No. 1 Texas Hosts Mississippi State In SEC Debut

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns will suit up this Saturday for their highly anticipated SEC debut against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

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What To Know: Texas Longhorns

The biggest on-field question for the Longhorns is the availability of junior quarterback Quinn Ewers, who suffered an oblique strain two weeks ago.

In the event that their star quarterback is inactive, freshman backup Arch Manning has displayed promising play thus far. He stepped in for Ewers in the second quarter of their game against UTSA and immediately impressed, maintaining Texas’ momentum. He finished that game with 276 total yards and five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing).

Subsequently, Manning officially made his first career start last Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe. It was a rough start, as he threw an interception on his first possession. However, Manning showed resilience and responded well as the game progressed. He finished Texas’ 51-3 win with 258 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

On the other side of the ball, the Longhorns are currently tied for the best scoring defense in the nation, with an average of just 5.5 points allowed per game.

Despite the change of pace, Texas seems to be embracing the challenging road ahead of them. Head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke on the team’s SEC debut and how they are approaching the game.

What To Know: Mississippi State Bulldogs

The Bulldogs are coming off a 45-28 loss to the Gators in their conference opener. With his squad having lost its last three games, first-year head coach Jeff Lebby has gotten off to a rough start in his Mississippi State tenure.

To add insult to injury, starting quarterback Blake Shapen will miss the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury suffered near the end of last week’s game. True freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. took his place for the rest of the afternoon, guiding two lengthy drives in relief.

Lebby looks to create a winning environment for his signal caller as the year progresses.

Viewers can tune in to the game on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network.