This story appears in the Aug. 12, 2019, issue of Sports Illustrated. For more great storytelling and in-depth analysis, subscribe to the magazine—and get up to 94% off the cover price. Click here for more.
Sam Ehlinger promises he was not planning to say those words. You know the ones. "Big words," as Tom Herman says.
Last New Year's Day, Texas beat Georgia 28–21 in the Sugar Bowl to seal its first 10-win season since 2009. Ehlinger ran for three touchdowns, completed a two-point conversion and was named MVP, and the Longhorns' defense held one of the SEC's most physical teams to a season-low 284 total yards on 4.