Texas Football: Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian at practice
The Texas Longhorns’ second day of training with shoulder pads showed the team in action.
- Some would call this Michigan’s just punishment after a season filled with cheating allegations, but Texas didn’t need the help of karma to crush the Wolverines.
- Quinn Ewers defeated Davis Warren, and it was not a close call.
- Steve Sarkisian transformed Texas football into the tough program that Michigan once was under Jim Harbaugh.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Quinn Ewers stepped into the pocket and saw green grass in front of him. He could have fought his way to a first down. But Ewers saw beyond the first-down sticks.
Why run when the Texas quarterback could use his strong right arm?
His tight end Gunnar Helm slipped into that nice space behind the linebackers and between the defensive backs. All alone in the back of the end zone.
zipper.
Landing.
Things looked easy for Ewers all day long.
Ewers and his Longhorns put Michigan under pressure on Saturday afternoon at Michigan Stadium. The reigning national champion dried up like an old apple that Texas kicked aside.
No. 3 Texas 31, No. 9 Michigan 12.
The 111,170 fans who spent a lot of money on tickets were probably expecting a heavyweight fight.
Michigan cheated these fans out of a good game. Only one heavyweight showed up.
What started as a showdown between the top 10 turned into a brawl.
Texas (2-0) pulverized the Wolverines (1-1). They beat them flat and buried them under the foundations of the Big House.
Texas Football gives karma-free day and beats Michigan
Some would call this a long-overdue punishment for Michigan after it stole signs and flouted NCAA rules en route to an undefeated season and its first national championship since 1997, but karma could take Saturday afternoon off. His services were not needed. The Longhorns took care of it themselves.
Texas pressured Michigan at the lines of scrimmage. Ewers did the rest with his 246 passing yards and three touchdowns. Michigan seemed exhausted by the dominance it had shown under Jim Harbaugh.
Yes, cheating was successful, but reducing the 2023 Wolverines’ success to Connor Stalions’ handiwork is too simplistic. Harbaugh’s Wolverines had everything they needed to achieve glory, including a reliable quarterback, a dominant offensive line and a disruptive defense.
These Wolverines have none of that. The offense lacks firepower while new quarterback Davis Warren is in control. He hasn’t had much help either.
If Michigan doesn’t build offensive strength and quarterback in the next two months, even Ryan Day can beat this team.
Two clocks in the left corner of the scoreboards track time of possession. For most of the game, the clock on Texas’ side seemed to be running at full speed as the Longhorns made long scoring drives and the Wolverines’ clock struggled to keep up.
A two-play sequence near the end of the first story was the highlight of Michigan’s day. Wide receiver Semaj Morgan ran free through Texas’ secondary and should have gained a big gain, but Warren’s pass flew over his head. Warren found some contact on the next play and connected with Colston Loveland. Texas’ closest defender stood 5 yards away while Loveland stumbled to the first down line.
No matter. Loveland let the ball slip from his hand.
Texas recovered Loveland’s fumble.
The Longhorns forced three turnovers — they intercepted Warren twice — but it would be more appropriate to call that one a gift. OK, maybe karma helped a little.
Loveland is expected to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, but Helm, from Texas, secured the role of tight end that day with his 98 receiving yards.
It helps to have Ewers as quarterback.
Quinn Ewers shows Michigan what a quarterback looks like
Ewers did really well on the first and second attempts. He proved to be a master on the third attempt.
The wind was more conducive to kite flying than pigskin throwing, but Ewers didn’t mind the breeze.
This was the quarterback we saw in Texas’ road win over Alabama last September. He’s the quarterback keeping Arch Manning on the bench.
It seems obvious that Steve Sarkisian has transformed Ewers from the most promising talent into a star player.
Sark came to Austin with a well-earned reputation as a top recruiter and a skilled quarterback coach. He’s all of those things, but he’s also instilled a much-needed mean side to Texas.
While Texas stumbled through years of mediocrity, the Longhorns were weak for too long. They were unable to make full use of their talent. They became the punch line. That’s nothing new. These Longhorns are not to be trifled with.
Texas’ experienced offensive line punished Michigan to a degree rarely seen in the Harbaugh era.
Midway through the second half, with the defeat already in full swing, a Texas fan wearing a fringed western shirt held up the words “Hook ’em Horns” and urged other Texas fans dressed in bright orange to join in the cheer.
The Michigan fans stood there in shock.
Horns up. Corn cut down.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter. @btoppmeyer.
Subscribe to read all his columns. Also listen to his podcast SEC Football Unfiltered., and newsletter, SEC Unfiltered.
