Texas will play its first game as the No. 1 ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25 since 2008 when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe University on Saturday night at DKR Memorial Stadium.
The Longhorns defeated UTSA 56-7 at DKR, but the win wasn’t without its issues.
Here are three things to know ahead of Texas’ final non-conference game and first SEC matchup against Mississippi State on Sept. 28.
Quinn Ewers injured
The redshirt junior quarterback left Saturday’s game against the Roadrunners with what was later determined to be an abdominal strain.
On Sunday, a source at LoneStarLive.com confirmed that Ewers is being considered “week to week” but won’t be a complete miss against ULM. That said, given the injury and the opponent, it’s unlikely Ewers will play against the Warhawks, which would see Arch Manning make his first career start.
Manning, filling in for Ewers, completed 9 of 12 passes for 223 yards and four touchdown passes, including a fifth score on a 67-yard designated keeper pass.
Even if Ewers were available to play, it would make sense to have him on the bench. Texas plays Mississippi State after ULM and then Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry on Oct. 12 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, but the schedule is open before that.
Given the schedule, the goal is for Ewers to be fully healthy and ready by Oct. 12.
Jadon Blue may be hurting more than everyone says
Blue’s pre-game withdrawal with a high ankle sprain was a bit of a surprise simply from what was being said.
The junior running back showed up to his postgame media availability at Michigan with a boot on his right foot but ignored it as a precaution. During a media availability two days later, Blue removed the boot and again said he felt OK and planned to play against UTSA.
Blue did not take part in his usual early morning warm-up and then news of his absence came.
In fairness, they didn’t need him and shouldn’t have needed him against ULM, but until he’s back and healthy, this is a problem.
Without Blue, Texas went 35-187-1 on the ground against the Roadrunners, but 53 yards and one touchdown belonged to Manning. To summarize, the five running backs who recorded carries on Saturday were a combined 24-132-0.
That’s worth keeping an eye on, as the Longhorns rank ninth in the SEC and 51st nationally in rushing attack (173.3 yards per game) still early in the season.
Isaiah Bond lived up to his hype.
Whatever concerns there may have been about most of last season’s wide receivers leaving for the NFL, Alabama transfer Isaiah Bonds has performed just as well as Texas expected.
Bonds led the Longhorns in catches (13) and receiving yards (215) and is tied for the team record for touchdowns (3). Bonds’ 13 catches came on 17 targets. Against UTSA, he caught five passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns, one from Ewers for the first run and one from Manning later that night.
