A 20-point hole and a number nobody had touched in 22 years
Texas are No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, and the route there was statistically absurd.
The Longhorns (2-0) climbed to the top after a 24-23 win at home over then-No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12, a game they trailed by 20 points. No team had erased a 20-point deficit against an AP No. 1 in 22 seasons. The run that ended stretched 197 games.
The comeback also equaled the second-largest fourth-quarter recovery in Texas history, level with a 2007 effort against Oklahoma State. Three straight touchdown drives closed the game, each of at least 12 plays and 72 yards, before Hollywood Smothers ran in the winner from a yard out with 25 seconds left.
Arch Manning finished 23-for-37 for 195 yards and a touchdown. Eighty-three of those yards and the score arrived in the fourth quarter. He was named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
It is the third season running that Texas have held the top ranking for at least a week.
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Sarkisian is not selling the ranking
Steve Sarkisian spent Monday talking about what went wrong rather than what came right.
“(We) understand the ranking doesn’t matter,” he said. “If anything, all the ranking does is put a bigger bullseye on you, right? How we perform is what matters the most.”
The first half against Ohio State produced a lost fumble, an interception and a dropped touchdown pass. “Our ball security is awful right now,” Sarkisian said. “It wasn’t just about the turnovers. It was the other fumbles and the muffed punt.”
The defensive number is worse. Texas are tied for last in the SEC in third-down conversions allowed, with opponents converting at a 50 percent clip. “We’re too good up front with our pass rushes. We’re too good with our coverages to be last in the Southeastern Conference in third down defense right now,” Sarkisian said.
UTSA arrive with a late drive of their own
The Roadrunners (2-0) are not travelling up I-35 to make up the numbers. They beat Texas State 31-26 on the road on Sept. 12, Brandon High Jr. scoring from 25 yards with 14 seconds on the clock to finish a 14-play, 82-yard march. Owen McCown threw for 214 yards and a touchdown in what was the 100th win in UTSA history.
It is their first 2-0 start since 2021, the year they opened with 11 straight wins.
“The win gives us a ton of momentum and kind of lifted that road-game, two-minute-drill persona off our back a little bit,” McCown said.
Austin is a different proposition. Texas have won both previous meetings on the field, most recently 56-7 in 2024. Saturday closes the Longhorns’ nonconference schedule before the SEC run begins.
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