Heisman Trophy hopeful Quinn Ewers was sidelined for the Texas football team, leading to backup Arch Manning taking the reins as the starting quarterback—at least temporarily. Manning threw two touchdown passes as Jaydon Blue scored four times, and the Longhorns’ defense was relentless in a dominating performance, allowing Texas (3-0) to cruise to a decisive victory over Louisiana-Monroe in their final nonconference game of the season. The Longhorns are now set to begin their inaugural SEC schedule.
The Texas offense showcased explosive plays but left some efficiency to be desired, with coach Steve Sarkisian likely to be concerned about the turnovers. However, the defense shone, limiting ULM to a mere 111 total yards. Moving forward, the competition in the SEC will be tougher, but Texas concluded their nonconference slate looking like strong contenders.
In the scoring summary:
– Texas led ULM 51-3 by the end of the game.
– Ryan Niblett, previously a wide receiver, scored his first career touchdown.
– Jaydon Blue punched in his fourth touchdown of the night, further extending Texas’s lead.
Manning initially faced some challenges, including throwing two interceptions, but he quickly rebounded with impressive passing plays, particularly a 46-yard touchdown pass. Despite the turnovers, Manning ended the half with 214 passing yards and two touchdowns.
As for injuries, besides Ewers, safety Derek Williams Jr. was unexpectedly ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Running backs Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner were deemed game-time decisions after being listed as “day to day.”
With the Longhorns preparing to face LSU in their SEC opener next week, their solid performance against ULM marked a meaningful momentum shift as they transition deeper into competitive play.