View from the Cheap Seats-Mississippi State
At long last, SEC play begins.
At long last, SEC play begins.
The long awaited start of SEC play is here. Opening disclaimer: An ugly win always better than a pretty loss. The first thing we noticed is that even the weak teams in the SEC have talent on their teams. With almost every position group we saw some great things and we saw some “what in the wide wide world of sports is going on” things. In a word, the Horns were “discombobulated” and the 1st half was marred with mistake after mistake. Each of the RBs would produce a fumble, one just outside the red zone but both in the 1st half. Penalties impacted drives. The defense was at times stifling yet mixed with multiple missed tackles. The football adage is you put a dog away early. MSU came in a depleted dog but someone did not tell them that. In their five 1st half drives, there was but a single 3 and out while their other 4 drives were all 7 plays or more. Their clear plan to shorten the game worked at least in the the opening half. They took the kickoff and would hold the ball for half of the 1st quarter on 13 plays ending with a turnover on downs.
Pre-game the plan was for the team to execute well, oops, that did not happen, avoid injury, that seemed to happen, and get the backups some reps. Arch had to take every offensive snap but there was some rotation in the 4th quarter. Penalties, fumbles, and long drives kept Mississippi State in this game for far too long.
TEXAS’ offense played into their plan in the 1st half. Horns would aid their cause with a 1st half fumble killing a points drive and multiple penalties. That fumble occurred the 21-yard line so just a yard outside the red zone but certainly killing a points drive. A holding penalty on the Horns 1st drive of the 2nd Quarter would kill the drive and lead to a partially blocked punt and short field for the Bulldogs which they would convert to a FG. Nerves? Looking ahead to the Thieves of Land after the bye week? Who knows but TEXAS did not execute well in any phase of the game.
TEXAS on defense would mix great plays and tackles for loss with missed tackles and an early failure to stop MSU on 3rd down. Still, call it bend but don’t break, TEXAS’ D would only give up two, 2nd quarter FGs, bend but don’t break.
We are massive Sark fans but the approach to this game was frankly odd. 7 rushes and 21 passes in the 1st half? Just an odd game plan. Baby Rhino, Derrick Gibson did not make an appearance until the 3rd quarter was almost gone. The biggest question, and we get Sark is aggressive, was taking a made FG off the board for a 4th and 3 shot. A quick pass to the flat was covered and Arch had to throw it away. You are a genius if it works, not so much when it doesn’t.
Horns would still take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
We open with the negative because the standard for the #1 team in the nation is excellence not sloppy. Though we suspect Alabama takes over the #1 spot (and rightfully so) given their win over #2 Georgia in a great game.
If it is excellence you crave, let us present the 3rd generation of Manning QBs. We were treated to a glimpse of the future as this young man was REALLY good. Sark came out slinging, 24 passes to 7 runs in the opening stanza, and young Arch Manning was nails. Perhaps what was most impressive was the poise he showed in leading the team. At no point did he seem flustered. And it wasn’t just the ‘bombs away” throws either, though have to say, Arch shows real talent on those throws. Arch worked the middle and the short field along with Sark’s seemingly favorite WR screens. We have a glimpse of the future and what 2025 may bring. Make no mistake, this is still Quinn’s team. Sadly after missing 2 weeks of games, the Heisman bid has gone from favorite to long shot but time to worry about wins, an SEC title game bid, and a deep playoff run while letting personal accolades take care of themselves.
Joe Moore Award Watch (best OL)
Let’s hope that a game on SEC Network was missed by the voters. Now generally the offensive line played well, if you ignore 5 of TEXAS 8 penalties being called on them. Generally Arch had plenty of time and it helps when your QB moves well in the pocket. Hard to blame the OL when not many rush plays are called in the 1st half. They did wear out MSU’s D in the 2nd half. When you are the #1 OL in the nation, this was not a great game.
Conference History
It has been a long time coming for our beloved Horns. A bit of history, TEXAS (per the official site) played their 1st game as an independent on November 30th, 1893 vs Dallas University, we can find no record of what happened to Dallas U but it is not SMU. TEXAS would play as an Independent until 1915 when the Southwestern Conference was formed which would include 2 teams we are now joining in the SEC, Pigs and Aggies. The SWC merged with the Big 8 to form the BigXII in 1996. TEXAS would win the last SWC title and the 1st and last BigXII title. You know how we like history.
Offensive Player of the Game
Arch Manning-Not only a great stat line, 26-31 324 yards 2 TD and ZERO INTs to go with 33 yards rushing and another TD. It was clear his instructions were to limit his rushes but he turned the pressure into a great run with a super man finish to leave the ball at the 1. We thought he got in but he would 3 plays later. He completed passes to 10 different pass catchers in his 26 completions. When you have a ton of skill position talent, this is how you keep them happy.
Honorable Mention- De’Andre Moore with his best day as a Horn, 4 catches for 103 yards and 2 TDs
Defensive Player of the Game
Collin Simmons-The young freshman was 3rd on the team in tackles with 7 but 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks showed him to be a disruptor and his speed off the snap is impressive.
Vernon Broughton TEXAS took the ball at halftime and immediately fumbled. Vernon’s strip sack kept MSU from a chance at scoring and went a long way to dashing the Dogs hope for an upset. Likely the biggest single play of the day.
Special teams player of the game
Silas Bolden’s 20 yard punt return. While at first it seems like a standard play, he fielded the ball inside the 5 and the return placed TEXAS out of a big hole.
Stats that Matter
- 1-2 TEXAS would lose the turnover battle, often a big factor in an upset
- 3-3 Red Zone TD scoring, we’ll keep this stat for conference play but TEXAS starts with a big plus vs last year.
- 8-65 8 penalties on the TEXAS offense 5 on the OL and 2 on Gunnar Helm. Not good execution.
- 7-10 7 rushes for 10 yards in the 1st half. We don’t get it
- 202 TEXAS/Arch yards passing in the 1st half. Arch is impressive
On Deck
TEXAS enjoys a bye week before heading to Dallas and the annual Red River War. Quinn will now have 3 full weeks to recover from injury. Oklahoma came back to beat Auburn behind their new rush 1st, pass 2nd Freshman QB. This will be TEXAS toughest test of the season as OU is slightly ahead of Michigan statistically. TEXAS needs to use the bye week to tighten up their execution coming off a C to B- performance vs a weak team. TEXAS brings their A game and it’s a 31-17 type win. TEXAS brings their MSU game, good shot at an upset. We see this as a big coaching challenge for Sark.
Make no mistake, the season starts in 2 weeks and will be fast and furious.
Fighting Mack Brown’s
UNC seemed to come out vs Duke early taking a 20-0 lead only to see them give up 21 in the 2nd half vs Zero points of their own to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Does Mack make it till year end?
Our still way to early CFB playoff projections
Wild weekend in CFB. Bama served notice they are not going away anytime soon and takes the lead in the SEC race. There are 11 P4 seats in the playoffs and using the last few years of ranking history, you can get in with 2 losses but it is not assured. Remember the best Group of 5 gets at worst the 12th seed.
- #1 tOSU They have yet to be tested
- #2 Bama Biggest win in CFB so far this year
- #3 Miami Wild finish to remain in the ACC lead
- #4 BYU 6 BigXII teams currently unbeaten, had to pick one
Above teams have a bye in week one, the below teams listed 1st get a home playoff game.
#5 TEXAS Playoff game, DKR? SWEET vs #12 UNLV QB leaves? Who cares? Destroyed Fresno St, big game with Boise State coming up, potentially as a play-in for the G4 spot. James Madison and Navy just a bit outside
#6 Georgia Vs #11 Oregon
#7 ND, their game with USC at the end of the year might be a play-in game vs #10 Tennesse, Tenn game with Ole Miss may also turn into a “play-in” game
#8 Mizzu vs #9 Clemson
TEXAS v Mississippi State highlights
