Expected to be a routine game, the Texas Longhorns versus the UTSA Roadrunners had all the makings of a dramatic turning point for the Texas football program. It was just a No. 2-ranked Longhorns team leading 14-0 in the second quarter, with star quarterback Quinn Ewers crumpling to the field with an abdominal injury. What was going to happen next would not only change the game but, more importantly, bring the brightest college football name into the world—An Arch Manning.
The Ewers Injury Moment: Texas Football’s Turning Point
It was a game to the very end for Texas in which everything went smoothly, but when Quinn Ewers fell on the ground after a handoff to running back Quin Trevion Wisner, everything suddenly changed. The scene was alarming as Ewers lay on his back, apparently in a state of distress, while forcing the medical team onto the field, and the tension gripped not only the fans of Texas but everybody in the football world. Ewers, who had played superbly and entered the game as a Heisman Trophy contender, was suddenly on the sidelines, potentially out for an extended period of time.
Although Ewers walked off the field on his own power, he didn’t look comfortable, and by halftime, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian announced that he had indeed suffered an abdominal strain. “It’s an oblique strain, an abdomen strain,” Sarkisian said in his post-game news conference. “We need to assess the severity and duration of the injury, but that’s the current situation.” We don’t think it’s anything structural or broken.”
Ewers’ first-half highlight is over, as is his immediate impact on the game. For two quarters and most of a third-quarter stretch, he was 14-of-16 passing for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, and he had placed the Longhorns firmly in charge.
Arch Manning: The Young Talent Steps In
And so in the second quarter, Arch Manning, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound redshirt freshman, came off the bench. Hailed as one of the most hyped quarterbacks in recent history, Arch Manning, the scion of the famous football dynasty known as the Mannings, had not yet entered the fray. And when Ewers went down, well, it was his turn.
A dynamic and vibrant youngster, he was bound to produce excitement and had hardly played a play when he hooked up with DeAndre Moore for a 19-yard touchdown pass that sent the crowd into a frenzy on Royal-Memorial Stadium—the perfect way to announce his arrival. Uncontended to have thrown only a touchdown pass, Manning soon displayed his athleticism by taking off on a 67-yard touchdown run, proving that he was more than capable of making plays with his legs.
Manning’s Dominance: Living Up to the Hype
On the contrary, as the game progressed, it became clear that Manning was not just a stand-in for Ewers, but was actually taking charge of the game. He threw for 223 yards and four touchdowns on an efficient 9-of-12 passing and the 67-yard rushing touchdown. It was quite remarkable, leaving fans and analysts alike buzzing about the future of Texas football.
Manning demonstrated a clear chemistry with his teammates, demonstrated poise in the pocket, and demonstrated excellent running ability. He called two more touchdowns to wide receivers Ryan Wingo and Johntay Cook II, the latter of which had a beautiful fade pattern in the back of the end zone, showing Manning’s impressive accuracy and touch. His fourth touchdown pass, this time going 50 yards to Isaiah Bond, was nearly as impressive as Bond himself, who made a few dazzling moves to avoid the defenders while scoring.
Final score: Longhorns 56, San Jose State 7. The real story of the game, though, belonged to Arch Manning and his coming-out party.
Texas Defense Shines: Ethan Burke Caps It Off
While Arch Manning garnered most of the attention, the Longhorns’ defense played a pivotal role in the victory over the Roadrunners. As usual, they effectively suppressed UTSA’s offense, limiting them to just seven points in the game. Ethan Burke, a defensive end, sealed the deal once more with an interception touchdown return of 30 yards in the fourth quarter, sealing the win for Texas.
The defense shone so brightly for the day, and with Manning’s dazzling debut, Texas went all the way to a perfect 3-0 for the season. With this victory, some consider Texas to be the best team in the country, despite concerns about their starting quarterback.
What’s next for Texas and Quinn Ewers?
The big question now is how long Quinn Ewers will sit out with his abdominal strain. While Sarkisian seemed optimistic that the injury isn’t structural, the timeline for Ewers’ return remains a mystery. Ewers, who missed several games over the last two seasons, isn’t one to fall victim to impairment beyond returning, but he’s going to have to play it very safe in order to get healthy once again.
With a game at Louisiana-Monroe next week, followed by a challenging slate of games within Big 12 conference play, Texas may need to decide between giving Ewers a few weeks of rest or continuing to ride the hot hand of Arch Manning. Happily for Sarkisian and the Longhorns, Manning has shown he can live with the spotlight, and his emergence as a legitimate starting quarterback gives the team something it hasn’t had in ages: security.
With this type of injury, it probably sets back a fair portion of Ewers’s chances for the Heisman Trophy, but the season is still very young, and if all goes according to schedule, he’ll be promising as new. There’s no reason to doubt that he won’t be running.
With this performance, we can add Manning’s name to the Heisman mix.
The Arch Manning Effect: What It Means for Texas’ Future
The football fraternity takes the name Manning seriously. Arch Manning must be some footballer, being the grandson of NFL icon Archie Manning and nephew to two of the greatest winning quarterbacks to savor Super Bowl victories, Peyton and Eli Manning. Arch has learned to deal with greatness throughout his life. His official match against UTSA said it all—that he was not just ready for the test ahead of him but bound to succeed.
Manning would make a difference for Texas; he also brings in a dynamic option at quarterback and improves the team as a whole. As far as on-field leadership is concerned, even as a redshirt freshman, Manning delivers it all. Since then, the Longhorns have been yearning for their revered quarterback to lead them back to national prominence, but with Ewers and Manning on the side, Texas’ future in the bright light is not a possibility but rather a certainty.
Texas’ Road to a Championship
With a 3-0 start, including the embarrassing blowout over UTSA, Texas has certainly made a pretty strong case as one of the best teams in the country at this time. Offensively, led by Manning in this game, they showed that they could be very explosive, and defensively, they demonstrated that they can shut it down on the other side, too. And based on their capacity to dominate the game on both sides of the ball, the Longhorns are beginning to talk themselves into this national championship run.
However, the straightforward part of the schedule is behind them, and their path will not get any easier. The Big 12 does not present an effortless schedule, and the Longhorns have their work cut out for them if they are to hold up this kind of performance. Ewers’ injury will naturally spark interest in the quality of his availability, but with Arch Manning stepping in, Texas will probably not skip a beat.
Conclusion: Texas has a bright future ahead.
The Texas Longhorns’ victory over UTSA, who had lost 56-7, marked a significant milestone in Texas football history. Thus, quarterback Quinn Ewers, who had been on the bench to rest the injuries that kept him sidelined, started playing and, off the bat, handed the reins to Arch Manning, who would establish a show for which much will be said later, years away.
The Longhorns are pursuing a national championship with not one but two elite quarterbacks on the roster, each of whom has the ability to lead his team to greatness. It’s either Ewers at the helm or Manning under center, but one thing is for sure: Texas is back, and they’re ready to take on all comers.
