The No. 7 Texas Longhorns are back in action in Week 3 when they host UTEP, the third of four consecutive non conference games on their schedule.
Things didn’t go so well in the season opener on the road against No. 3 Ohio State. Texas fell 14-7 to the Buckeyes, dropping their No. 1 ranking. And to make matters worse, superstar quarterback Arch Manning looked nothing like the player who had been hyped up all offseason.
Last week was a different story. San Jose State came to Austin, and Manning put up gaudy numbers against a far less threatening opponent, which in turn refueled the hype train a bit. Now, with UTEP in Week 3 and Sam Houston State looming after that, these matchups are crucial for Manning’s development before SEC play begins with a road trip to Florida in October.
For Texas, this game is about taking care of business, picking up another easy non conference win, and making sure Manning continues to grow while the roster stays healthy. It also likely means another inflated stat sheet for the Longhorns.
UTEP sacks Arch Manning at least once
UTEP may be a Conference USA team, but the Miners could still pack a defensive punch when they arrive in Austin. They are currently tied for first in the country in team sacks with a whopping 10. This is no coincidence either. It’s a carryover from last year when they averaged three sacks per game and ranked 11th overall in the nation.
The Miners will have their work cut out for them, however, against Texas’ offensive front. That said, Manning has gone down once in each of his last two games. UTEP should get him down at least once.
Texas holds UTEP to 10 points or less
In their last game, the Miners posted 42 points against UT Martin, yet scored only 16 in their loss to Utah State the weekend before. Now comes Texas, which ranks 25th in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 10.5 points a game through two games.
Sure, like everything this early, it’s a small sample size. But the talent discrepancy is obvious, and the big nasties up front for Texas will likely have a lot to say about the Miners’ offensive output.
Don’t forget UTEP QB Malachi Nelson
Believe it or not, UTEP has a former five-star quarterback as its starter in Malachi Nelson. The former USC and Boise State signal-caller transferred to UTEP this fall and is off to a decent start, posting 456 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.
The predicted lone UTEP touchdown will come off his arm. But don’t be surprised to see him force a throw or two, resulting in a couple of interceptions.
Arch Manning throws for over 200, rushes for 40 and 3 total TDs, no INTs
Again, this has to be another step of progression for Arch Manning as a starter. Beginning his season as the full-time starter against Ohio State on the road in Columbus was nothing short of daunting. Even though games like San Jose State and now UTEP are more or less gimmes for a team like Texas, they are great for a quarterback like Manning, who just needs more reps.
Let’s face it: after his horrible showing against the Buckeyes, Manning is somewhat having to prove himself — that he was worthy of all the hype placed on him, whether he asked for it or not.
Expect this to be a showing similar to last week, where he throws for at least 200 yards, rushes for 40 and scores three touchdowns. But remember — he also threw an interception and fumbled last week. He and Steve Sarkisian will be looking for his first clean game.
However, with that said, something to monitor will be how long he’s in the game. Many are speculating, much to Sarkisian’s chagrin, that Manning is dealing with some sort of arm or shoulder injury by the way he’s throwing the ball.
Like many games such as this, Sarkisian will be hoping to bench him by halftime.
Texas barely misses covering the massive spread against UTEP
The Longhorns are currently favored by a massive 40.5 points over UTEP, according to ESPN BET. Even in college football, that’s a ton of points. There’s really no doubt who is winning this game and who the more talented team is. The question is: where is this Texas offense currently?
This game is an opportunity to do two things — not give too much away but also make Manning more comfortable. The game will still be a big blowout in favor of the Longhorns, but covering 40 or more points just seems too much here. Even last week against San Jose State, they only won by 31.
