No. 1 Texas will showcase its considerable depth when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday evening in Austin, Texas, in the Longhorns’ final tune-up for Southeastern Conference play.
Texas (3-0) ascended to the top of the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week after a 56-7 win over UTSA on Saturday. The Longhorns, who were No. 2 in the previous ranking, moved ahead of Georgia after the Bulldogs struggled to beat Kentucky later that evening.
It’s the first time Texas has headed the poll since midway through the 2008 season, after which the Longhorns ended up 12-1 and No. 4 upon beating Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said his team has had little discussion of the ranking and would not dwell on it.
“Back in the day, the polls were huge because they dictated who got to play for a national championship, and ultimately who won the national championship. Now you’ve got to go earn it,” Sarkisian said. “Our guys, I don’t even think they talk about it. They’re not sitting in the locker room talking about it. They’re focused on what they need to improve.”
The Longhorns rang up a 614-260 advantage in total yardage in the win over UTSA in a coming-out party for freshman quarterback Arch Manning, perhaps the most ballyhooed backup signal caller in the nation.
Manning entered in relief of the injured Quinn Ewers and threw a touchdown pass on his first snap, one of four he amassed in about two quarters. Manning completed nine of his 12 throws for 223 yards; he also ran 67 yards for another score that had Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium shaking at its foundation.
On Monday, Manning was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week for his performance. He will start Saturday against ULM as Ewers continues to nurse a strained oblique.
“Arch will start at quarterback Saturday,” Sarkisian said Thursday on his weekly pregame video call, per 247Sports. “You know, I feel like Quinn has made great strides ever since Saturday night into where he’s gotten to. But my decision is — I’m looking forward to [Ewers’] future as a player, but also to the future of the season for us and the longevity and getting him possibly one more week healthier for the long term.”
The Warhawks (2-0) have been better this season under first-year coach Bryant Vincent but will have to take a huge jump forward this week to be anything but fodder for the deep and talented Longhorns.
ULM had an open week on Sept. 14 after producing a 32-6 home win over UAB on Sept. 7 behind a dominating second half.
The Warhawks tallied 296 yards of offense, including 209 on the ground. They capped the win with 22 consecutive points that included a safety in the third quarter and a 30-yard pick-six by Car’lin Vigers early in the fourth.
“We have built a culture here in a short amount of time,” Vincent said. “We have tremendous relationships with our players. Our players play for each other, they play for (Monroe, La.) and they play for our coaches.”
ULM defeated Jackson State in its season opener. It’s the second consecutive year that the Warhawks have started their campaign with two victories; last year’s team ended up 2-10.
“We have to understand what got us to this point and the work and preparation and focus that got us here,” Vincent said. “There’s no need to change.”
ULM might not have a quarterback as famous as Manning, but it does have one with a unique name – General Booty. The junior QB has passed for a total of 191 yards and a score in the Warhawks’ first two games.
