Texas football landed a very talented recruit on defense. This great news comes as the Longhorns celebrated Senior Day against the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and company are in the middle of a successful first year in the SEC as the No. 3 team in the country. And along with the Longhorns' blowout of the Florida Gators on the field a few weeks ago, Texas football got another win over its new rival in the recruiting sphere.

That victory comes in the form of defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou. According to National Recruiting/Transfer Portal Reporter On3Sports Hayes Fawcett, Mbatchou has officially committed to the Longhorns after de-committing from the Gators earlier in the year.

Texas football continues to win on and off the field

Texas Longhorns defensive back Jelani McDonald (25) and linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith (26) react after an interception during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Scott Wachter-Imagn Image

At 6'5 288, Mbatchou is a senior out of Loganville, Georgia. The other schools he was considering were SEC rivals Florida and Auburn. Mbatcho ranks as the No. 22 defensive lineman in the country. The commitment is important for a Texas football program that needs to continue to strengthen itself upfront to compete in its new conference. Physicality in the trenches is something the Longhorns have occasionally struggled with, like in their loss earlier this year against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Mbatchou will add depth to a defense that has been the strength of the No. 3 team in the country this season. Heading into Saturday, the Longhorns are fourth in the nation in points given up per game at 11.9. Texas football is also letting up the least amount of yards per contest in the FBS.

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Overall, the program is in good shape, with Steve Sarkisian at the helm in his fourth year. 2023 was the best season in Austin since 2009, with Texas football winning a Big 12 title and making the College Football Playoff for the first time. Junior quarterback Quinn Ewers has played a major part in that rebuild.

The Texas' starter has occasionally struggled this year with form, which at one point led to a QB controversy with backup Arch Manning. However, the San Antonio native has shut down the rumors ever since, providing stability at the position. Ewers was honored on Senior Day in the 31-14 win over Kentucky for his contributions to the program.

While the good news for the Longhorns has been plentiful recently, this team has a lot of work ahead of them. Texas football has a major showdown in College Station with its bitter rival, Texas A&M. Both programs are first and second in the conference and need a signature win. Currently, Steve Sarkisian's program does not have a victory against a Top 25 team. Consequently, losing this matchup could put the Longhorns in serious danger of dropping out of the playoff bracket.

Texas football is ultimately living up to its preseason ranking of No. 4 in the country. The program is officially back to where it belongs playing relevant games in late November. Whether the Longhorns are going to compete in championship and playoff games over the next few weeks could depend on November 30th's result.