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· collected 2026-09-06 · by Jim Vertuno The Associated Press
The No. 5 Longhorns football team, led by new quarterback Arch Manning, defeated Texas State with a strong performance from their transfers, who made significant contributions in the game. Wide receiver Cam Coleman caught two touchdowns and Hollywood Smothers had a 45-yard run that set up the first touchdown. The transfer portal additions, including linebacker Rasheem Biles, also made key plays on defense. Overall, 22 transfers joined the team this season.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Arch Manning, a quarterback for No. 5 Texas, threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns in the Longhorns' season opener against Texas State, leading his team to a dominant 59-7 win. The game was played on Saturday, with Manning connecting with wide receiver Cam Coleman for two of those touchdowns, including one on the Longhorns' first touchdown of the season. Coleman, who transferred from Auburn, had a strong debut with three catches for 70 yards. Another transfer, Raleek Brown, scored twice as well. The win sets the stage for next week's showdown against No. 1 Ohio State, which has beaten Texas in recent years, including in the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinals and last year's season opener.
Written for “Texas Season Opener Football” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
The big group of Texas transfers brought the big plays and the big violence to their burnt orange debut, a romp over Texas State.
asserted
group → bring → State
The No. 5 Longhorns will want more of that next Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State.
asserted
Longhorns → want → State
Wide receiver Cam Coleman caught Texas’ first touchdown of the season from Arch Manning, then added a second one in the second half.
asserted
Coleman → catch → half
Hollywood Smothers set up the first TD with a 45-yard run on the Longhorns’ first play.
asserted
Smothers → set → play
Raleek Brown ran for two touchdowns.
asserted
Brown → run → touchdowns
And linebacker Rasheem Biles forced a fumble and had an interception.
asserted
Biles → force → interception
Texas made a big push in the transfer portal to upgrade at key positions after missing the College Football Playoff last season.
asserted
Texas → make → Playoff
It was done with an eye toward what comes next: a Week 2 showdown with the Buckeyes.
asserted
what → do → Buckeyes
Ohio State has gotten the best of Texas in recent years.
asserted
State → get → years
The Buckeyes won a CFP semifinals matchup in 2024, and beat Texas again in the 2025 season opener.
asserted
Buckeyes → win → opener
“The new faces showed up,” in front of a sellout crowd of more than 102,000 against Texas State, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said after the opening victory.
asserted
Sarkisian → show → victory
Sarkisian expected nothing less.
asserted
Sarkisian → expect → nothing
He brought in the offensive firepower to build a big-strike unit around QB Manning.
asserted
He → bring → Manning
Sarkisian had noted in the offseason that Texas let some trusted veterans leave because the program felt like it could find better players.
uncertain
it → note → players
Overall, Texas brought in 22 transfers.
asserted
Texas → bring → transfers
Coleman, who transferred from Auburn, and Biles, who came from Pitt, were two of the most coveted players across college football.
asserted
who → transfer → football
Smothers, who transferred from N.C. State, brings an explosiveness Texas hasn’t had in the backfield since Bijan Robinson in 2022.
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Texas → transfer → 2022
Manning appreciates the new level of talent.
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Manning → appreciate → talent
“I liked how we got a lot of guys involved,” he said.
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he → like → guys
“We have a lot of playmakers who can do everything.”
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who → have → everything
Wide receiver Ryan Wingo likes it, too.
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Wingo → like → it
He led Texas with seven receptions for 121 yards and had a touchdown Saturday.
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He → lead → touchdown
“That dude is good,” Wingo said of Coleman.
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Wingo → say → Coleman
“And, yes, he’s a luxury for sure.
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he → ’ → ?
We’ve got a lot of tools.”
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We → get → tools
Biles can seemingly do everything himself on defense.
asserted
Biles → do → defense
Against Texas State, he crashed into ball carriers and chased receivers.
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he → crash → receivers
On the fumble he caused, Biles used a short punch to knock out the ball that teammate Graceson Littleton scooped up for a 59-yard touchdown.
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Littleton → cause → touchdown
“He’s a violent player,” Sarkisian said.
asserted
Sarkisian → ’ → ?
“The play he made to cause that fumble was elite.
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he → make → fumble
He has those instincts about him.”
asserted
He → have → him
Said Biles: “It was a telephone booth type of tackle: just me and him.
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It → say → tackle
I punched at it.”
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I → punch → it
Biles’ interception in the second half also set up a Texas touchdown.
asserted
interception → set → touchdown
After the interception, Biles ran toward Texas’ massive live steer mascot, Bevo, in his pen.
“That’s what everybody says to do: Get an interception, go straight to Bevo,” Biles said.
asserted
Biles → run → Bevo
