Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) hopes Pass the ball. Don't expect No. 1 Texas to abandon its “business as usual” mantra as the stakes rise in Saturday afternoon's Southeastern Conference game against Mississippi State in Austin, Texas.
Yes, the Longhorns (4-0) will play their first game against an SEC opponent as a member of the nation's toughest conference. But Texas plays Alabama in both 2022 and 2023, beat the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa last season and has been solid over the past two years, which has made Texas tougher.
“We believe in our winning formula and what it looks like,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. “We respect that this is our first SEC game at home and what it's like. We're going to accept that side of it, but it's not going to affect the way we prepare for the game and the way we go about our business in the game.
“From our perspective, this is an SEC championship game.”
The Longhorns defeated Louisiana-Monroe 51-3 at home last week and heading into Saturday's game, freshman quarterback Archie Manning passed for 258 yards and twice in just over three quarters. scored and two interceptions. This was the high-profile Manning's first college start, and he said after the game that the game “felt like a long time” to him.
Manning was behind center against the Warhawks because of an injury to former starter Quinn Ewers, and Sarkisian said Ewers struggled against the Bulldogs as he recovered from a strained slant. recover from. Kettles will be monitored throughout the week.
“Quinn has to be able to execute the entire game plan (when he comes back),” Sarkisian said.
Texas is tied for first in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 5.5 points per game. The top three teams in the statistic — Mississippi State, Texas and Georgia — are all members of the SEC, with conference members Tennessee ranked No. 5 and Alabama No. 6.
The Bulldogs (1-3, 0-1 SEC) are in Austin for the first time since 1992, having lost 45-28 at home to Florida State in their conference opener last week. Mississippi State lost three straight games in Jeff Lebby's first season.
The Bulldogs will be without starting quarterback Blake Chapen after the former Baylor signal-caller injured his shoulder in the fourth quarter of a loss to Florida. Shapen has been ruled out for the season.
True freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. replaced him the rest of the game and led two extended drives on sweep duty, one of which ended in a rushing touchdown and another as time expired Ended at the goal line.
“I'm proud of Mike for being able to give us momentum in the fourth quarter,” Lebby said Monday. “He's a guy who has confidence in himself and the people around him. It's about focusing on the little things, taking good care of the football, creating predictable results and putting us in good situations.”
Saturday's game was the fifth all-time between Texas and Mississippi State and the first since the 1999 Cotton Bowl, which the Longhorns won 38-11. The series between the two teams was tied at 2-2.
–Scene-level media