Texas savoring revenge tour final stop vs. Huskies
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Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer
NEW ORLEANS — Texas players came up with a “Revenge Tour” theme headed into this season, specifically making it a point to take down the teams that beat them last year.
The tour started with Alabama in September, then featured wins over TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. One final stop remains: Washington, the fifth team to beat Texas in 2022. But the stakes are exponentially higher than in their matchup in the Alamo Bowl last December.
Texas and Washington play in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Monday night with a national championship game spot on the line.
“Obviously this is for a national championship, this rules it all, but that’s been the theme of this year is we obviously wanted revenge,” Texas edge rusher Barryn Sorrell said Thursday during the first media availability of the week. “It’s for all the guys that were here during that 5-7 year. We took some very tough losses and we took some very tough criticism behind it as well, so taking those moments and using it as fuel to get these wins.”
Indeed, coach Steve Sarkisian has led the Longhorns to their first CFP appearance after three tough years building the program. Texas went 5-7 in 2021, then 8-5 last year — going 3-3 down the stretch. But with veterans returning across the board, players knew that they could take this program even higher — and used all the losses a year ago to push them there.
The transformation has been evident beyond quarterback Quinn Ewers, who has completed more than 70% of his passes and thrown for more than 3,000 yards. Perhaps most emblematic of the turnaround this year has been the way Texas has played upfront, starting with its defensive line.
No longer willing to accept being just good enough, that unit played with a cohesiveness the players credit with not only another year in the system but playing together. As a result, Texas has dictated games with Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat setting the tone. Sweat won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in football, but if you ask him, he should have been a finalist for the Heisman after physically imposing his will week after week.
If there is one spot to point to that could be the difference in their matchup this year, this would be it.
Especially since Washington’s unit won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best offensive line.
“I’m not concerned at all,” Murphy said. “I give credit to those guys. They’re a good group of guys, great unit. But at the end of the day, it’s not about what they do. It’s about what we do. They look good on tape. I’m not taking nothing away from those guys. Come January 1, it’s going to be a great battle.”
Sweat added, “Let me see how I can say this. They’re a great group of guys, the O-line. I mean, they won awards. They’re just awards to me. You know what I mean? And they’ve got to face guys like us, so we’ll see how it goes down.”
Sweat also described Washington as “just another O-line. They’re here to win, just like we’re here to win. I mean, like I said, everybody will see Monday.”
During his first media availability later Thursday, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was asked whether the Texas defensive line reminded him of anyone the Huskies had played this season. He bristled at the suggestion that Texas had the better front and defended his offensive line.
“I’m not gonna lie, the D -ine is good, but at the same time, they haven’t played our O-line,” Penix said. Their whole defense, they do a great job, and they definitely play good ball, but we’re not playing the 49ers D-line or the Eagles D-line, so we’ll be good.”
Asked the key difference between the defensive front they played last year in the Alamo Bowl, Penix said, “I don’t know. It’s different seeing it on film and then being in the game. You’re watching a game against Texas Tech, K-State, all the teams they’ve played, and I don’t feel like those teams have the offensive line that we have. We’ll have to see when it comes game day.”
Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu did not want to get into the back and forth, saying only, “One thing that I think of when I go into games like this is: Respect all, but fear none. Their defensive line is really good, but we’re going to be ready. Just trust me.”
Texas has improved its run defense from a year ago, allowing just 80.8 yards per game, third best in the country. It also has 32 sacks on the season and in their game against Washington a year ago, one thing stood out: Texas had zero sacks on Penix.
Of course, Penix is hard to bring down — he has been sacked only 11 times this season. “That’s definitely been an emphasis, to get to him,” Sorrell said.
The challenge is one Texas has embraced. Facing a team that beat them last year has only increased their desire to show just how much further the defense has come from a season ago.
“It’s going to be a totally different ballgame this year,” Murphy said. “I feel like we’re a way better team. It’s a totally different defense from last year. This is what we wanted, so having this opportunity we’re going to try and take advantage of it for sure.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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