Texas already has the headline win. The comeback over Ohio State last Saturday put the Longhorns in the kind of spot every team wants, and it made a strong case for the No. 1 ranking. But the tape still leaves a lot to chew on, because the first half looked rough enough to raise the same old question: can this team do it for four quarters?
That’s the part that lingers. Texas was excellent once it settled in and started playing more physically in the second half, and Steve Sarkisian gave the defense credit for flipping the game.
Still, the opening 30 minutes were ugly enough that the final result could have gone the other way. For a stretch, Texas looked like a team that, to borrow Nick Saban’s unforgettable line from a 2015 press conference, “They (ran) through our ass like shit out of a tin horn,” and “And we could not stop them.
Could not stop them.”
That kind of half doesn’t just disappear because the comeback worked.
The bigger concern is how hard Texas made things on itself. The offense struggled to string together explosive drives and stay on the field, which kept sending the defense right back out there in the first half.
That kind of imbalance is a problem no matter how talented the roster is. Winning that way once is impressive.
Making it a habit is another matter entirely.
Now the Longhorns move into one final nonconference game against UTSA, and they don’t appear to need much more to keep hold of that prized No. 1 spot. But there’s still plenty this team can prove before conference play begins.
Texas has shown it can absorb a punch and swing back. The remaining question is whether every part of the team can hold up with the same level of consistency. That’s the difference between a good team and a great one, and it’s the same test Sarkisian’s group has faced over the past three years: big moments, pressure situations, and the ability to play its style all game long.
The first question was answered against Ohio State. The second one still hangs over this team.
That’s why this weekend matters. Sarkisian once called the team’s motto “all gas, no brakes,” and Texas now has a chance to make that sound less like a slogan and more like a standard. If the Longhorns let up, even briefly, the whole thing gets shaky fast.
Against UTSA, Texas has the space to build something real - momentum, rhythm, and the kind of explosiveness that can carry into the tougher stretch ahead. It’s not a game to brush aside. It’s an opening to sharpen what still needs work, because the schedule won’t get any kinder from here.
In Other News...
Texas Heads Into SEC Play With One Big Offensive Concern
Texas finished its non-conference slate unbeaten and healthy after a 30-6 win over UTSA, and that alone is a useful place to be heading into SEC play. The Longhorns got the kind of defensive outing they have come to expect, holding the Roadrunners to 143 total yards, while Derrick Cooper Jr. added a fresh wrinkle in the backfield with 44 yards and a touchdown.
The bigger question sits on the other side of the ball, where Arch Mannings day underscored both the upside and the unevenness of the passing game. He threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns, but the rhythm was not always there, leaving Texas with a little bit to clean up before the competition gets much tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Suddenly Has A Major Defensive Concern Before Tennessee
Texas got a jolt of concern on the defensive side when Colin Simmons was spotted on the sideline in street clothes and wearing a walking boot during the UTSA game. Simmons has been a key edge rusher for the Longhorns, so even the sight of him away from the action immediately changed the temperature around a unit that has otherwise tried to build more depth at that spot this season.
Steve Sarkisian did not offer an update on Simmons at halftime, and no official information has been released since, leaving Texas with more questions than answers as Tennessee approaches next week. The Longhorns have worked to add depth at edge rusher, but losing or even limiting a player like Simmons would be a significant development for a defense that needs as many answers as it can get right now. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Win Over UTSA Still Left Fans With One Big Concern
Texas handled UTSA in a 30-6 non-conference win, and there were enough encouraging signs to make the afternoon feel like a step in the right direction. Arch Manning came out sharp enough to set the tone, the running game found some support from Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown and Derrek Cooper, and Cam Coleman finished as the top target with two touchdown catches. On the other side of the ball, Texas did what it was supposed to do, holding UTSA to 70 rushing yards and getting an interception from Rasheem Biles.
Still, the result did not erase the biggest question hovering over the Longhorns afterward. Manning's line finished at 164 passing yards with two touchdowns, but the inconsistency showed up often enough that it left fans wanting more than just a comfortable win over an overmatched opponent. For a Texas team with bigger goals ahead, the margin of victory was fine, yet the passing game still has to look a lot steadier before the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]