The Texas Longhorns begin a promising first season in the SEC with a few non-conference regular season games, starting with the Colorado State Rams in Austin. While the Rams enter the year after going 5–7 in the Mountain West Conference and averaging 26 points per game, there’s still room for the unthinkable come Saturday. Here are some things fans should look out for on the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium this weekend:
Look for the Texas secondary to stop the Rams’ passing attack
Even though the stat sheet might show lackluster offensive production, Rams duo quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and wide receiver Tory Horton are anything but. The two helped lead Colorado State to a first-place finish in the Mountain West in passing yards with over 300 per game. Horton alone caught 96 receptions throughout the year with 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns. Fowler-Nicolosi will undoubtedly look to give the ball to Horton any chance he gets, and Texas’ defense is sure to get some tackles in to stop that pass attack in its tracks.
Watch Longhorn wide receivers and running backs have a field day
Last season, the Rams’ offense gained 1,282 rushing yards. Their opponents? Nearly double. Colorado State’s defense gave up 2,323 rushing yards alongside 115 first downs on rush attempts alone. Their schedule didn’t do them any favors in preparing them for a Week One visit to the Forty Acres, where Texas boasts a versatile wide receiver room and has found confidence with starting running back Jaydon Blue. An offense hungry for a successful season will look no further than to weave through a defense that’s left plenty of room for error in the past.
Watch Texas’ defense get some picks out of the Rams’ heavy passing game
While Fowler-Nicolosi can accumulate throwing yards for Colorado State, if he plays the same as last season, he has the potential to throw some interceptions. Last season, Fowler-Nicolosi threw 16 total picks. With the intense pressure coming from Texas’ defensive line, including seniors Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton along with impressive defensive backs like seniors Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba, a spring 2024 transfer from Clemson, and junior Michael Taaffe, the Longhorns could cause and obtain some imperfect passes.
Keep an eye out for Arch
If we’re looking at projected outcomes for the game, Texas lands on top with a sizable lead for the Longhorns. According to Fox Sports, the implied score of the game when looking at the spread is 46-14 in favor of the Longhorns. If Texas can make some big plays and set themselves apart early, there is a decent chance of redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning make an appearance in the back half of the game. Despite all the hype around Manning, he only appeared in two games in his debut season, completing two of five passing attempts for 30 yards against Texas Tech last November and finishing out the Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma State. Manning was seen making impressive plays at the spring game, including a 75-yard touchdown, revealing his potential for a substantial season with more playing time.
