Austin, Texas - The Texas Longhorns' road to the Big 12 championships may prove to be more challenging than initially anticipated.

In the Lone Star showdown over the weekend, the Longhorns pulled off a magical escape in Houston, securing a victory, but it came at a steep price!

Not only did they manage to snatch a win, but they also grabbed hold of some seriously nail-biting drama. The Longhorns' starter quarterback, Quinn Ewers, ended up in the casualty ward, nursing a shoulder sprain.

Ewers unfortunately suffered a Grade 2 AC joint shoulder sprain, leaving him benched for an unknown amount of weeks.

In his place comes redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy, who stands at an impressive 6-foot-5, 238 pounds.

Even though Murphy stepped in as the starter and admirably led the Longhorns to a narrow win against Houston in Ewers' absence, he still doesn't have much experience at the helm, which will be needed down the stretch if he continues to substitute Ewers at quarterback.

In their matchup against Houston, the Longhorns' defense didn't emerge unscathed, mirroring the challenges faced by their offense.

The secondary felt the brunt of the blows, as lingering injuries kept Ryan Watts and Jalen Catalon on the sidelines, and Jahdae Barron found himself operating at less than full capacity.

As the Longhorns approach upcoming games, their secondary's struggles over the past two outings, coupled with the persistent injury concerns, raise concerns about their prospects, particularly in the upcoming game against Kansas State.

With a somewhat weakened defense, Texas must rely on Murphy to swiftly find his rhythm on the offensive end and build his confidence as their quarterback.

In this scenario, the Longhorns' running game could provide a reliable crutch for Murphy in his inaugural college start, potentially paving the way for a victorious outcome.

Texas will host BYU at home on Saturday at 3:30 PM, ET airing on ABC.