Texas Longhorns didn’t drop hammer on UTSA. Are there concerns entering SEC play?

It wasn’t the quietest game week, but once the No. 1 Texas Longhorns got to their happy place, it was business as usual Saturday night.

One caveat regarding Austin’s local tackle football team running its record to 3-0 with its 30-6 blowout of scrappy but outclassed UTSA: It wasn’t the steamrolling that many expected, at least not from an offensive perspective. The Horns totaled 397 yards, but they were a sputtering 397 yards.

The first half was similar to last week in that the the score at the break read 20-3, the difference being it was the Horns striding into the locker room with the lead this time around. And in case you made a beer run to the fridge at intermission, yes, head coach Steve Sarkisian stuck around for the interview this time around.

The defense picked up where it left off in the second half last week when it held the Buckeyes to three second-half points, but there is some concern with star edge rusher Colin Simmons, who was spotted in street clothes in the third quarter with a protective boot on his foot.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks the field during the game against UTSA at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 19, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)

No. 15 Tennessee, a 42-9 winner over Kennesaw State, will surely provide a sturdier test in Knoxville. Here’s the question: Will this offense wake up before 100,000-plus at Neyland Stadium in the SEC opener? While the Horns were never threatened, this was never about beating UTSA. Week 3 was about improving. Offensively, that didn’t happen on a consistent basis.

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While young running back Derrek Cooper dazzled late with some good power running and his first career touchdown, Texas struggled in pass protection and red zone efficiency. Meanwhile, quarterback Arch Manning improved to 11-0 in home starts and took some nice shots downfield to electric wideout Cam Coleman – who caught a pair of touchdowns in the first half – but he also took the kind of shots that grandfather Archie warned him about, the sort that come from the guys looking to take your head off.

Manning literally lost his helmet on a third-down scramble, leading to a collective gasp from the 103,753 at Royal-Memorial Stadium.

UTSA Roadrunners quarterback Owen McCown (2) evades a tackle from Texas Longhorns linebacker Justin Cryer (28) in the first quarter of the Longhorns’ game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 19, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

He was fine, even if the overall numbers were meh. Manning finished 16 of 32 for 161 yards and the aforementioned scores – pedestrian numbers that will have to improve if the Horns are to live up to that lofty ranking.

The good thing about a win is that the coaching staff has the license to get after the troops even harder this coming week. The Horns, to a man, understand the stakes at play. Rallying to beat Ohio State took a mountain of pressure off the program’s back because the unspoken goal is to finish 10-2 or better to ensure a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The Longhorns are in good shape, but the Tennessee showing had better be tidier, lest they will be looking at loss No. 1.

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This article originally published at Texas Longhorns didn’t drop hammer on UTSA. Are there concerns entering SEC play? | Golden.

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