No. 1 Texas closed out its final tune-up before conference play with a 30-6 win over UTSA on Saturday night at DKR, but the performance came with two very different stories attached.
On one side, the Longhorns’ defense looked every bit like a unit that can carry a team. On the other, the offense spent too much of the night searching for answers.
Texas came in off last week’s thrilling comeback against Ohio State and, at least defensively, showed no sign of a hangover. The Longhorns controlled the game from the opening snap, forcing UTSA quarterback Owen McCown into poor throws and smothering the Roadrunners’ ground attack. Texas held UTSA to 142 total yards and was dominant on third down, allowing the Roadrunners to convert just once in 11 tries.
The defense also made an early statement with a tip-drill interception on the game’s first drive. That set the tone for a night in which Texas kept the Roadrunners bottled up and gave up very little breathing room.
Colin Simmons and linebacker Rasheem Biles helped lead the charge. Biles finished with four tackles, and the Longhorns’ front consistently made life miserable for McCown. With the defense spending plenty of time on the field, it was the kind of effort defensive coordinator Will Muschamp had to appreciate.
The offensive side of the ball never found the same rhythm.
Texas’ offensive line had a rough night for most of the game, and the protection issues made the Longhorns look far less comfortable than they did in the second half against Ohio State. The run game never really broke through, with no running back able to separate over the first three quarters.
There was also an odd snap early in the third quarter that slipped back into Arch Manning’s hands, a sequence that underscored how uneven the night had become up front.
For stretches, Manning looked as if he was under siege every time the ball was snapped. The pressure showed up again late in the second quarter, when he scrambled and was met by three UTSA defenders; his helmet flew off on the play. The crowd at DKR reacted with a clear gasp as he hit the turf.
Texas kept taking hits on its quarterback all night while trying to manufacture offense, and that wasn’t the kind of workload the Longhorns wanted for Manning with tougher games ahead.
Steve Sarkisian will be pleased to leave this one undefeated, but there’s no hiding the fact that Texas has things to clean up before heading to Tennessee on Saturday in Rocky Top.
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 🡒]