2024-09-08 00:45:02
Texas football has put on a clinic so far while rolling to a big fourth-quarter lead and making a statement to the rest of the nation.
After waltzing through the season opener against Colorado State, Texas football is passing its first big test of the season with flying colors in a Week 2 trip to the Big House to face defending national champion Michigan, the No. 9 team in the nation.
Follow along below for live updates.
| . | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| TEXAS | 7 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
| MICHIGAN | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
The only drama left in the game depends on Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, who will decide if backup quarterback Arch Manning comes in the game to relieve Quinn Ewers. There may be some more drama on Sunday, when pollsters decide of Texas should supplant Georgia as the nation’s No. 1 team.
Michigan keeps trying to manufacture some offense, but first-year quarterback Davis Warren seems overwhelmed against a fast and furious Texas defense. He has just 120 yards and two interceptions on 15-of-23 passing, with safeties Andrew Mukuba and Derek Williams Jr. each picking off a pass.
After a 55-yard run by freshman receiver Ryan Wingo on a quick reverse, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers throws his third touchdown of the game to give the Longhorns an almost insurmountable lead before a stunned crowd at the Big House. Running back Jaydon Blue, looking spry after coming back in the game despite a bump to his right leg, hauls it in from 7 yards out for the score.
Michigan’s best weapon has been kicker Dominic Zvada, who boots a 52-yard field goal to get the Wolverines on the board for the first time in the second half. Some grumbling from the Michigan fans on the fourth-and-6 decision, but the Wolverines are having a hard time getting steady traction against the Texas defense.
Texas has to punt for the first time in the game, which speaks to the offense’s efficiency. But the Wolverines’ biggest concern is the Longhorn defense; Michigan has just 105 yards of offense and two turnovers.
Sometimes, the stats don’t lie. Texas has rolled up 279 yards of offense compared to just 88 for Michigan. Quinn Ewers is making an early case for the Heisman Trophy with 203 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-26 passing, and the Longhorns’ offensive line has spent the first 30 minutes manhandling Michigan’s vaunted defensive front. Heck, the nearly 110,000 fans in the Big House may even see Arch Manning, perhaps the most famous backup quarterback in cillege football history.
The Longhorns are not just whipping the Wolverines; they’re making a statement to the rest of the nation. After a fumble by Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, Texas keeps piling it on. Quinn Ewers fires a perfect strike to Matthew Golden on a little comeback route in the end zone, and the rout is on.
The Wolverines hold in the red zone, but Texas takes a two-touchdown lead on a 27-yard field goal from Bert Auburn. Good news for anxious Texas fans; running back Jaydon Blue, who left the game early with an apparent injury to his right leg, returned to the game.
Andrew Mukuba, the Austin native and LBJ graduate who transferred in during the offseason from Clemson, gets his first interception as a Longhorn to set up Texas deep in Michigan territory. A touchdown here, and panic may settle across the almost 110,000 fans at the Big House.
Can the Texas offensive line win the Joe Moore Award this early in the season? It certainly looks worthy today while manhandling the Wolverine’s defensive front. Freshman running back Jerrick Gibson, seeing early action with Jaydon Blue injured on the sideline, cruises into the end zone from 7 yards out behind some stellar blocking from guard Hayden Conner and pulling center Jake Majors. Texas has 203 yards of offense on three drives.
Texas defensive tackle Vernon Broughton blew up a third-and-3 by stuffing quarterback Alex Orji for no gain, but Michigan does manage a 37-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada to get on the board. Now a surprising question for Wolverine fans: Can Michigan’s defense slow Texas?
So far, so good for Texas after racking up 127 yards in the first quarter against that vaunted MIchigan defense. Quarterback Quinn Ewers has been especially effective with 103 yards and a touchdown on 9-of-12 passing. Michigan is on the move, however, and Texas running back Jaydon Blue limped off the field after gaining a first down on a third-down run favoring his right knee.
This time, Texas scores a touchdown and it stands. Quarterback Quinn Ewers steps up into the pocket and lofts a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gunnar Helm, the longest touchdown of the early season for the Longhorns. So far, Texas is dominating wth 127 yards of offense to eight for Michigan. But a concerning sign for Texas; running back Jaydon Blue limped off the field after gaining a first down on a third-down run favoring his right knee.
A long drive by Texas ends with a missed 43-yard field goal attempt by Bert Auburn. Texas had a 24-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Ewers to DeAndre Moore Jr. called back by a holding call, one of three penalties on that drive on right tackle Cam Williams.
More:Why Texas football safety Michael Taafe switched jersey numbers in 2023
The top-10 showdown between Texas and Michigan will have a Big 10 Conference officiating crew. Michigan, the defending national champion, has won three consecutive Big 10 titles while first-year SEC program Texas is the defending Big 12 champion.
Cooper Manning, the dad of Texas football backup quarterback Arch Manning and brother to NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, appeared on Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” on Saturday morning and was asked about Longhorns flags flying at a hotel in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this week.
“The Graduate,” a hotel chain located in mostly college towns, always flies the flags of the road team each week except for arch-rival Ohio State in Ann Arbor’s case. Where Cooper Manning comes in is a rumor on X, formerly known as Twitter, mentioning Manning was the reason why the flags were flown at the hotel in the lead up to Texas’ top-tier matchup with Michigan on Saturday.
Cooper Manning was asked about the flags on Fox’s morning show.
“The folks in Ann Arbor are so hospitable, they welcomed me with open arms,” Manning said. “Even the backup quarterback’s dad gets to hang his flags, how nice of them.”
The move by Cooper Manning would line up, as he’s on the team at AJ Capital Partners, which launched the Graduate Hotel line in 2014 before selling the hotel line to Hilton Worldwide in March.
Texas vs Michigan will broadcast nationally on Fox in Week 2 of the 2024 college football season, with Gus Johnson on play-by-play, Joel Klatt on analysis and Jenny Taft as the sideline reporter. Streaming options for the game include Fox Sports and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
RELATED:Here’s a travel guide for Texas football fans on the road to Ann Arbor, Michigan:
LISTEN:Longhorn kicker Dusty Mangum on 2005 Rose Bowl kick with On Second Thought podcast
Thomas Jones, Texas beat writer
Texas 27, Michigan 16
TEXAS TOO TOUGH
The Wolverines’ defense remains elite even after replacing seven starters from 2023, but it will need another defensive score like the one against Fresno State last week to beat Texas. The Longhorns are loaded across the board.
Cedric Golden, Columnist
Texas 27, Michigan 20
BIG WIN IN BIG HOUSE
Don’t expect the hosts to allow the Longhorns to come in and punk them in the Big House but Texas has the most experienced team, the better quarterback and the most stars. The Horns struggle at times but leave Ann Arbor with a 2-0 record.
Danny Davis, Texas beat writer
Texas
HORNS SURVIVE
Since Michigan is the defending champion and this game is bring played in their (Big) House, I probably have more respect for the Wolverines than Vegas does. Texas is going to win this one because the Longhorns have the better team, but it will be closer than 7½ points.
David Eckert, Texas beat writer
Texas 28, Michigan 17
HORNS SURVIVE
The physicality of the defending national champion Wolverines should present a stiff test for the Longhorns on both sides of the ball. But Quinn Ewers gives Texas a level of excellence at quarterback that first-year Michigan starter Davis Warren can’t match.
RELATED:Kalen DeBoer faced both UT and U-M in 2023 CFP. Here’s what he expects
Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Saturday:
Texas running backs CJ Baxter and Christian Clark are out for the season. For Michigan, starting safety Rod Moore has been ruled out while reserve receiver Joe Taylor and reserve quarterback Jack Tuttle are listed as questionable.
GAME PREVIEW:What Texas football’s WR usage in Week 1 can tell us about Longhorns vs. Wolverines
After more than a month enduring the Texas heat, the Longhorns get to enjoy some footbll weather. Temperatures may climb out of the 40s by kickoff and won’t rise above the low 60s during the day. Clouds are expected, but no rain.
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