Texas backup quarterback Arch Manning took over for an injured Quinn Ewers, leading the No. 2 Longhorns to a dominating 56-7 victory over UTSA on Saturday night. Manning compiled 223 passing yards, four touchdown passes, and a remarkable 67-yard rushing touchdown in what marked his most significant playing time thus far in collegiate football. Ewers left the game in the second quarter with a strained abdomen and returned to the sidelines in street clothes just before halftime after going to the locker room.
Ewers, the starter, completed 14 of 16 passes for 185 yards along with two touchdowns and an interception before his exit. Manning entered the game with just over 12 minutes left in the second quarter and quickly made his mark, completing nine of twelve attempts throughout the game. On his first play, he found DeAndre Moore Jr. for a 19-yard touchdown. He showcased his athleticism, evading a defender on his next series, sprinting for a 67-yard touchdown run, a feat not achieved by a Texas quarterback since Vince Young in 2005.
Manning led the Longhorns to a 28-7 halftime lead after connecting with Isaiah Bond for a 51-yard touchdown, Ryan Wingo for a 75-yard score, and Johntay Cook II for a 12-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns scored on five of his nine possessions, finishing with a total of 614 yards and averaging 9.2 yards per play.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound redshirt freshman is the nephew of NFL legends Eli and Peyton Manning and son of former Ole Miss wide receiver Cooper Manning. Having made his first college touchdown pass in the season opener against Colorado State, he had previously attempted just 11 passes at the college level before Saturday.
Although abdominal strains typically necessitate several weeks of recovery, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian indicated that the severity of Ewers’ injury is not yet fully understood, noting there are no concerns about bone fractures. The Longhorns are set to complete their nonconference schedule next week against UL Monroe before entering SEC play at home against Mississippi State on September 28. Following that, Texas will have a bye week before facing rival Oklahoma in Dallas on October 12.
Ewers, who has started 25 games for the Longhorns, had missed two games in 2023 due to a shoulder injury and was also sidelined for three games in 2022 with an SC joint sprain. After a successful season where he led Texas to a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth, Ewers returned to school this year to pursue a national championship rather than entering the NFL draft.
Behind Ewers and Manning, Texas only has one other scholarship quarterback, true freshman Trey Owens, who made his debut against UTSA, throwing for 19 yards on 2 of 4 passing attempts. Ewers was previously considered the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy before the injury, with odds of 5-1 at ESPN BET, which lengthened to 15-1 following the game. Meanwhile, Manning’s Heisman odds saw a significant drop from 150-1 to 18-1. Miami quarterback Cam Ward emerged as the new favorite for the award, listed at 5-1 on Saturday night.