Rasheem Biles wasted no time announcing himself in burnt orange.
In his Texas debut, the senior linebacker came away with five tackles, half a tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one interception as No. 5 Texas rolled past Texas State 59-7 in the 2026 season opener at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. That showing was enough to earn him SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors.
For Biles, a first-year Longhorn after three seasons at Pitt, it was a night that kept tilting Texas’ way whenever he touched the ball. His forced fumble was scooped up by defensive back Graceson Littleton, who raced 59 yards for a touchdown and stretched the lead to 28-0.
Later, Biles picked off Texas State and handed the Longhorns the ball at the Bobcats’ 45-yard line. Three plays later, Texas had another touchdown and a 49-7 cushion.
It was also a personal first: Biles had never before recorded both a forced fumble and an interception in the same game.
The performance added another line to a résumé that already includes four career forced fumbles and four interceptions. He had previously won ACC Linebacker of the Week honors in 2024, so Monday’s SEC award marked the second conference weekly honor of his college career.
Biles’ debut mattered even more because of what Texas State brought back on offense. The Bobcats averaged 427.8 yards per game last season, fifth-best nationally, and scored 36.5 points per game. Texas smothered that production, holding them to seven points and 349 total yards, including 188 passing yards.
Biles helped set the tone early. On a third-and-2 during Texas State’s second possession, his half tackle for loss forced a fourth-down spot the Bobcats couldn’t convert.
The challenge gets bigger from here. Texas hosts No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday night in Austin, and Biles will get an immediate chance to show that his opening act was no fluke.
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Arch Manning Gives Texas An Edge Money Usually Complicates
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For a program getting ready to face No. 1 Ohio State, that kind of arrangement can matter in subtle ways, from how the locker room views value to how the sports shifting revenue picture affects the bigger picture around the team. Texas has plenty to sort out on the field, but Mannings deal adds another layer to a matchup already loaded with stakes. [Read more 🡒]