Texas football is officially underway after a 52-0 shutout opener against Colorado State in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
This was the first season-opening shutout for Texas football since 2004.
However, the matchup started off a bit shaky for the No. 4 ranked team. In the first quarter, the Longhorns were only able to convert half of their third down attempts. Junior quarterback Quinn Ewers had multiple incomplete passes and one pass up the middle, which was intercepted at the Colorado State 17-yard line. Luckily for Texas, CSU was not able to get anywhere against the Longhorn defense either.
“There’s always going to be some growing pains early in the season,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said after the game. “Especially (for) a first game, things show up that you got to improve upon. You just hope they’re not so glaring that they can kill you, and we’ve got things to improve upon and get better at. But I do think for us, this was a good start.”
Despite the rocky beginning, the Longhorns found their momentum quickly and started looking like the SEC powerhouse they need to be to have any success this season. The combination of junior offensive playmakers including Ewers, wide receiver Matthew Golden, running back Jaydon Blue and wide receiver Isaiah Bond were all main contributors to seal the Texas win early on.
Golden accumulated two touchdowns with 50 receiving yards, Blue held 37 receiving and 57 rushing yards and Bond finished with 61 receiving and 25 rushing yards. Ewers threw for 260 yards going 20-27 and even threw a no-look pass for a touchdown to Golden.
“Just let the instincts take over sometimes,” Ewers said about the play. “But you know, it’s tough for sure — I’m just glad I didn’t miss it.”
Freshman running back Jerrick Gibson, who held the most rushing yards for Texas with 67, ran in a touchdown in the third, along with sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner, who got the only touchdown in the first quarter with a 3-yard rush down the middle.
Senior defensive back Jahdae Barron can now be seen wearing a No. 7 jersey instead of last season’s No. 23 in honor of Longhorn defensive back legend, Michael Huff, who passed down the number for Barron’s final season. The new jersey brought Barron some luck, as he intercepted a pass from CSU quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi in the second quarter and ran it 30 yards.
“Having good eyes and being patient,” Barron said about what his coaches tell him. “And it’s going to come to me, it’s just me trying to make a play on the ball.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning also made his way onto the field halfway through the third quarter after Texas held an already hefty lead. Manning not only threw an impressive pass to senior wide receiver Silas Bolden for a diving touchdown but even ran in one for himself, finishing 5–6 for 95 total yards.
In addition to Texas’ capable offense, its defense proved strong. The highly anticipated passing attack from quarterback Fowler-Nicolosi and graduate wide receiver Tory Horton was shut down with intense pressure from the secondary, causing the Rams to run the ball, which still could not get through Texas’ defensive line.
Despite the win, the Longhorns will have to tuck it away and focus on the daunting opponent that lies ahead, the reigning national champions. Texas will face No. 9 Michigan next Saturday, Sept. 7, at 11 a.m. CT in Ann Arbor.
“Michigan’s a different style team that we’re going to have to prepare for,” Sarkisian said. “And we have to erase this game and move on to the next one.”
