The Texas Longhorns, ranked third, faced a setback when starting quarterback Quinn Ewers had to exit their match against Texas-San Antonio due to injury.

While the Longhorns led 14-0 with 12:19 remaining in the second quarter, Ewers started limping off the field after a handoff, and eventually went down to one knee, resulting in a stoppage of play. Redshirt freshman Arch Manning stepped in for Ewers during the game.

On his first attempt, Manning faked a handoff and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore Jr., increasing Texas’s lead to 21-0. Continuing his momentum, Manning then ran for a dazzling 67-yard touchdown, extending the Longhorns’ lead to 28-7 before the halftime break.

After Manning’s touchdown run, Ewers left the field with a towel covering his head and headed to the locker room. Coach Steve Sarkisian mentioned during an ESPN broadcast that Ewers has a strained abdomen and will not be returning to the game.

Prior to his exit, Ewers was considered one of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy, having led Texas past Michigan the previous week. Over his first two games, he accumulated 506 yards and six touchdowns, in addition to the two touchdown passes he threw before leaving the game on Saturday.

This marked Manning’s second appearance of the season. A five-star recruit from the 2023 class, Manning had previously played in the second half against Colorado State on August 31, where he contributed two touchdowns in a 52-0 victory.