, taking it 41 yards to give the lead back to the Horns.

Were it not for another special teams blunder, this one should have at least been enough to send the Longhorns into overtime versus the Cowboys.

Foreman Ends Kansas' Scare

With Texas only up 10 against lowly Kansas, the Longhorns needed to put the pesky Jayhawks away early in the second half. Sophomore D'Onta Foreman answered the bell, breaking up the left sideline for a 93-yard score.

The run sparked a 35-0 Texas run, and it gave the Horns some confidence after a crushing loss at Iowa State.

Chris Warren Breaks Out with a 91-Yard Run

It came early on in the 48-45 loss to Texas Tech, but Chris Warren's 91-yard touchdown run has to at least be mentioned. This is a 6'2", 232-pound freshman bowling through seven tackles then just running away from guys in the open field.

Texas has a special young talent on its hands.

5. Malik Jefferson Puts on a Show in His Home Debut

Malik Jefferson proved he belonged with 2.5 tackles for loss at Notre Dame. Texas' top recruit just wanted to make an even bigger impression in his first game in front of the Texas crowd.

The linebacker's first home game should have been an easy win over Rice. Not only had the Horns won 12 straight over the Owls, but they easily sprinted out to a 21-0 lead. 

This one was in the bag before it even got started—or at least that's what everyone thought after the first quarter.

Then things got dicey. Texas gave up 14 points in a row to Driphus Jackson and the Owls in the second frame, taking a mere 21-14 lead into halftime. After being taken to the woodshed 38-3 by Notre Dame, the unthinkable started to become a possibility in Austin.

Heard put the Horns back up by double digits with a 69-yard bomb to John Burt, then Jefferson put it away. Texas' prized recruit put himself in perfect position on a speed option, allowing fellow freshman Kris Boyd to fly in and dislodge the ball. Jefferson scooped it up and effortlessly returned it for six.

It was clear that a star was born in Texas' 42-28 win.

4. Jefferson Seals the Red River Victory

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Jefferson was all over the field against the Sooners.

A bad ankle and stomach illness kept Jefferson from having an All-Big 12 season as a freshman. Neither was an issue in his demolition of the Oklahoma offense.

Texas led throughout its Red River Rivalry showdown with Oklahoma, taking a 14-3 lead into halftime. But the Sooners were able to climb back into it, pulling within seven twice in the second half.

With 6:05 left to play, the Sooners got the ball back with one more chance to tie it up. Quarterback Baker Mayfield quickly picked up 18 yards, and Longhorns fans could feel their signature win slipping away.

Then, on the third play of the drive, Jefferson busted into the backfield for his second sack of the game. Texas' athletic freshman chased down the slippery Sooners quarterback, setting up 2nd-and-18 for the Longhorns pass rush. Two plays later, Naashon Hughes and Poona Ford broke through to end their rival's last drive of the game.

The play helped Jefferson earn the Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week, and it sealed the biggest win of the Charlie Strong era.

3. Swoopes Finds Bluiett to Take an Early Lead in Waco

Entering the game as program-worst 20.5-point underdogs—per the Austin American-Statesman's Brian Davis—Texas needed to get on the board early at Baylor.

Tyrone Swoopes and tight end Caleb Bluiett made sure that happened.

On Texas' third play from scrimmage, Swoopes rolled out to his right, lofting a dime 30 yards downfield to his tight end. Bluiett caught it with plenty of room to run, rumbling down the sideline and fully extending to break the plane.

The 57-yard catch-and-run helped put Texas up 7-0 in Waco. The Horns came into the matchup 11-0 under Strong when scoring the first touchdown of the game. 

2. Poona Ford Forces, Recovers Fumble to End Season with Win

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Ford's forced fumble and recovery against the Bears gave Texas its second win over a Top 15 team in 2015.

Much like its win over Oklahoma, Texas entered the final quarter clinging to a 20-10 lead at Baylor. As the Bears took the field for a potential game-winning drive, the Horns needed a play from their battered defensive line.

After going into halftime up 20-0, the Longhorns gave up 17 straight to let the Bears right back into it. Art Briles' team employed a run-only attack to chip away at Texas' lead, bullying the Longhorns for 230 rushing yards after the break.

A big drive by Swoopes got the Horns on the board with four minutes to play, but the defense had to finally get a stop.

Facing 3rd-and-5, Baylor running back Johnny Jefferson once again powered up the middle and appeared to have the first down. But tackle Poona Ford refused to give up on the play, punching the ball out of Jefferson's hands and diving on it downfield.

Texas would go on to take the clock down inside 1:30 to play, and the defense shut down the Bears' desperation drive with relative ease. Without Ford's play, it's more than possible that Baylor drives down the field to rip away the upset. Most of all, the play gave Texas its second win of the season over a Top 15 opponent.

1. D'Onta Foreman's 81-Yard Run

Ford's strip and recovery gave him a run for his money, but Foreman owns the biggest play of Texas' season.

Their lead trimmed to seven, the Longhorns took over at their own 11 with the pressure on to get a big drive. After a slow start to the game, the Sooners turned in a 10-3 run to make the score 17-10 heading into the fourth. 

The Horns could either make a play, or risk watching their archrival take command.

Foreman seized the opportunity. The 6'1", 241-pound sophomore got the ball on a sprint draw and took off for daylight, forcing three missed tackles on his way to the Sooners 10-yard line.

Three plays later, Swoopes found Bluiett for an easy touchdown to help give the Horns a 14-point lead to start the final quarter. Jefferson and the defense did their jobs, and the Horns got the signature win Strong needed.

Every upset needs a signature play, and Foreman delivered it at exactly the right time. He has a bright future ahead of him.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats and information courtesy of TexasSports.com.