AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas ended Alabama’s long home winning streak last season with Quinn Ewers throwing to big and fast receivers who are now in the NFL.
The No. 3 Longhorns play at No. 10 Michigan on Saturday with Ewers throwing to a mostly new receiving corps, one rebuilt through the transfer portal with smaller but fast players who could pose a challenge for a Wolverines secondary that features preseason All-American cornerback Will Johnson but only one other player with extensive starting experience.
The game at the Big House is the first regular-season matchup of the two historic programs, and the only top-10 matchup of the week. The Longhorns (1-0) and Wolverines (1-0) have not played each other since the 2005 Rose Bowl. Michigan, the defending national champion, has won 23 in a row at home.
Texas will be throwing it around. Ewers spread the ball to 10 different receivers in the first half alone of Texas’ 52-0 opening romp over Colorado State. Top transfers Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden and Silas Bolden all caught touchdowns in their debuts.
“We need like two quarterbacks back there to throw to all those guys,” Ewers said.
In a way, Texas did. Ewers left the game in the third quarter for top backup Arch Manning to throw his first career TD pass.
Texas lost its top five receivers from the 2023 Big 12 championship team. Ewers’ favorite targets then were Xavier Worthy and A.D. Mitchell, who combined for three touchdowns in the big win at Alabama. That game set up the Longhorns’ run to the program’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
But even before they left campus, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns had propped the transfer portal wide open with an enticing invitation for 2024: join an elite offense with a big-armed QB just as the program heads into its first season in the SEC.
Golden was the first one in. He caught two touchdowns against the Longhorns last season with Houston, then caught two more in his burnt orange debut last week. One was a no-look pass from Ewers.
Next in was Bond, who left Alabama after coach Nick Saban retired. Bond was the Crimson Tide’s leading receiver last season. Bond has not yet met with reporters at Texas, but told ESPN in January that the chance to play with Ewers was a big factor in his decision.
“(Ewers) is top pick in the draft next year. I’m also going to be a top pick. It’s going to be a good duo,” Bond said.
A few days later, Bolden committed from Oregon State, where he was the Beavers’ top receiver. He is also the Longhorns No. 1 punt returner, and set up Golden’s second touchdown last week with a 35-yard return.
“We’ve got a lot of weapons,” Golden said.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian praised all three, and Ewers’ leadership in spring practice and summer workouts, for the seamless transition within the offense.
“They played with a lot of confidence. That’s half the battle. When you know what to do, you play fast. And that’s where we’re pretty dangerous,” Sarkisian said.
As a group, the newcomers are on the small side. Golden is the biggest at 6-foot, 195 pounds. But all bring top-level speed that can stretch a defense and burn up chunks of yards in the blink of an eye. Sarkisian’s offense thrives on personnel mismatches in open space.
“They’re all fast. They’re all playmakers,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “The big thing that stands out is their speed, their ability to separate.”
Texas goes deeper than just those three. The Longhorns have a legitimate six-man rotation that also boasts freshman Ryan Wingo, a five-star recruit who had four catches for 70 yards in the opener.
“(Last year) we had to keep guys on the field that were probably too tired to play at a really optimal level. Now we have a really good rotation and they’ve earned our trust. I’m very comfortable with those six guys,” Sarkisian said.
Michigan has played Bond before. He caught four passes for 47 yards but did not score against the Wolverines in last season’s Rose Bowl playoff matchup that Michigan won in overtime. Johnson, Michigan’s shutdown corner, remembers Bond from that game. And he was on a 7-on-7 team with Golden in high school.
The Longhorns won’t just yield the field to Johnson. Fresno State didn’t last week, when Johnson allowed five catches before closing out a 30-10 Michigan win with an 86-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“They are very explosive with a lot of experience,” Johnson said of Texas. “When the ball is thrown my way, I have to make a play.”
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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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