Just in time for Texas’ first visit to the Big House: Beer will now be sold in-stadium to the biggest party in football by virtue of 600 “tanks” located throughout Michigan’s century-old facility. Exactly what capacity the term constitutes isn’t clear, though “tanked” might describe the stadium nicely Saturday.
Hazards await the third-ranked Longhorns at the historic home of the defending national champs. Tenth-ranked Michigan has won 16 games in a row, 41 of 44 and 23 straight at the Big House.
The good news for Texas is that, even if this is its first trip to Ann Arbor, it’s not like the Longhorns are strangers to hostile environments.
Last year’s trip to Tuscaloosa comes to mind, as does the stamp of validation that went with it.
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The Longhorns were also third in the nation last year when they beat fifth-ranked Alabama, 34-24, at Bryant-Denny Stadium, thus providing Texas an argument with the College Football Playoff committee the rest of the season. Even losing to Oklahoma didn’t ruin the Longhorns’ chances, which were solidified after the Sooners lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State and Texas ran the Big 12 table.
Steve Sarkisian counts on the experience factor. Literally. He cited the number of Longhorns who will be on the sideline Saturday and were also on hand in Tuscaloosa. Forty-six, over half the roster. The experience from that game, he said at his weekly news conference, will help this week.
Especially as the veterans recall the poise and confidence required to rally from a 16-13 deficit going into the fourth quarter.
“There are a hundred thousand of them that want us to play bad,” he said of the Michigan crowd, “and about a hundred of us that want to play good.
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“We need to lean into that hundred and make sure we’re as strong as we can be.”
Even if they’re in the minority at the Big House, Texas surely owns the advantage in personnel at quarterback. Quinn Ewers is coming off a win over Colorado State in which he completed 20 of 27 passes for 260 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. The biggest problem with the pick was that the Longhorns were in position to kick a field goal. Ewers explained to his coach that he was simply trying to throw the ball away, failed and let it go at that.
Sark remembers when an interception might crush Ewers’ confidence. Not against Colorado State. He was otherwise on time, accurate and in command.
“All a byproduct,” Sark said, “of his confidence level.”
Behind Ewers, of course, is Arch Manning, the most famous understudy in college football, who was responsible for a couple of touchdowns in relief against Colorado State.
Meanwhile, first-year coach Sherrone Moore went into the Wolverines’ opener last week against Fresno State with two quarterbacks who’d thrown 15 passes between them in college.
Davis Warren is a senior who overcame cancer in high school and the stigma of walk-on status at the game’s most star-driven position. He ended up No. 1 over Alex Orji, a Jalen Milroe starter kit, because he comes closer to running Michigan’s preferred offense the way J.J. McCarthy did. Warren was 15 of 25 for 118 yards with a touchdown and interception against Fresno State while Orji completed one of his two attempts.
The Longhorns will see both Saturday, occasionally at the same time. Orji, at 6-3, 235, is too big and talented to leave on the bench.
Michigan still boasts a great defense, but the offensive capability that made it the most balanced team in the playoffs is no longer a given. Besides the inexperience at quarterback, Warren and Orji are working behind a raw offensive line.
Texas, a touchdown favorite, is far more explosive.
If you’re inclined to wager, give the points.
The difference between Saturday’s marquee matchup, commanding the attention of both Fox and ESPN, and last year’s lollapalooza in Tuscaloosa, is that there’s not as much on the line. The new 12-team playoff means a loss to a contender early in the season is no longer a potential deal-breaker.
“Because of the new format,” Sark said this week, “I like this matchup even more. This is why you come to a Texas or you go to a Michigan is to play in games like this. Our guys love these opportunities. We get to play a marquee game on the road in a great environment for college football.
“On the same token, if you win it, it’s great. If you don’t, it isn’t going to kill you. This game isn’t going to define our season. If we win the game, it isn’t going to automatically declare us to be this great team.
“If we don’t win the game, it doesn’t mean the season was a failure.”
What Saturday’s game represents, Sark said, is a “barometer of where we’re at.” Michigan will expose their weaknesses, thus potentially giving them time to correct them before their first SEC season kicks in.
Like last week’s visit of Notre Dame to Texas A&M, the marquee non-conference games are good for college football fans and media, too. They won’t be the last of their kind, either. Texas gets Ohio State in ‘25 and ‘26 and Michigan in Austin in ‘27. Not so long ago, this kind of scheduling might not have seemed like such a good idea. Tells you how far Texas has come, even if there’s still a ways to go.
Twitter/X: @KSherringtonDMN
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Publish date : 2024-09-06 11:26:00
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