Posted September 29, 2024 7:03pm CDT

AUSTIN — Texas Longhorns freshman linebacker Colin Simmons has supreme confidence headed into his first-ever appearance in the Red River Rivalry on Oct. 12.

When speaking to the media following Saturday’s 35-13 win, Simmons might have ruffled a few feathers when previewing the matchup with Oklahoma by predicting that Texas will “dominate” the Sooners in Dallas.

“They got a good squad this year,” Simmons said. “A lot of people on their team that I know. I feel like we’re going to dominate them. But at the end of the day, we just got to trust in our coaching.”

Comments like this are what the rivalry is all about, though it’s probably something Simmons might get lectured about behind closed doors by the Texas media relations team.

But at the end of the day, he said it with his chest and will have now to back up the talk if the Longhorns want to avoid a second straight loss to their arch rival.

Simmons certainly has plenty of reason to feel confident after putting together the best game of his young college career in Saturday’s SEC opener against Mississippi State. While putting his quick speed off the edge on display, he finished with a career-high seven total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He’s now the team’s sack leader with four this season.

The Sooners haven’t looked as elite as years past to begin SEC play. Oklahoma rallied for a 27-21 win over Auburn on Saturday with freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. getting the start in place of the benched Jackson Arnold.

It’s possible Simmons sees an advantage for the defense against a young and inexperienced quarterback, but anything can happen in this rivalry. Hawkins Jr. will be hoping to secure a career-defining moment on a big stage, and the Longhorns will need to prevent any magic from happening in order to take home the Golden Hat this time around.

Texas and Oklahoma will kick off from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

AUSTIN, Texas — No. 1 Texas got its first SEC win behind the arm of Arch Manning, who helped the Longhorns overcome a slow start and some self-inflicted setbacks to beat Mississippi State 35-13 on Saturday.

Manning was 26-of-31 for 324 yards and two touchdowns, and added 33 rushing yards and another score, despite Johntay Cook II dropping a wide-open touchdown pass that would’ve added another 62 passing yards in the second quarter. A week after throwing two interceptions in his first start against UL Monroe, Manning said he felt more relaxed.

“I think last week I didn’t have as much fun as I wanted to,” Manning said. “I think I had a little bit more fun today even though it was a little rocky.”

It was rocky because running back Jaydon Blue lost two fumbles — one in the red zone — Cook dropped a touchdown and there were eight penalties on the Texas offense. Coach Steve Sarkisian criticized himself for having his team kick a field goal but then going for it on fourth down after a defensive penalty gave the Longhorns another chance. Texas failed to convert, taking three points off the board.

The Longhorns went into halftime with a 14-6 lead as Mississippi State used a ground-heavy approach behind true freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. The Bulldogs ran 73 plays to Texas’ 62, but the Longhorns outgained them 522 yards to 294. There were also 17 penalties in the game, many with lengthy reviews.

“It was hard for the game to get a rhythm to it,” Sarkisian said.

But he was pleased the Longhorns navigated this stretch of the season and Quinn Ewers’ injury to start 5-0. It’s the second straight season Texas has started 5-0, marking only the second time in the past 50 years the Longhorns have done it in back-to-back years. Texas has an off week coming up, followed by the Red River Rivalry in Dallas against Oklahoma, before Georgia comes to Austin the following week.

Sarkisian said the Longhorns showed poise, and he was pleased they were able to survive their first SEC challenge while letting Ewers recover from a strained oblique injury without having to rush him back.

“We need Quinn back because he’s our quarterback and he’s our leader,” Sarkisian said. “I think that impacts the entire team and belief, but what I think we learned and what Arch learned here over the last 2½ games is this team can count on him too.”

Manning said he was ready for Ewers’ return whenever that might be.

“I think Quinn’s proved himself,” Manning said. “I mean, he led us to the Sugar Bowl last year and he’s played really well this year, so this is his team. I think he’s going to come back and play really well, but I’ll be ready for when my number’s called if they need me. So we’re just going to try and keep this thing rolling.”