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Inside the Numbers: Texas vs. Cal

The Horns' 50-43 loss was as ugly as it looked.

John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

27-40, 396 (9.9), 4-0: Cal QB Davis Webb completions-attempts, passing yards, passing TDs-INTs

12 - 196 - 2: Cal WR Chad Hansen receptions - receiving yards - receiving TDs

The Cal passing attack, under new OC Jake Spavital, had its way with the Texas defense. The Horns threw any and all defensive backs at Hansen, knowing he was by far Cal's most dangerous offensive weapon, but none of it worked. Hansen found himself open with little effort on some plays, or made spectacular plays to come down with receptions.

Webb, the Tech QB transfer, looked as comfortable as ever facing Texas in Berkeley. In 40 attempts, Davis was sacked 3 times, but most surprisingly didn't commit a single turnover. At Tech, Davis was prone to throwing INTs under pressure, but against Texas managed to stand tall against any pressure and deliver accurate balls to the correct read.

7 - 50: Texas penalties - penalty yards

The penalties and yardage totals don't appear as bad on the surface level, but the timing and impact of those penalties were back breakers.

- A 21 yard D'onta Foreman carry would have set Texas up at the Cal 7 yard line in the 3rd quarter's opening drive, with Texas down 33-35, but a holding penalty by Zach Shackelford moved Texas back to the 38. Trent Domingue would miss a 49 yard field goal to end the drive.

- Two 3rd quarter false starts led to 3rd and long situations ending in Texas punts.

- A six yard carry by Tyrone Swoopes to set up a first down at the Cal 13 was negated by a holding penalty on Andrew Beck late in the 4th quarter. Texas settled for a field goal to tie the game at 43-43.

While the penalties were different, and fewer, than what afflicted the team in the first two games, they came at critical times to stall the offense on a night it couldn't accomplish much through the air.

19-33, 196, 1-1: Shane Buechele completions -attempts, passing yards, passing TDs-INTs

In what is the roughest start of his young career, Buechele never really seemed to recover from the early hit that temporarily knocked him out of the game. He was a little off target on the opportunities downfield, including his interception that flipped a scoring opportunity to end the first half. Cal played off the Texas receivers, forcing numerous short throws then later breaking hard on those routes.

Double moves would have been an option if the Texas pass protection held up. The three sacks allowed don't accurately express the pressure Buechele was under throughout the night. In the end, Buechele's 5.9 yards per pass and 58% completion percentage were well off his early season marks.

21 - 157 (7.5) - 2: D'onta Foreman rushes - rushing yards - rushing TDs

18 - 119 (6.6) - 2: Chris Warren III rushes - rushing yards - rushing TDs

6 - 32 (5.3): Tyrone Swoopes rushes - rushing yards

The Texas ground game performed as expected against Cal. Foreman returned from his week off to tie his career high yardage mark at 157 while picking up two scores. Warren started the game and received the bulk of the early carries on the way another 100 yard performance of his own. The two backs combined to give the Horns their first two-backs-over-100-yards performance since Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron went for the mark back in 2013.

Tyrone Swoopes, mostly while stepping in for Buechele following his injury, added six solid carries.