This Saturday, it’s all about the No. 5 Texas Longhorns kicking off their season against Hill Country neighbor Texas State, and if you’re looking at the betting lines, the 29 ½ point spread for Texas is already screaming something. This isn’t just any opener, folks. The Longhorns are favored by almost four touchdowns, with their moneyline at an wild +2400 compared to Texas State’s -10000. That’s a bold statement for a season opener, even with an over/under set at 59 ½.
Manning’s Got The Keys And Texas Is Stacked
It’s no secret Arch Manning is back under center, and he’s definitely one of the country’s most ballyhooed quarterbacks. But what’s even crazier is how Texas has opened its wallet in the transfer portal. They didn’t just plug holes, they went for star power. We’re talking about game-changers like wide receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. These guys are going to be immediate impact players, and they are already listed right there on the depth chart. Speaking of that depth chart, it just dropped and has a few surprises, listing Manning with KJ Lacey as his backup, and Smothers or Brown sharing the RB duties. Coleman is leading the receiving corps with Emmett Mosley V and Ryan Wingo, so you know the offense is gonna be explosive.
Defense Overhaul and a Wild Pac-12 Jump
Head coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t just sit back on offense. He totally overhauled the defense, too. He fired defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and brought in Will Muschamp, a guy who’s been dissecting SEC defenses for 25 years. That’s a serious upgrade right there! We’re seeing guys like Colin Simmons at JACK, Hero Kanu at DT, and Rasheem Biles at WLB all on the two-deep. Meanwhile, across the field, Texas State is making a jump to the Pac-12. Yeah, you read that right. It’s a “watered-down version” of the legendary West Coast league after all the realignment, but still, a Pac-12 move for the Bobcats who haven’t played Texas since a 36-0 loss way back in 1930. The weather for the game at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin is gonna be brutal too, with highs near 100 degrees and lots of humidity. Stay hydrated out there.
The action kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and you can catch it on ESPN. After this opener, the Longhorns have a massive game on September 12 against Ohio State. That’s gonna be a true test for this stacked squad and what promises to be an insane season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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