Texas Longhorns Secure Victory Against UTEP Amid Offensive Struggles

Austin, September 14, 2025

News Summary

The Texas Longhorns achieved a 27-10 victory over UTEP at Royal-Memorial Stadium, improving their season record while facing offensive challenges. Quarterback Arch Manning had a difficult game, completing only 11 of 25 passes for 114 yards, though he contributed with two rushing touchdowns. Texas’ defense was a key factor, allowing just 141 yards and holding UTEP to a single touchdown late in the game. Upcoming matches will test the team’s ability to improve offensively.

AUSTIN — The No. 7 Texas Longhorns secured a 27-10 victory against UTEP at Royal-Memorial Stadium, improving their season record amid noticeable offensive struggles. Quarterback Arch Manning experienced a challenging game, completing only 11 of 25 passes for 114 yards and struggling particularly with consistency throughout the match.

Texas’ defense proved to be a critical asset, allowing just 141 total yards and limiting UTEP to a mere 3.4 yards per play. The Longhorns effectively contained UTEP’s attempts to score, with the Miners’ only touchdown coming in the waning minutes of the game from backup quarterback Shay Smith.

Despite the defensive strength, Texas struggled to achieve offensive cohesion, finishing the game with a total of 340 yards and a disappointing 1-for-9 third-down conversion rate in the first half. The Longhorns only managed to accumulate 91 yards in the fourth quarter. Texas took a halftime lead of 14-3 after Manning’s 5-yard touchdown run just before the break, exhibiting a glimpse of the potential impact he can have.

Coach Steve Sarkisian remained confident in Manning’s abilities throughout the game and did not opt to bench the young quarterback, despite the mounting frustrations among fans, evident in the boos echoing through the stadium as the team exited for halftime.

Key Player Performances

Receiver Ryan Wingo contributed significantly to the team’s efforts, scoring his inaugural touchdown with a 4-yard reception from Manning. Moreover, Manning proved to be a dual threat, rushing for 51 yards, including two rushing touchdowns, further showing his potential despite the passing game challenges.

Penalties and Special Teams

Discipline appeared to be an area of concern for Texas, as the team committed a total of 76 penalty yards throughout the game. Nevertheless, the special teams unit showcased improvement, highlighted by Mason Shipley successfully converting field goals from 30 and 31 yards, alongside Ryan Niblett’s impressive 49-yard punt return.

Defensive Highlights

Defensively, Texas continued to impress, recording two interceptions against UTEP’s starting quarterback Malachi Nelson. Both Jelani McDonald and Graceson Littleton marked their season’s first interceptions, contributing to the team’s defensive prowess. Over the past three games, Texas has allowed just 31 points, showcasing their ability to contain opponents.

Upcoming Challenges

With the conclusion of a three-game homestand, Texas will next face Sam Houston before embarking on a challenging month-long road trip throughout October. This will test the Longhorns’ ability to adapt and improve their offensive game plan as they progress in the season.

Performance Metrics

As the season advances, Manning’s performance metrics show a concerning decline. He currently averages 6.8 yards per pass attempt, a stark contrast to the 10.4 yards he achieved in the previous season. This shift in performance continues to raise questions among fans about his development and future contributions.

Conclusion

While the Longhorns celebrated their victory on the scoreboard, the path forward indicates a need for improvement in various facets of their game, particularly in offensive execution, to remain competitive in upcoming matchups.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

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Additional Resources

• Austin American-Statesman
• Wikipedia: Arch Manning
• USA Today
• Google Search: Arch Manning Texas football
• Austin American-Statesman
• Google Scholar: Arch Manning
• Sports Illustrated
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Texas Longhorns football
• Hook’em Headlines
• Google News: Texas Longhorns

Author: STAFF HERE AUSTIN WRITER

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