Michigan Football opponent deep dive: Get to know the Texas Longhorns

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Michigan Football opponent deep dive: Get to know the Texas Longhorns

The Michigan Wolverines are set to face the Texas Longhorns in the Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31, 3 p.m., ABC). Although the “Consolation Bowl” would be a more apt name, the clash of blue bloods still represents a chance for both teams to finish the season with 10 wins.

Let’s get to know the Longhorns a little better.

How Texas got here

Texas has seemingly lived 12 different lives in one season. Week to week, with ample highs and lows, the Longhorns are one of the most difficult teams to pin down. Entering bowl season as the No. 13 team in the country, Texas has fallen from grace compared to its start. But this is also a team playing its best ball at the right time. Or it could just be another peak before one last valley.

The preseason No. 1 team in the country, the Longhorns were quickly removed from their pedestal after falling 14-7 in Columbus. Quarterback Arch Manning and Texas were endlessly mocked as frauds following the flaccid showing. After outscoring three non-Power 4 teams by a combined score of 120-17, the Longhorns were flexing and rolling entering conference play.

But despite having their swagger back and a bye week to prepare, head coach Steve Sarkisian and the ninth-ranked Longhorns got caught looking ahead when they traveled to the Swamp. Florida — a team that lost to South Florida at home and to Kentucky by 31 — smothered Texas’s run game and stunned the Burnt Orange with a 29-21 win that never felt that close.

Torches were reignited as the mobs began to form ahead of Red River, but the now unranked Longhorns weren’t phased. In his first Red River game, Manning played his best game of the season so far, out-dueling a returning — albeit one-handed — John Mateer, as Texas handed its rival its worst loss of the season, 23-6. Texas was back!

Back in the rankings (No. 21), Texas had a two-game road trip against two eventual five-win teams in Kentucky and Mississippi State. The stretch felt reminiscent of the early-season follow-up to Ohio State — the perfect runway to build momentum. The Longhorns won both games, but no one was inspired by either performance.

Against the Wildcats, Texas was out-gained, 395-179, lost the time of possession battle by nearly 19 minutes, and had 18 fewer first downs. Clinging to life, the game went to overtime. In the extra period, the Wildcats had it 1st-and-goal from the three. After three plays only gained two yards, head coach Mark Stoops opted to go for the touchdown over the field goal. The Longhorns’ defense stood tall, and Texas eventually kicked a field goal to escape Lexington, 16-13.

After going on life support the week before, Texas was dead to rights in Stark Vegas. Trailing 38-21 with 12:29 in the fourth quarter, the Longhorns were on the precipice of losing to a Mississippi State team that had lost 15 straight SEC games. But once again with its back against the wall, Texas found a way in overtime. When the dust settled, on the strength of four consecutive scoring drives, including a punt return touchdown to tie the game and a touchdown pass in overtime from back-up quarterback Matthew Caldwell after Manning was knocked out in the extra period, the Longhorns emerged victorious, 45-38. After going up 17 points, the Bulldogs finished with -16 yards on their final four possessions. Texas was…still alive!

The next week, Texas returned to Austin and jumped ninth-ranked Vanderbilt 17-0 in the first quarter. After three quarters, Texas led 34-10, Vanderbilt’s biggest deficit of the season. The Commodores mounted a Texas-esque comeback in the fourth quarter, but fell short by three points as the Longhorns secured their second Top-10 victory of the season.

Back into the Top-1- with Manning coming off his best performance of the season, Texas traveled to face Georgia, a team that had beaten the Longhorns twice last season. Trailing by four entering the fourth quarter, the Longhorns were in the game. But after a six-minute touchdown drive to pad the lead, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart — knowing Texas had Michael Myers, never say never, tendencies — went for the kill with an onside kick. Following a successful recovery and another sustained drive, the Bulldogs pulled away and added another score late to put Texas away, 35-10. Texas was not back!

Licking their wounds, Texas was still able to handle a 2-10 Arkansas team, 52-37. Entering the Lone Star Showdown, the Longhorns still had an outside shot at making the College Football Playoff. But perhaps more importantly, they had a chance to spoil No. 3 Texas A&M’s undefeated season and prevent their rival from reaching the SEC Championship.

Against the Aggies, Texas put together its most complete game of the season. Manning was efficient as a passer and, for the first time in 2025, the Longhorns had a player break 100 yards rushing as Quintrevion Wisner went for 155 yards on 19 carries. Defensively, the Longhorns held A&M to its second-lowest point total of the season and forced two interceptions to ice the game, 27-17. The win marked Texas’s third Top-10 win of the season and earned the Longhorns a 2-2 record against CFP teams. Texas might be back!

Texas offense – Key stats, players

Breaking in a new quarterback without a consistent run game, Sark has struggled to keep his offense running up to his standards. Entering the bowl game, Texas ranks:

– No. 52 scoring offense (30 points per game) vs. No. 72 Michigan (28 points per game)

– No. 75 total offense (383 yards per game) vs. No. 57 Michigan (399 yards per game)

  • No. 44 in passing (253 yards per game) vs. No. 107 Michigan (187 yards per game)
  • No. 101 in rushing (130 yards per game) vs. No. 16 Michigan (213 yards per game)

One issue the Texas offense has struggled to overcome this season is the loss of four starters from last season’s offensive line. Although Kyle Flood’s position group has improved throughout the season, the unit still ranks No. 106 nationally in tackles for loss and allowed 10 in the win over the Aggies. These negative plays have forced the Longhorns to play behind the sticks, resulting in a below-average third-down success rate of 40 percent (No. 70) and a bad fourth-down success rate of 47 percent (No. 107).

One area Texas is excellent is turnovers. Despite some of Manning’s struggles, this offense has only committed eight turnovers all season, tied for the best mark among Power 4 teams. In all three Top-10 wins, Texas had zero turnovers combined. In all three losses, the Longhorns had at least one turnover in each game.

Team leaders

  • Passing: Arch Manning: 227-of-370 (61 percent), 2,942 yards, 24 touchdowns, seven interceptions
  • Rushing: Quintrevion Wisner: 131 carries, 597 yards (4.4 yards per carry), three touchdowns; Manning: Eight touchdowns
  • Receiving: Ryan Wingo: 50 receptions, 770 yards, seven touchdowns; DeAndre Moore Jr.: 38 receptions, 532 yards, four touchdowns; Parker Livingstone: 26 receptions, 491 yards, six touchdowns 

Texas defense – Key stats, players

Projected by some to be the top unit in the country with stars at every level, the Texas defense has been disjointed. However, when the secondary is playing more consistently, the Longhorns are capable of resembling the team that most thought they would be preseason. Entering the bowl game, Texas ranks: 

– No. 23 scoring defense (20 points per game) vs. No. 16 Michigan (19 points per game)

– No. 37 total defense (336 yards per game) vs. No. 21 Michigan (312 yards per game)

  • No. 101 against the pass (238 yards per game) vs. No. 52 Michigan (211 yards per game)
  • No. 10 against the run (98 yards per game) vs. No. 13 Michigan (102 yards per game)

The front seven is ferocious. A top-five Power 4 team in sacks, the Longhorns are led by versatile linebackers Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill Jr. It remains to be seen if the latter will play in the bowl, but Simmons, a sophomore and one of the best pass rushers in the country, will be looking to wreck the game from the edge. With a struggling secondary, Texas’s defensive success is heavily dependent on its star pass rusher getting home.

In the secondary, the unit’s interception production is similar to Michigan’s. Both units have forced 13 interceptions this year, with no single player securing more than three. Although the unit struggled for the majority of the second half of the season, the finale against Texas A&M was the secondary’s best performance of the season.

Against the run, Texas is one of the best teams in the country. However, after only allowing two teams all season to cross the century mark, the Longhorns were unable to hold any of their final three opponents under 120 yards.

Team leaders

  • Tackles: Safety Jelani McDonald (73), safety Michael Taafe (70), linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (69), linebacker Liona Lefau (69)
  • Sacks: Linebacker Colin Simmons (11), linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (four)
  • TFLs: Linebacker Colin Simmons (13.5), linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (seven), defensive end Ethan Burke (seven)
  • Interceptions: Jelani McDonald (three)
  • Forced Fumbles: Linebacker Colin Simmons (three), linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (three)

Texas special teams – Key stats, players

Texas has won games this season because of its special teams. Led by a dynamic return man and the leg of a kicker who is making 94 percent of kicks inside the 50-yard line, the Longhorns have had a vastly different season on the third side of the ball compared to the Wolverines. Entering the bowl game, Texas ranks:

  • Punting: No. 27 Texas (45 yards per punt) vs. N/A Michigan (43 yards per punt)
  • Kicking: No. 43 Texas (82 percent) vs. No. 110 Michigan (68 percent)
  • Punt Returning: No. 2 Texas (23 yards per punt, two touchdowns) vs. No. 127 Michigan (four yards per return)
  • Kick Returning: No. 128 Texas (14.8 yards per return) vs. No. 125 Michigan (15.2 yards per return)

The name to know here is punt returner Ryan Niblett. Although he has not reached his potential as a wide receiver, the third-year player is one of the most electric players in college football. Niblett housed two punts this season, including the season-saver at Mississippi State, and averages 37 return yards per game. For comparison, Semaj Morgan has accrued 30 punt return yards TOTAL this season. Moreover, Texas is undefeated in games where Niblett has more than 20 return yards.

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