Texas Dominates UL Monroe Behind Arch Manning’s Solid Debut
AUSTIN, Texas — Arch Manning made his much-anticipated first career start for the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, leading them to a commanding 51-3 victory over UL Monroe. Manning, filling in for the injured starter Quinn Ewers, showcased his potential, throwing for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, propelling the No. 1 ranked Longhorns to a perfect 4-0 start to the season.
The redshirt freshman got off to a rocky start, throwing an interception on his first possession. However, Manning quickly found his rhythm, guiding Texas to touchdowns on six of his 10 drives. By the time he exited the game early in the fourth quarter, the Longhorns were comfortably ahead with a 44-3 lead. Manning completed 15 of his 29 pass attempts, displaying both his arm strength and decision-making under pressure.
Reflecting on his performance, Manning acknowledged that there were a few throws he’d like to have back, particularly the interception he threw just three minutes into the game. The pass, intended for a receiver under heavy pressure, was picked off by ULM defensive back Carl Fauntroy. When asked to grade his performance, Manning candidly rated it a “C-plus,” but emphasized the importance of the team’s victory, saying, “A win’s a win.”
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian praised Manning’s effort, noting the inevitable learning curve for a young quarterback in his first start. “To think he was going to come out and play a perfect game, I don’t think anybody in here thought that,” Sarkisian said. “I thought he was going to prepare really well, work really hard, do everything he could to play good football. He was going to have some lessons learned, and I think that’s what tonight was about.”
Manning had plenty of support from his teammates in his debut. Running back Jaydon Blue delivered an outstanding performance, rushing for 124 yards and scoring four touchdowns, while the Texas defense stifled ULM’s offense. The Warhawks, led by quarterback General Booty, were held to just 111 total yards and managed a mere 2.2 yards per play, illustrating Texas’ defensive dominance.
Sarkisian revealed that the game plan was to challenge ULM’s defense with aggressive deep shots, and Manning executed the strategy effectively. He connected on eight passes of 15 yards or more, including a 56-yard strike to Isaiah Bond and a 46-yard completion to Matthew Golden. In total, Manning spread the ball to 11 different receivers, showcasing the depth of talent around him. “Having so many playmakers around you, it definitely brings up the comfort level for me,” Manning said. “We got a bunch of different receivers catch balls tonight. Just getting them in space and having them make plays is huge.”
Manning’s opportunity to start arose after Ewers suffered an oblique strain in Texas’ 56-7 win over UTSA the previous week. Ewers is considered day-to-day, and there’s a possibility he could return for Texas’ upcoming SEC debut against Mississippi State. Manning made the most of his chance, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors after his standout performance against UTSA, where he accounted for 276 total yards and five touchdowns.
Looking ahead, Texas faces a challenging stretch in its schedule. Following their first SEC conference game at home against Mississippi State, the Longhorns will have an idle week before taking on No. 15 Oklahoma and No. 2 Georgia in consecutive weeks. With national championship aspirations, Texas has lived up to expectations so far, outscoring opponents 190-22 through four games. Their most impressive victory came in a 31-12 road win against then-No. 10 Michigan, signaling their readiness to compete at the highest level.
Sarkisian expressed confidence in his team’s potential to contend in the SEC, citing their talent, depth, and maturity. “I’m pleased with where we’re at, but it’s like everything I just told the team: The mission is far from over,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and a lot of great games ahead of us.”
While the focus in Austin is on Texas’ ascent in the college football rankings, the landscape of the sport saw another significant development over the weekend. North Carolina head coach Mack Brown addressed rumors about his future following a crushing 70-50 loss to James Madison, a program in only its third season at the FBS level. In an emotional locker room scene, Brown took responsibility for the defeat and assured his players that he would remain committed to fixing the team’s issues. “I’m not resigning. I’ll be back at work Monday,” Brown told ESPN, quashing any speculation about his departure.
Brown, a College Football Hall of Famer, has led North Carolina to winning records in four of his five seasons since returning to Chapel Hill in 2019. Despite the disappointing loss to James Madison, the Tar Heels stand at 3-1 and will look to regroup as they prepare to face their rival, Duke, next Saturday.
The weekend’s results underscored the unpredictable nature of college football, where the fortunes of teams can shift rapidly. As Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns continue their pursuit of a national championship, the rest of the college football world will be watching closely, eager to see if this young quarterback can live up to the enormous expectations that come with his famous last name.
