Texas is the new No. 1 team in college football. What have we learned and what is still unclear?

Texas is back…at #1.

For the first time in nearly 16 years, the Longhorns top the Associated Press Top 25, surpassing Georgia when the latest poll was released Sunday. That achievement now carries little tangible significance for the Longhorns; how they fare in their inaugural season of SEC play will determine how realistic their national championship hopes are. Still, it’s a landmark achievement for a program that has been put through the wringer since its last appearance at No. 1 on Oct. 26, 2008.

Texas has been dominant through the first three weeks of this season. But there’s still a lot to learn about the 2024 Longhorns, who host Louisiana-Monroe in their non-conference finale on Saturday before their SEC schedule begins on Oct. 5.

And last Saturday, things got even more interesting when starting quarterback Quinn Ewers suffered an oblique muscle injury and Arch Manning came in and won the rest of the game against UTSA.

Let’s take a look at what we know – and what we don’t know – about what is currently the best team in the country.

What we know

We no longer have to wonder if Texas is back.

Years after ESPN commentator Joe Tessitore stated: “Texas is back, people!” When Tyrone Swoopes scored a game-winning touchdown against Notre Dame to open the 2016 season, the line was used as a joke by opposing fans while the Longhorns tried their best.

Last year’s College Football Playoff appearance was Texas’ best season since 2009, and three games into this year, the undefeated Longhorns show no signs of slowing down. The roster is loaded, the coaching staff is stable, and Texas’ recruiting is top-notch. It’s too early to say the Longhorns will repeat their 2001-09 run, when they went 101-16. The new 16-team SEC is going to be a bear for years to come.

But the foundation has been laid and all the pieces are in place for Texas to consistently compete for the championship. That can only happen if the Longhorns keep the machine running the way it is now.

The Longhorns are in good hands at the QB position.

Texas already had one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Quinn Ewers, who was playing better than ever in a Texas uniform before an oblique injury sidelined him from the Longhorns’ 56-7 win over UTSA on Saturday.

But all is well, because the Longhorns also have Arch Manning.

The redshirt freshman with the famous last name has been the subject of intense curiosity since he emerged as a recruit, but he had only 27 college snaps to his name before this season. His appearance in the season-opening 52-0 win over Colorado State included four runs, 26 snaps and his first career touchdowns, but on Saturday we got a real dose of what Manning looks like with the first team.

In just 29 snaps over two-plus quarters, he was terrific. He threw four touchdown passes and showed impressive speed on a 67-yard touchdown run. He ran the offense cleanly and efficiently, taking care of the ball well and not making any major unforced errors.

Yes, it was an overmatched UTSA team that Manning faced, and no, it won’t always be as easy for him as it was Saturday night. But so far, Manning’s skills and mastery of the position have been impressive. He seems more than capable of leading the Longhorns for however long they need him if Ewers is out for a game or two.

Don’t expect this to be a quarterback controversy while Ewers is sidelined. Ewers, a three-year veteran of this offense, is one of the team’s leaders and one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He was also once the No. 1 recruit in the country and is a potential first-round NFL Draft pick.

Manning is supremely skilled and talented, but has only played 82 college snaps. If Ewers returns from injury, he will still be QB1.

GALLING DEEPER

Arch Manning transferring from Texas would never have made sense

The new receivers are fantastic.

One of the Longhorns’ biggest questions entering this season was how they would replenish their receiving corps after all three of their 2023 starters — Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and Jordan Whittington — were drafted. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian went to work in the portal and the recruiting process to address those losses, adding transfers Isaiah Bond (Alabama), Matthew Golden (Houston) and Silas Bolden (Oregon State) and signing four high school receivers, headlined by five-star prospect Ryan Wingo.

Through three games, Bond and Golden have quickly established themselves as impact players. Bond leads the team with 13 catches for 215 yards; Golden is second on the team with 12 catches for 125 yards. They both have three touchdown catches, and Golden also serves as the primary kickoff returner.

Bolden has been a rotational receiver but is a reliable punt returner, a role he played at Oregon State. The biggest revelation at the position is Wingo, who has quickly become a big-play dynamo. Six of his seven receptions have been for 15 or more yards, including three for 30 or more yards. He also had a 55-yard run against Michigan on a reverse. Wingo is averaging 31.5 yards per touchdown.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever met a guy, through three games, who had the explosive playmaking ability that he has,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters Monday. “He’ll tell you … he’s not finished yet. We’re still working on a lot of the details of his game, but he’s definitely got a very, very bright future.”

At tight end, the absence of fellow NFL Draft pick Ja’Tavion Sanders has also been compensated for, but not with a transfer. Senior Gunnar Helm has blossomed into a reliable pass catcher with 10 receptions for 189 yards.

So far the passing game has been going well.

The depth of Texas is as advertised.

At the start of the season, Sarkisian said he wanted to give as many players as possible snaps early in the season — including snaps in the first half — to shore up depth for what he hopes will be a title race deep into January. So far, that plan has played out as he hoped.

Through three games, no defender in the front seven has played more than 40 snaps in a single game, according to Pro Football Focus. Much of that is due to the Longhorns’ dominant leadoff position, but even in the game against Michigan, where Sarkisian shortened the rotation on both offense and defense, most defenders played 40 snaps or fewer.

Texas went three-deep at most positions on defense against Colorado State and UTSA and in a handful of areas on offense in those two games. Even against Michigan, the Longhorns were able to get some solid help from second teamers in the game.

Sarkisian pointed out that against UTSA, 77 of Texas’ 120 players played, six players scored touchdowns, nine players carried the football and 11 caught a pass. On defense, 28 players recorded a defensive stat.

They have a good defense.

The loss of key players like defensive linemen T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy, linebacker Jaylan Ford and cornerback Ryan Watts to the draft left at least some doubt as to whether the Longhorns would be as strong defensively as they were in 2023, when they ranked third nationally in run defense and second in third-down conversions. It’s not as dominant as it was then, but it’s still a solid unit: The 2024 Longhorns rank 11th in third-down defense and 44th in run defense.

And in the most important area — points allowed — Texas excelled. The Longhorns allowed just 6.3 points per game.

“We’re tackling really, really well,” Sarkisian said. “We’re attacking the ball now. Defensively, we’re creating turnovers and they’re having a lot of fun with it.”

They are much better in the red zone.

Last season, the red zone offense was one of the Longhorns’ biggest weaknesses. They ranked 120th nationally in red zone touchdown rate, finding the end zone on just 50.8 percent of their trips inside the 20. This year, they’ve completely reversed that trend, ranking seventh nationally in touchdowns on 14 of their 16 red zone trips. Sarkisian attributed the improvement to his team’s discipline, minimizing self-inflicted mistakes in that area of ​​the field, and simplifying his red zone call sheet to focus on a smaller set of plays that Texas has feverishly implemented.

What we don’t know

How will Texas fare in the SEC?

So far, all signs point to the Longhorns as an SEC title contender. The Longhorns are big in the trenches, fast on the perimeter and deep at key positions thanks to the roster Sarkisian and his staff have built since his first year at Texas. But it’s one thing to prepare for the grind of an SEC schedule and another to endure it. Will the run defense hold up week after week? Can Texas win its clunkers in conference play as it did in its last Big 12 campaign, most notably against Houston and Kansas State? The Longhorns will need the mental discipline to rise to any opponent.

Can the Longhorns also play at the back?

The Longhorns haven’t trailed in a single game all season. In 180 minutes of play, Texas was tied for just 21 minutes and 43 seconds, according to TruMedia. The Longhorns have led the rest of the time they’ve been on the court. How will they respond when they’re in trouble, especially in the second half?

How good is the run defense?

Last season, Texas was elite at stopping the run, allowing just 2.9 yards per rush and 82.4 rushing yards per game. This year, opponents have more space to run, averaging 3.5 yards per rush and 108.7 rushing yards per game. It’s not like the floodgates have opened. Texas still ranks in the top half of Power 4 teams in run defense, and the Longhorns held the one ranked opponent they faced, run-heavy Michigan, to just 80 rushing yards. But it will be worth watching to see how the Longhorns do against higher-caliber opponents who try to run right at them.

Can the running backs hold up?

Texas has taken a major hit on its running back depth chart this season.

The Longhorns lost starting running back C.J. Baxter and true freshman Christian Clark to season-ending injuries in training camp. Jaydon Blue was the next to start and performed well when he was available, but he missed the UTSA game.

Sophomore Tre Wisner has been solid, and Gibson is an encouraging option as a true freshman. Getting Blue back to full health will be a boost. The longer Texas can keep the trio of Blue, Wisner and Gibson healthy, the better.

In addition to those three players, Sarkisian also moved receiver Ryan Niblett to running back and has also given carries to walk-on Colin Page and transfer Velton Gardner, a former SMU running back who Texas pulled from the portal in August after injuries to Baxter and Clark.

How will they fare in critical times?

In each of their first three games, the Longhorns entered the fourth quarter with at least a three-touchdown lead. Going into SEC play, those margins won’t always be so wide, and their mettle will be tested. Texas’ two-step against Oklahoma and Georgia in mid-October looks to be the first real challenge on the schedule.

(Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images)