Video: Texas Plants Flag on Michigan Logo; Quinn Ewers Celebrates in Photo After Win
Sep 7, 2024
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 07: Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns warms up prior to a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on September 07, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Quinn Ewers and his Texas teammates are riding high following Saturday's 31-12 victory over Michigan at The Big House.
Senior linebacker David Gbenda planted the Longhorns flag in the Michigan logo at center field following the Week 2 victory in Ann Arbor.
After the game Ewers posted on Instagram a photo of himself and his teammates in the locker room after the win with Soulja Boy's "Turn My Swag On" attached.
Ewers threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns to help Texas snap the defending national champion's win streak at 16 straight games.
The Longhorns climbed out to a 21-point lead by the half. Wolverines quarterback Davis Warren, stepping up to replace 2024 NFL draft pick J.J. McCarthy, struggled as Texas' defense held Michigan without a touchdown until the final two minutes.
Ewers said after the win that the victory was "definitely cool" due to his connection with Michigan's rival Ohio State, where he began his college career in 2021.
Texas, which opened the school's first SEC season with a 52-0 rout of Colorado State, improved to a 2-0 overall record with the win. The Longhorns will look to stretch that streak to three when the team returns home next Saturday to take on UTSA.
Quinn Ewers, Texas Hyped for CFP Title by Fans After Crushing Blowout Of Michigan
Sep 7, 2024
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 07: Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns looks to pass during the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on September 07, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The third-ranked Texas Longhorns bolstered their status as one of the top national championship contenders in college football this season with a 31-12 road win over the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Saturday.
Michigan went undefeated and won the national title last season, but after the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh and several key players, they were no match for a Texas team led by star quarterback Quinn Ewers.
Ewers finished with 246 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on 24-of-36 passing in the blowout, leading to a ton of praise for him and hype for Texas as a College Football Playoff team on social media, including some from former Texas and current Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson:
We’re witnessing a team that is the future of college football🤘🏽 them Ⓜ️ boys done ran outta gas before it started.😁🤷🏽♂️
Both of Ewers TD passes (one called back on questionable holding call) in the 1Q have showcased his underrated mobility to extend and fire on the move.
By halftime, the Longhorns led 24-3, punctuated by five-yard touchdown from Ewers to wide receiver Matthew Golden with 10 seconds remaining in the half:
Michigan closed the gap slightly with a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter, but Texas answered right back by marching down the field and finishing the drive with a seven-yard touchdown from Ewers to running back Jaydon Blue to essentially put the game out of reach:
Last season, Ewers led Texas to the CFP as Big 12 champions and had a solid individual campaign, completing 69.0 percent of his passes for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Even so, there was some thought that Ewers was entering 2024 on a short leash due to the looming presence of backup quarterback Arch Manning, who is one of the most hyped prospects in college football in decades.
Ewers may have put a stranglehold on the starting job Saturday, though, and he had many on X expressing their belief that he is a Heisman Trophy candidate:
As good as Ewers was Saturday, head coach Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns won thanks to a total team effort.
Texas' defense allowed only 284 total yards and forced three turnovers, which perhaps speaks to the type of talent Michigan lost from last year's team to the NFL.
Running back Donovan Edwards is one of the Wolverines' top returning players on offense, but he was held to 41 yards and no touchdowns on eight carries Saturday, as Michigan was playing from behind and was forced to throw it.
That played to Texas' advantage since first-year starting quarterback Davis Warren struggled mightily for the Wolverines, finishing with 204 yards, one touchdowns and two interceptions on 22-of-33 passing.
Entering the season, it was widely expected that dual-threat quarterback Alex Orji would be Michigan's starter, but head coach Sherrone Moore went with the surprising decision to start Warren.
After Warren was largely unimpressive in a Week 1 win over Fresno State and then played even worse on Saturday, there may be a great deal of pressure on Moore to make a quarterback change.
Many eyes will be on Michigan and the quarterback situation next week when the Wolverines look to get back on track against Arkansas State.
Meanwhile, Texas will return home next week to face UTSA, which is considered one of the top contenders to seize a CFP spot among non-Power Four teams.
Video: NFL Icon Peyton Manning Says He's 'Proud' of Arch Manning for Staying at Texas
Sep 6, 2024
AUSTIN, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns throws a pass before the game against the Colorado State Rams at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Former NFL legend Peyton Manning says he is "proud" his nephew Arch Manning decided to return to Texas after his redshirt freshman season.
Arch Manning, who made just two appearances for Steve Sarkisian in 2023, is backing up quarterback Quinn Ewers during his second year with the Longhorns.
"I'm proud of Arch," Peyton Manning said Friday on ThePat McAfee Show (1:15 mark.) "I'm proud of him. Like you said, most kids probably wouldn't have stayed in that situation."
"Arch went to Texas because he wanted to go to Texas & play for Sark..
I'm glad he's staying there & he & Quinn have a great relationship..
It was fun to see him get in there but I have no clue what that celebration was" 😂😂
The former NFL quarterback continued: "He went to Texas because he wanted to play at Texas. He wanted to go to college there. He wanted to play for Sark. Those are the right reasons you should choose a college, and I'm glad he's staying there.
"He and Quinn have a great relationship. I think Quinn's gonna have a great year."
Peyton Manning then confirmed that he was watching when his nephew was called onto the field late in Texas' season-opening 52-0 blowout of Colorado State.
Arch Manning connected on both of his two pass attempts, finding tight end Johntay Cook III for a 40-yard completion before sending a five-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Silas Bolden.
"It was fun to see him get in there, Pat," Peyton Manning told McAfee. "My dad's speed and athletic ability kind of skipped a generation. It went to him. It did not come to me and Eli. So he can run, he can move.
"And the celebration on the sideline, hey, I have no clue when it comes that. But I'm happy for him."
Ewers will start again, while Arch Manning will look for another opportunity to play in relief, when Texas returns to action on Saturday on the road against Michigan.
Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning Dazzle CFB Fans as No. 4 Texas Blows Out Colorado State
Aug 31, 2024
AUSTIN, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns throws a pass before the game against the Colorado State Rams at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Texas quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning combined for 355 passing yards and five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) en route to a season-opening 52-0 home win over Colorado State on Saturday.
Ewers completed 20-of-27 passes for 260 yards, three touchdowns (one interception). Manning connected on 5-of-6 passes for 95 yards and one touchdown while adding a one-yard score on the ground.
Ewers found Matthew Golden (twice) and Isaiah Bond for scores. The second Golden touchdown was a no-look pass to help put Texas up 31-0 at halftime.
After Texas went up 38-0 following a Jerrick Gibson run, it was Manning's time to shine. His first pass was a 40-yard completion to Johntay Cook II. Three plays later, Manning kept a play alive with his feet and tossed a five-yard score to Silas Bolden. After the PAT, Texas led 45-0.
Needless to say, fans were impressed while watching Ewers and Manning cook.
Texas and Quinn Ewers is this years version of 2019 lsu and joe Burrow. They will easily cover in the beginning of the year until the market catches up midway thru. They will still cover then too. Ewers is gonna play his way into the heisman and #1 overall pick
Texas baby!! Ewers looking great. WRs looking clutch. Bond is a freak. Golden is so reliable. The team is going as far as Ewers and them will go. Texas and Ohio state have phenomenal WRs every damn year. #CFB#Longhorns#TexasFootball
Quinn Ewers has looked impressive. He’s a bit of a gambler but is definitely going through progressions and making solid throws. A couple of them superb.
— quethepromoter & im from Southside (@QueThePromoter) August 31, 2024
Now, that was an impressive touchdown. It might be a while before we see Arch Manning as a starter, but as a lifelong Colts fan, seeing Manning in his element is magical, even if this is just Arch's one shining moment this season. https://t.co/25wSc5XuIS
Arch Manning is faster than Peyton or Eli ever were…if he has the brains and command over the offense that Peyton had, that’s a top 3-4 QB ever. It’s too early for that now. Let’s revisit this in 15 years, Lord willing…
A tough test now awaits Texas as the Longhorns head to Ann Arbor to face No. 9 Michigan, the defending national champion.
5-Star WR Jaime Ffrench Commits to Texas over LSU, Miami, Tennessee
Aug 30, 2024
AUSTIN, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 03: A view of the Texas Longhorns logo at midfield before the game \al at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 03, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Head coach Steve Sarkisian continues to knock recruiting out of the park after Texas landed 5-star wide receiver prospect Jaime Ffrench on Friday.
Ffrench told Hayes Fawcett of On3.com he was committing to the Longhorns after also considering offers from LSU, Miami and Tennessee.
BREAKING: Five-Star WR Jaime Ffrench has Committed to Texas, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’2 180 WR from Jacksonville, FL chose the Longhorns over LSU, Miami, & Tennessee
Ffrench's two older brothers, Maurice Ffrench and James Tarver, previously played college football at the FBS level. Maurice Ffrench was primarily a wide receiver at Pittsburgh from 2016 to 2019, but he also got some run as a defensive back.
Maurice set a new Pitt single-season record with 96 receptions in 2019, breaking the previous mark of 92 catches set by Larry Fitzgerald in 2003. He spent time on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad in 2020 and appeared in three games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021.
Tarver played 10 games at Central Florida during the 2019 season, recording four total tackles.
Ffrench's commitment comes six days after Jonah Williams, the top-ranked safety prospect in the 2025 class, pledged to play for Texas.
The addition of Ffrench to the class gives the Longhorns 19 incoming commitments next year. They now have three 5-star players including Ffrench, Williams and wide receiver Kaliq Lockett.
Ffrench is the fourth-ranked wide receiver and No. 19 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Jacksonville native had 62 receptions for 1,247 yards and 14 touchdowns last year as a junior at Mandarin High School.
In Mandarin's 2024 season opener in Aug. 23, Ffrench had 116 yards on four receptions in a 57-13 win over Creekside.
Texas currently has the No. 7 recruiting class in the nation, per 247Sports.
5-Star Jonah Williams Commits to Texas; No. 1-Ranked Safety in Class of 2025
Aug 25, 2024
Jonah Williams, the No. 1 safety in the class of 2025, has committed to Texas.
Hayes Fawcett of On3 broke the news.
BREAKING: Five-Star Safety Jonah Williams has Committed to Texas, he tells me for @on3recruits
The No. 1 Safety in ‘25 chose the Longhorns over Oregon, LSU, & Texas A&M
The 6'3", 203-pound Williams joins a loaded Texas class of 2025 that's seventh in the nation, per 247Sports. Williams is the second 5-star recruit, alongside wide receiver Kaliq Lockett. The team also has 10 4-star recruits at the moment.
Williams plays for Ball High School in Galveston, Texas. He's also a baseball and basketball star.
Hudson Standish, 247Sports national analyst, had this to say about him in part amid a March 17 scouting report.
"One of the freakiest athletes in the 2025 recruiting cycle, and has a legitimate chance to develop into an early-round selection in either the MLB or NFL Draft. Two-way star at wide receiver and defensive back for historic TXHSFB program Galveston Ball, leading the Tors to their best two-year stretch since the 1990s. Verified around 6-foot-3.5, 205 pounds with encouraging length and an athletic frame that should offer the potential to add more weight at the next level."
Standish also added that Williams "profiles as an instant impact player for college football's elite programs with significant long-term upside."
Ultimately, this is a massive win for Texas as the program transitions from the Big 12 to the SEC.
Texas' Quinn Ewers Talks FSU CFP Snub: College Football Needed 12-Team Bracket Format
Aug 22, 2024
DALLAS, TEXAS - JULY 17: Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns speaks during SEC Football Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel on July 17, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
The College Football Playoff selection committee made the tough decision to leave Florida State out of the four-team playoff last season despite the team having an undefeated record at the time.
Per Ryan Morik of Fox News, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said he believes last year's snub of Florida State was a prime example of why the expansion to a 12-team playoff this year was necessary.
"It leaves a little bit more room for error. I think it's what college football has needed," Ewers said.
Last season's College Football Playoff consisted of Texas, Alabama, Michigan and Washington. Alabama defeating back-to-back national champion Georgia in the SEC Championship Game was enough for the committee to give the Crimson Tide the final spot over the Seminoles despite their 13-0 record and the ACC title.
Ewers said he believed the committee made the right call, pointing out that Florida State lost star quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending ankle injury late in the year.
"It's definitely a tough choice to make, especially with how the SEC Championship Game went, and Florida State and Jordan Travis getting hurt—in their minds, they were just picking who was playing the best football right now," Ewers said.
Ewers added that he's looking forward to seeing how things play out under the new system this year.
"I think it's gonna give a lot more teams opportunities to win a national championship, and I think it's gonna be great for the fans to see their teams making college football runs," he said. "Even for a smaller program that hasn't had the opportunities, that hasn't had some of the opportunities that some of the bigger programs have had, I think it's gonna be awesome for those guys to get a shot at it for sure."
Ewers and the Longhorns will begin their chase for the national championship when they open the 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 at home against Colorado State.
Circana: EA Sports College Football 25 Launches as Best-Selling Video Game of 2024
Aug 21, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: Several footballs sit on the sideline prior to the start of the Big Ten Championship Game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Iowa Hawkeyes on December 02, 2023 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis,IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It's safe to say EA Sports' College Football 25 was a massive success.
Circana executive director Mat Piscatella revealed Wednesday that the game, which officially launched on July 19, "debuted as the best-selling game of 2024 year-to-date and was the primary driver of both content and hardware growth on console platforms."
He also noted the dollar sales figures of College Football 25 in just the first month alone more than tripled the lifetime dollar sales totals of NCAA Football 07, which was the previous best-selling college football game in history.
Few video games in recent history have been as anticipated as the latest college football one, as it was the newest edition of a game that hadn't been released since NCAA Football 14.
Fans waited for a decade to play, and they responded by buying the game in droves.
This year's version brought more than just updated graphics to the table.
Name, image and likeness opportunities have been implemented across college sports since the last time EA Sports released the game, which means gamers had the chance to use current players with their actual names in this year's version.
That was never the case in previous titles, as gamers had to download rosters or play with generic players and names.
College Football 25 delivered real players to go along with the pageantry, traditions and iconic stadiums that largely separate the college game from the NFL. Throw in actual crowd cheers, campus sights, fight songs and more, and it isn't surprising the game sold as many copies as it did.
The release timing in the middle of the summer likely helped as well, considering football-starved audiences were given something to help pass the time before the fall.
Fall has nearly arrived at this point, and the college football season will start with Week 0 showdowns on Saturday. The ACC battle between Florida State and Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland, highlights the opening slate, and much of the rest of the country will begin their 2024 campaigns the following week.
It all builds toward the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.
Well, the first-ever 12-team playoff on the actual field. Fans of the EA Sports game have surely been playing 12-team playoffs in the virtual world for the past month.
Texas' Steve Sarkisian Talks Arch Manning's Development, Compares QB to Peyton, Eli
Aug 19, 2024
AUSTIN, TX - APRIL 20: Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning (16) gets ready to huddle during the Orange-White spring game on April 20, 2024, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
While Quinn Ewers will be the starting quarterback for Texas this season, the Longhorns have a talented quarterback on the bench waiting for his moment.
Ahead of the 2024 season, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke highly of sophomore Arch Manning. Sarkisian emphasized that Manning has developed well, but still needs in-game reps.
"I think behind the scenes, the development Arch has had from Year 1 to Year 2 has been tremendous as well," Sarkisian said on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday. "For us, hopefully Arch is going to get plenty of playing time, that means we're probably playing pretty good, and he's going to get plenty of opportunities to get out there. We need to play him, we need to get him in games. The limited action he got last year, he did a nice job."
Manning's uncles, Peyton and Eli, weren't exactly known for their ability to make plays on the ground. Sarkisian said Manning is different.
"He's really developed physically. He's a really well-put-together guy," Sarkisian said. "He can run, he's extremely athletic. Probably more athletic than his uncles, maybe a little bit more like his grandpa. I'm sure I'll hear about that from Peyton and Eli."
Coming into Texas as a 5-star recruit, sitting on the bench over his first two years likely wasn't ideal for Manning, but Sarkisian discussed how Manning has trusted the process, comparing the situation to that of Peyton and Eli's at Tennessee and Ole Miss, respectively.
I think they understand the process," Sarkisian said on the Dan Patrick Show. "We're in this world of instant gratification, whether it's social media or the 5-star recruit comes in and starts right away. But if you really look back at the history of Eli and Peyton, they didn't start their freshman year. It took time as they developed, because I think the one thing the Manning's understand is when it's your time to play they want to play really well. They don't want to be learning on the job. We've got a pretty good history and tradition of developing quarterbacks over the past 20 or so years, going all the way back to Carson Palmer and all the guys that we coached. I think we've seen an immense amount of development in Arch. We feel very comfortable if and or when he gets in the game that he's going to play good football for us.
Manning saw limited action in his first year at Texas but completed two of his five passes for 30 yards in a matchup against Texas Tech. Sarkisian and Manning both are likely hoping this year's schedule will include several blowout wins that would allow him to come in and get comfortable and continue to develop.
The Longhorns kick off their season on Aug. 31 with a matchup against Colorado State.
Colt McCoy Retires from NFL After 14 Years; Texas Retired No. 12 CFB Jersey
Aug 19, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 19: Colt McCoy #12 of the Arizona Cardinals looks to throw a pass during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium on August 19, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Veteran quarterback Colt McCoy announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday.
According to Fox Sports' Peter Schrager, McCoy has a "high profile broadcasting job" in place after spending 14 years in the NFL.
McCoy was selected with a third-round pick in the 2010 draft following an impressive four-year collegiate career at Texas. His No. 12 college jersey was retired by the Longhorns in Oct. 2010.
The 37-year-old's final regular-season NFL appearance occurred in 2022 with the Arizona Cardinals.
NBC Sports announced that McCoy will join the network as a Big Ten analyst throughout the 2024 season and is set to make his debut during a clash between Colorado and Nebraska on Sept. 7.
The signal-caller appeared in two preseason contests with Arizona in 2023, although he was ultimately released before the start of the regular season after dealing with elbow issues throughout the summer. He spent time with the Cardinals, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns throughout his career.
McCoy finished his NFL journey with 7,975 passing yards and 34 touchdowns compared to 32 interceptions in 56 games.
"I haven't really talked much about my situation - I never like to give excuses," he said on June 14 (h/t SI.com's Donnie Druin). "I've been fortunate to play 14 years, I tore my elbow pretty bad and I'm not sure I'm gonna get over that, to be honest."
McCoy finished within the top three of Heisman Trophy voting on two separate occasions throughout his four seasons in Texas, including a No. 2 result in 2008. He completed 70.3 percent of his throws for 13,253 yards and 112 touchdowns with the Longhorns.
While his playing career is over, McCoy's broadcasting career will be getting off to a quick start.
