Texas lost the battle but won the war, falling 45-44 to Cal on its home field Saturday but finding hope in the form of freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard.
Heard completed 20 of 31 passes for 364 yards, rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns and improvised in ways that gave Longhorns fans visions of former quarterback Vince Young.
Even though it came against the Golden Bears, and a defense that last year ranked No. 108 in the country in Football Outsiders' S&P+ ratings, Heard's performance felt important. He willed Texas nearly all the way back from a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit and would have forced overtime if not for a missed extra point with 1:11 to go.