No. 7 Texas wasted no time making a loud first impression to open the 2026-27 season, rolling past Chicago State 109-59 Monday night at Moody Center.
The headline belonged to Matas Vokietaitis, who put together a perfect night inside. The junior center finished with 22 points on 9-for-9 shooting and added six rebounds in 25 minutes, giving Texas a dominant presence around the rim from the opening tip. The 7-0 Lithuanian helped power a Longhorns offense that shot 62.5 percent from the field.
Texas also got a strong all-around showing from Isaiah Johnson, who scored 18 points, handed out five assists and picked up two steals while knocking down three 3-pointers. Freshman Joe Sterling added 14 points and hit four shots from deep, while Marcus Spears Jr. turned in an eye-catching debut with 11 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots.
Spears, a 17-year-old former five-star recruit, matched the second-highest block total by a Texas freshman in a debut. Only James Banks, who had five in 2016, has done better in that category.
The Longhorns’ depth showed up everywhere. Austin Goosby chipped in seven points, seven rebounds and eight assists, and Texas finished with 13 made 3-pointers while shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. The rebounding margin was just as lopsided, with Texas winning that battle 44-22 and piling up a 27-9 edge in second-chance points.
Chicago State never had a chance to settle in. Texas jumped out to a 26-8 lead and took a 56-30 advantage into halftime before stretching the margin to as many as 51 points after the break. Will Lovings-Watts led Chicago State with 13 points, and Mike Price added 12.
For Sean Miller, the opener offered a strong early look at a roster with 11 newcomers. Texas did it without injured guard Mikey Lewis, the Saint Mary’s transfer who averaged 14 points last season and is recovering from foot surgery. Miller expects him back around Christmas.
The win also extended a run of home-opening success for Texas, which has now won 25 straight home openers. It was the program’s highest-scoring season opener since a 136-point outing against Oral Roberts in 1992.
Texas, which reached the Sweet 16 in Miller’s first season, returns to Moody Center on Thursday against Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m. Central.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisian Just Sent A Clear Message About Arch Manning
Steve Sarkisian is not sounding like a coach looking to press the panic button on Arch Manning. Even with the turnovers piling up and the sack count climbing, Sarkisian has made it clear he still believes in his quarterback, while also pointing to the bigger issues around him. The Texas coach said the offense needs better play up front and a quicker release from Manning, but he also praised the way the young quarterback competes and absorbs contact.
Manning, for his part, has owned some of the blame for the sacks and said he is focused on getting better and helping Texas win. That matters as the Longhorns head into a critical game, where the pressure is only going to rise and every snap will be watched closely. For now, the message from the sideline is less about doubt than about trust, even if the next step has to come fast. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Passing Game Suddenly Rests On Unproven Wideouts
Texas is leaning harder on its receiver depth chart after injuries to Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo forced the passing game to adjust on the fly. In recent games, head coach Steve Sarkisian and quarterback Arch Manning have both pointed to junior Emmett Mosley V as a key piece in that reshaped plan, praising the way he can line up in different spots and handle a bigger workload.
Mosley is now part of a wider group being asked to grow up quickly, with freshmen Jermaine Bishop Jr., Kohen Brown and Chris Stewart all in line for more snaps as the Longhorns manage the shortage. For a passing attack built around timing and trust, the challenge is less about finding bodies than finding reliable ones, and Texas is now testing how much production it can get from receivers who have not had to carry this kind of responsibility before. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Is About To Get A Brutal Playoff Reality Check
Texas is sitting at 6-2 with four regular-season games left, and the latest AP Poll has the Longhorns at No. 10, which keeps them in the playoff conversation but hardly in a comfortable spot. The first College Football Playoff rankings are coming soon, and for a team still trying to stack wins in the SEC, that initial reveal should offer an early look at how the committee views Texas against the rest of the crowded field.
Steve Sarkisian has already pointed to the reality facing SEC teams with multiple losses, a reminder that record alone may not tell the whole story once the selection process begins. For Texas, the bigger question is how the committee weighs the Longhorns' wins and losses from here, especially as the season enters its final stretch and every result starts carrying more meaning. [Read more 🡒]