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No matter the critical thoughts of any Texas Longhorn observer about their team’s victory against Mississippi State on Saturday, here’s a perspective worth sharing.
The criticisms in September won’t matter in December and January.
No Longhorn fan celebrated their team’s selection to the College Football Playoffs less last season because of that regular season loss to Oklahoma. Not one person refused to buy a playoff ticket because Texas narrowly defeated Houston. Texas struggled against Kansas State and TCU, but those close victories did not leave Longhorn fans crying in their beer on Bourbon Street. All that mattered was Texas stacked enough wins to make the playoffs.
In fact, the college football polls that will be released on Sunday do not matter. Even if Alabama is ranked No.1 in the AP Poll and Coaches Poll because of its victory against Georgia, Texas fans should not lose any sleep over it. The only opinion that matters is when the College Football Playoff Selection Committee releases its first ranking on November 5 and its final ranking on December 8.
But here are two truths.
Texas stands at 5-0, 1-0 in the SEC.
And this defense? It’s salty.
Trust me, I heard the critiques during our postgame show.
Texas gave up 150 rushing yards. Mississippi State’s Johnnie Daniels carried 15 times for 75 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry.
Here’s another important number.
Mississippi State scored only 13 points.
Oh, and Texas has allowed just seven points per game through five outings.
“I don't know when you when you watch us that you can say, hey, we're a dominant defense because of this one player or these two players,” Sarkisian said. “I think right now, we're playing really good team defense. I think the run defense is complementing the pass defense, and vice versa. I think the pass defense is complementing the run defense. This is a challenging offense that we played (on Saturday) because of the big splits that they put you in. We kind of went in saying we're going to make these people earn it. We're going to try to limit the free access throws, and if they were going to throw it, we're going to force them to drop back pass, rather than just quick game and RPO us, and I thought that worked. You can always look at and say, gosh, I wish we didn't give up these four and five-yard runs, but that's hard to do when you get the ball on your own 25-yard line, thinking you're just going to run it at that pace like that and expect to score touchdowns. It's just in this day and age of football, you're going to have to try to find explosive plays, and I credit Mississippi State for trying to stick to that plan.
“But at the end of the day, all of the time of possession, all of the plays that they ran in the first half, they went into the locker room with six points. We defended our end zone. That’s the whole key to this thing. Don’t let them in the end zone. Then, when we could start to extend the lead, and I wish we could have done that earlier. We started stubbing our own toe. Now the drop-back pass starts to happen and we finish with six sacks and Colin [Simmons] has two sacks. Vernon Broughton gets a sack-fumble. That was the formula for trying to go win this game. We just couldn't get into the formula quick enough, because offensively, we were stubbing our toe too much.
“But I'm proud of our defense. I think we're playing really good team defense, and when guys are out, guys are stepping up, and we're seeing a lot of different guys stepping in and playing and doing some pretty good things for us.”
Here are some Longhorn defensive stats to brighten your day (through five games).
Total defense: 3rd in the SEC, 6th nationally
Passing defense: 1st in the SEC, 3rd nationally
Scoring defense: Tied for 1st in the SEC (7 points per game), tied for 2nd nationally
Tackles for loss: 3rd in the SEC, Tied for 9th nationally
Opponent 3rd down conversions: 5th in the SEC, 13th nationally
Opponent red zone conversions: 4th in the SEC, 12th nationally
Rushing defense: 8th in the SEC, 32nd nationally
“I love the fact that we were able to get to the quarterback today. I think we had six sacks or so, something like that. Vernon [Broughton], what a great play—strip-sack fumble,” Sarkisian said. “Colin Simmons [11] getting after the quarterback was fantastic. So, I'm sitting here—we gave up 13 points in an SEC game, and I’m thinking I wish it would have been less. But hey, we played good defensive football, and we made them earn it. There was some run game stuff that we’ve got to continue to look at and improve upon.”
And about Colin Simmons?
I’m not sure if @Ketchum or @CodyCarpentier is president of the Colin Simmons Fan Club, but membership applications should skyrocket after his latest performance.
“He continues to grow in that capacity,” Sarkisian said. “I think even today, we had a little bit more of an elaborate third down package where he was kind of standing in over some guards, we're letting him rush on guards, and we're letting them rush off on tackles, off the edge. He was impactful in the run game. We're seeing his impact on the run game more as the season's gone on as well.
“He's a really good football player that is willing to learn and to grow. He plays with a real sense of confidence in his ability, yet he comes in here every day with a real sense of humility to try to get better. That's a sign of a really good young player.”
Here’s another positive sign.
This Longhorn defense has made average quarterbacks look ordinary this season.
Michael Van Buren Jr., Mississippi State’s freshman starter, managed just 12 completions on 23 attempts for 144 yards and no touchdowns (104.8 passer rating). To be fair, it was his first start against the nation’s top team.
But Texas still made him look like a freshman.
This defense humbled Michigan’s quarterbacks and faces Georgia’s Carson Beck in a few weeks, the best on their schedule.
Others? Third-string material at best in Longhorn colors this season.
That’s promising for Texas.
As you consider areas for improvement after beating Mississippi State, keep a few things in mind.
Texas is 5-0, 1-0 in the SEC.
And this defense? It’s salty.
******
Team Notes
(via UT)
FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME
• Texas running back Jaydon Blue capped the Longhorns' first offensive drive in a Southeastern Conference game with a 1-yard touchdown, marking the first scoring play for UT in a SEC contest.
• The announced attendance on Saturday afternoon for Texas' first-ever SEC matchup was 101,388, marking the third consecutive home game for Texas to have 100,000-or-more fans. It's the fourth consecutive game for the
Longhorns to have 100,000-or-more fans watching after a program-high 111,170 watched UT's win over Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.
CENTURY CLUB
• By finishing Saturday's game with 198 rushing yards on 31 attempts, the Texas Longhorns have now rushed for 100-or-more yards in 18 consecutive games.
IF YOU'RE GONNA PLAY IN TEXAS ...
• By earning the 35-13 victory on Saturday, Texas has now won its last seven consecutive games played inside Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium.
• The seven-game winning streak is the longest for the Longhorn program since winning 13-straight contests on the Forty Acres from Oct. 27, 2007 to Sept. 11, 2010.
FORCING THE FUMBLE
• With Colin Simmons' forced fumble with 1:34 remaining the fourth quarter, the Longhorns were credited with multi-forced fumbles in the same game for the first time since UT played TCU on Oct. 2, 2021.
BACK-TO-BACK
• As a result of Saturday's win, Texas has now opened a season with five consecutive wins in back-to-back seasons for the third time in program history (other seasons were 2008-09, 1969-70).
• Texas has opened the 2023 and 2024 seasons with five straight victories for the first time since opening the 2008 and 2009 campaigns with eight consecutive wins.
STAYING STRONG AT HOME
• Despite Mississippi State scoring 13 points throughout Saturday's game, the Texas defense has allowed just 35 points through five games, an average of 7.0 points per game, which is the fewest allowed by a Longhorn defense since the 1977 squad allowed just 30 through five games.
• Through four games on the Forty Acres this season, the 2024 Texas Longhorns have allowed just 23 points at home. It's the fewest points allowed in the first four home games to a season since 1977, when the team allowed just 15 points.
Individual Notes
ARCH MANNING, QB
• Manning finished Saturday's contest by setting a career high in passing yards with 324 and completing 26-of-31 attempts. The New Orleans product compiled two passing touchdowns and also added a rushing touchdown to account for three on the day.
• With his 1-yard rushing touchdown to close out the third quarter, Manning was credited with his second rushing touchdown on the season, marking the second consecutive season that a Texas quarterback has found the end zone on the ground on multiple occasions. Last season, Quinn Ewers had five rushing touchdowns.
• The third-quarter rushing touchdown was the third career rushing touchdown for Manning.
• Combined with his second-quarter passing touchdown to DeAndre Moore, Jr., Manning now has three career games -- all this season -- with at least one passing and one rushing touchdown.
• Manning's 324-yard passing performance on the afternoon marked the first 300-yard passing performance by a Longhorn quarterback this season and first since Quinn Ewers had 318 against Washington on Jan. 1, 2024.
• It was also the first 300-plus passing yard performance by a Texas freshman quarterback since Quinn Ewers had 369 on 31-of-47 passing against Washington on Dec. 29, 2022.
JAYDON BLUE, RB
• With his 1-yard touchdown run to cap Texas' opening drive, Blue now has seven career rushing touchdowns with four coming in during the 2024 season.
• The junior running back out of Houston, Texas finished Saturday's contest with 36 rushing yards on six attempts to go along with his first-quarter touchdown.
• Over his last 10 quarters played, Blue has scored six touchdowns (four rushing, two receptions).
DEANDRE MOORE, JR., WR
• With 29 seconds remaining in the second half, quarterback Arch Manning found Moore down the left sideline for a 49-yard touchdown completion. The reception was the second touchdown for the California native and was the longest reception of the sophomore's young career.
• The 49-yard pitch-and-catch was the seventh of at least 49 yards and ninth of 40-or-more yards. The Longhorns have at least one 40-yard play in every game this season.
• The sophomore receiver also turned in his first career 100-yard receiving performance as well by finishing with 103 on four receptions.
• Saturday also marked the first career multi-touchdown game for Moore Jr.
ISAIAH BOND, JR., WR
• With 3:03 remaining in the fourth quarter, Bond took a double-reserve handoff and jetted around the left end of the offense for a 26-yard rushing touchdown.
• Not only was the rush the first rushing touchdown for Bond this season, it was also the first career touchdown on the ground for the junior wide receiver.
• Bond finished the game with 100 all-purpose yards. He pulled in five receptions for 74 yards.
VERNON BROUGHTON, SR., DT
• With 13:17 remaining in the third quarter, Vernon Broughton brought down Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren, Jr., for his third career sack and first since Sept. 23, 2023 in Waco against Baylor.
• On the play, Broughton was also credited with his first career forced fumble as well as fumble recovery to halt the Bulldogs' second-half opening drive.
• Broughton became the first Longhorn to have a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on the same play since Anthony Cook at TCU on Oct. 2, 2021, a span of 37 games.
• It was also Texas' first forced fumble on the season, before Simmons went on to force a second one late in the fourth quarter.
COLIN SIMMONS, FR., EDGE
• As Mississippi State's offense was attempting to find its footing midway through the third quarter, Simmons brought down the Bulldogs' quarterback for a loss of nine yards on a 3rd-and-18 play with 6:09 remaining in the quarter.
• Simmons went on to add a second sack in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to become the first Longhorn student-athlete this season to be credited with multiple sacks in the same game.
• Simmons has now been credited with four sacks in his last four games this season.
BERT AUBURN, SR., K
• By connecting on his fourth point after touchdown (PAT) attempt during the fourth quarter, Bert Auburn became the seventh student-athlete in program history to score 300-or-more career points.
• Auburn joins Cameron Dicker (2018-21), Dusty Mangum (2001-04), Phil Dawson (1994-97) and Kris Stockton (1996, '98-2000) as the only kickers on the list.
• Auburn will enter Texas' next game with 301 career points, eight shy of passing Stockton for sixth on the program's career points list.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
Texas-OU is right around the corner
Have they ever heard of cornhole for fun?
Steve Byrne is a savage
Sports On A Dime
1. Sarkisian on benching Jaydon Blue after two fumbles: “I hate it for Jaydon because I know he didn't want to fumble. Nobody goes in thinking this is what I want to do or drop a pass or anything of that sort. But I also am concerned about the psyche of players, too. When he fumbled the first time in the red area, I know he was disappointed. We put him back out there and the second fumble occurred. At that point, it's, hey, let's make sure that we don't lose the player for the long haul. He's a very talented player. He's more than capable of taking care of the ball, but when it can get into your head that can become a problem. We'll work on it this week with him, Coach Choice and he, they've got a great rapport. We'll get that figured out because we're going to need him. We're going to need Jaydon Blue throughout this season. I don't want anybody to think like we're giving up on Jaydon Blue, but in this game, sometimes you have to shift and you have to pivot. We're fortunate enough to have Tre Weisner to be healthy this week, to step in. Thought he played a heck of a second half for us and gave us a really nice spark in the run game.”
2. Longhorn running back Tre Wisner on his confidence in the second-half: “It grew because coming out of the first half, my teammates, especially the offensive line, were encouraging me, telling me like, you know, we got it. We got to just keep going. And eventually, the runs that we wanted were hitting."
3. Sarkisian on why the Longhorns need Quinn Ewers after the bye week: “We need Quinn back because he's our quarterback. He's our leader. I think that that impacts the entire team in belief. But what I think we learned, and what Arch kind of earned here over the last two and a half games is this team can count on him, too. There's not a lot of teams in the country that can think, whichever guy is in there, we can go win, and we can play good football, and we can count on that guy to do his job. We don't ask our quarterbacks to do more than what they're capable of doing, and those guys are both capable of a lot. They're both very talented players. They're really good leaders. They inspire people around them to play even better. But yeah, when we get Quinn back, we're all going to be excited for that. We also know, gosh, what a luxury that we do have, and what valuable, invaluable experience Arch got here over the last two and a half games. Hopefully, Quinn can get back for OU. We’ll see.”
4. Sarkisian on his team’s performance against Mississippi State: “I thought offensively, we had a lot of self-inflicted wounds today that maybe could have changed the flow of the game. You fumble in the red area, take points away. You drop a touchdown, take points off the board. Coaching decision to take three points off the board, to go for it on fourth down—you take points off the board. You fumble the first play of the second half. We had, I believe, eight penalties on the offensive side of the ball. So, there’s plenty of things offensively for us to clean up. But at the end of the day, I think we ran, oh, I don’t know, 60 or so plays, but to have over 500 yards, there was explosiveness to what we were doing. But we can’t continue to play games with two turnovers, false starts, holding penalties, and playing behind the chains—that’s a recipe for disaster. So, we’re going to have to clean that stuff up.
“I thought Arch [Manning] played a really good football game. I think he was 26-of-31—very efficient, much more efficient than a week ago—but still found the explosive plays in there. And so, that was a positive. I think as a team, finishing up this phase one of the season, as we’re referring to it, being 5-0, 1-0 in conference play—we’ve played a lot of players, we’re learning about our team and what we’re capable of. I’m actually kind of glad that we had some adversity today, because the first four games were kind of smooth sailing, and we needed some rough waters to see how we would respond because there’s going to be rough waters ahead. I thought our guys responded really well today. They showed poise and composure. Nobody lost their cool. They stayed engaged, and they found a way to fight back and pull away in a tough game. And that’s what the SEC is all about.
“So, I’m proud of them for winning, proud of them for being 5-0, but I also know we’ve got work to do. I think the bye is coming at a very good time for us to get people healthy, and then to start looking at some future opponents as we get ready for phase two of the season, which is this little three-game block we have with OU, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. So, phase one in the books, and we’ll take the bye, work on some things, and get ready for phase two."
5. Hello, Colin Simmons
6. Longhorn receiver Isaiah Bond on playing against Oklahoma after the bye week: “I’ve heard a lot of great things. I mean, from the players in the team to close friends of mine, just telling me that this is basically equivalent to, kind of like the Iron Bowl. I come from my previous team, they’re saying it might be even a bigger game than that. So, I mean, I’ve been built for big games, so I love playing a big game. So it’s gonna be a fun time.”
7. I appreciate Kentucky helping me to restore faith in … myself. Before the season, I predicted Texas would finish 10-2, with losses to Georgia and Kentucky. However, after South Carolina defeated Kentucky, 31-6, I questioned what I wrote in my season preview:
“Georgia and Kentucky make sense.
“Kentucky has a bye on Nov.9, the Wildcats face Murray State on Nov.16, followed by a road trip to Austin on Nov. 23. That gives Kentucky plenty of time to prepare for Texas.
“Meanwhile, Texas will face Florida and Arkansas (road game) in back-to-back weeks before Kentucky.”
However, Kentucky lost by one point against Georgia and knocked off Ole Miss on Saturday. Clearly, I am not cheering for Kentucky to defeat Texas. I am happy to feel vindicated for thinking Kentucky is a good team.
8. Speaking of Ole Miss, that loss is exactly what Quinn Ewers needed to keep his Heisman Trophy hopes alive. There is not a quarterback in college football running away with the award. If Ewers pulls off back-to-back wins against Oklahoma and Georgia after the bye week, he will be in the catbird seat.
9. The NCAA should be worried about the meeting of Big Ten and SEC athletic directors in October. Sure, neither conference is going to announce they intend to play independently outside of the NCAA. However, this crew is joining forces for a reason, and it is seemingly just a matter of time before the split occurs.
Here is a portion of Ross Dellenger’s story in Yahoo:
“Within Big Ten headquarters in this Chicago suburb this week, the industry’s most powerful leaders gathered: the Division I conference commissioners.
“But next month, in Nashville, Tennessee, perhaps an equally influential group convenes: the Big Ten and SEC athletic directors.
“In what is viewed as a continuation of their announced partnership in February, the top school administrators from the two most powerful NCAA conferences are scheduled to jointly meet, according to those familiar with the plans.
“The meeting is a significant and historic occurrence, believed to be one of the few joint gatherings of athletic directors from two major conferences in NCAA history. Amid a transformational period within the industry, the meeting comes at a sensitive time within college sports, as the Big Ten and SEC have distanced themselves financially from the rest of the industry in a way that strikes fear, for some, in their coalescence.”
10. After trailing 2-0, I’ll take two goals in the second half and a tie.
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