AUSTIN, Texas — In his first career start, Arch Manning threw for 258 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, leading the No. 1 Longhorns to a 51-3 victory over UL Monroe while stepping in for the injured Quinn Ewers. This win improves Texas to 4-0.
After an interception on his opening drive, Manning found his rhythm, helping Texas score touchdowns on six of his ten drives, building a 44-3 lead before he exited early in the fourth quarter. The redshirt freshman completed 15 of 29 passes.
Reflecting on his performance, Manning acknowledged there were throws he wished he could have back, especially the first interception, a pressured second-down pass that was picked off by ULM's Carl Fauntroy just three minutes into the game. When asked to grade his performance, Manning said, “Probably a C-plus, but a win’s a win.”
“To expect him to come out and play a perfect game? I don’t think anyone here thought that,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I believed he would prepare well, work hard, and do everything he could to play good football. There would be lessons learned, and that’s what tonight was about.”
In their first game as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 since 2008, Manning received significant support. Running back Jaydon Blue rushed for 124 yards and scored four total touchdowns, while Texas' defense limited General Booty and the Warhawks (2-1) to just 111 total yards, averaging 2.2 yards per play.
Sarkisian noted that the game plan encouraged Manning to be aggressive with deep throws against ULM's defense. The former five-star recruit responded well, completing eight passes of 15 yards or more, including a 56-yard strike to Isaiah Bond and a 46-yarder to Matthew Golden. Manning connected with a total of 11 different receivers.
“Having so many playmakers around me definitely boosts my comfort level,” Manning said. “We had a lot of different receivers making catches tonight. Getting them in space and letting them make plays is huge.”
Quinn Ewers exited last week’s 56-7 win over UTSA with an oblique strain and is considered day-to-day, potentially returning for the Longhorns' SEC debut against Mississippi State next week. In Ewers' absence, Manning shared SEC Freshman of the Week honors, totaling 276 yards and five touchdowns against UTSA.
Following their first SEC game, the Longhorns have a bye week before facing No. 15 Oklahoma and No. 2 Georgia in back-to-back weeks.
With national championship aspirations, Texas has risen to the occasion through four games, outscoring opponents 190-22 and showcasing their strength in a 31-12 road victory over then-No. 10 Michigan. Having won 16 of their last 18 games, Sarkisian feels confident in a team with thetalent, depth, and maturity to compete in the SEC.
“I’m pleased with where we’re at, but as I told the team, the mission is far from over,” Sarkisian said. “We have a lot of work ahead and some great games coming up.”