I feel so tacky right now. After watching the Longhorns defeat the Wolverines again in Orlando, it might be possible to ring in the new year on Cheez-Its. Much of the game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams taking turns throwing punches, but the Longhorns made a haymaker in the final stretch, keeping Michigan from answering in the ten-count.
There are definitely ups and downs in this game, but after what we saw on the field in Orlando, those ups and downs are sure to have Longhorn Nation excited heading into 2026. In this final edition of thoughts and observations, we welcome the new year with good vibes. I wish there was more on the agenda, but there isn’t. Let’s end the year in style.
Hope you haven’t sold your Archie Manning stock
It could be him wearing No. 16 in burnt orange and white, which is bad news for the college football world heading into 2026.
Manning’s production has been on the rise over the second half of the season, but on Wednesday, it felt like we finally got to see it all as we last saw him before heading into the offseason. Manning was strong in the first half against the Wolverines, making plays with his arms and legs, but in the final stretch of the game, he took over and put the game away.
advertise
After using his legs for a huge first down, Manning threw an absolute dime to true freshman Kalik Lockett that gave the Longhorns the win for good.
Manning’s business isn’t over yet. The defense turned over Bryce Underwood for the second time, and Manning really put the icing on the cake, breaking through the Michigan defense and getting sixty yards away from everyone.
We’ve seen Archie play with his feet before, but the big run against Texas A&M and the 60 yards against Michigan were in a completely different category, and these are things that will keep defensive coordinators up at night. We’re now seeing him attack at a high level, stay calm and show toughness. If this isn’t what everyone is expecting when they complain about the hype he’s gotten this year, then I don’t know what else to tell you.
advertise
Manning was a well-deserved MVP of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, completing 22/34 for 221 yards passing and two touchdowns and rushing for 155 yards and two more scores.
Manning finished his season with 3,163 passing yards (including 26 passing touchdowns) and 399 rushing yards (another 10 touchdowns on the ground).
If you sold your shares to Mr. Manning early on, you may be priced too high to buy them back at that time. If you think hype is important heading into 2025, be prepared for the volume to rise by about 100 decibels this offseason.
Ty Anthony Smith is a DAWG
With Anthony Hill declaring for the NFL Draft and Leona Love entering the transfer portal, Texas needs someone at linebacker in this game. That man is second-year linebacker Ty Anthony Smith.
Smith was outstanding as a freshman last year and played some games as a sophomore, but he took a big step forward Wednesday and showed he’s ready to be that guy and fill the two big spots left by Hill.
This play to challenge Underwood reminded me of Jayland Ford not too long ago, when he had a knack for playing in passing lanes and running the ball. This play was the beginning of the end for Michigan because just seconds after this play ended, Archie would do whoever it was.
So good he had to do it twice! This one will be good on Sunday. Smith having a coming out party in this spot is exactly what Texas needs heading into the offseason. The late recruiting cycle flips for Hill and Smith have paid dividends for the Texas defense since they arrived on campus.
advertise
Christian Clark throws himself a coming out party
Speaking of those who have established themselves in important positions. Christian Clark does just that on offense in Orlando. Texas lost its two most experienced linebackers, Quintrevion Wisner and C.J. Baxter, to the transfer portal and greener pastures, so it’s crucial that someone steps up to fill that void. Clark not only improved, but had the second-best performance among Texas running backs this year.
We’ve seen Clark here and there all season, but this was his best look yet in the burnt orange and white and played a key role in keeping Steve Sarkisian on the ball against the Wolverines in this matchup. Michigan has to respect Texas’ running attack, whether Aggie goes against the script or puts the ball in Clark’s belly in a traditional running style. That was enough to throw the Michigan defense off balance and have to think more.
advertise
Clark finished the game with 20 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown early in the game. One carry of 5.3 yards, which can go a long way in this profession, earned Mr. Clark a nice cap tip and game ball for his coming-out party.
Texas offensive line keeps Aggies clean
Anytime you put in a goose egg in sacks allowed and help pave the way for 200-plus yards rushing, you deserve a little thumbs up. Texas’ offensive line hasn’t performed up to par often this season, but in Orlando they shut down Michigan’s pass rush and gave Aggie time to scan the field throughout the game.
They also paved the way for two 100-yard rushers in Clark and Manning, who were credited with keeping the offense from becoming one-dimensional. This team as a whole has to do better heading into the critical 2026 season, but overall, I was pleased with their performance in Orlando.
advertise
The defense was short-handed but still made some big plays in the game.
One of the biggest storylines from the game was how many impact players on the Texas defense opted out of the bowl game as a result of declaring for the NFL Draft. Texas is short players at every level of the defense due to the declaration, but the secondary is especially short-handed with the likes of Malik Muhammad and Michael Taaffe departing for the NFL.
This opens the door for players like the aforementioned Ty’Anthony Smith and Waddle Mack to provide more snaps.
It was previously reported that Mack would be testing his options in the transfer portal, so seeing him play there for Texas is encouraging and gives you hope that the Texans staff can convince him to stay.
Mack has excelled when he’s been given the chance to play, and he certainly has a chance to earn a starting spot in 2026.
Even though the fumble was overturned, it was encouraging to see Gina Mayozulu flash here and make a big play for Texas. He’s another guy who’s starting to look at a bigger role on defense next year.
advertise
Was Texas’ defense perfect in this game? No. Is there still a lot of work to do next year? Yes. But it’s great to see a lot of young guys getting valuable reps in this game so they can get on the field. While this is just an exhibition game on paper, those on-field reps will pay dividends next year.
This is how the book ends for the 2025 season, and it’s both interesting and meaningful. Although Texas just missed the playoffs, they rallied in the final stretch of the season and ended the season with a 10-3 victory. Texas needs 10 or more wins every year if it wants to continue to be viewed as the state of Texas, so hitting that benchmark is both necessary and desirable.
I know things are coming to an end in 2025, but I’m already very excited about what 2026 holds. Entering next year, Archie Manning will be one of the most talked about players in the country. Texas will be a big buyer in the transfer portal. As Sarkisian and his staff prepare for a massive 2026 event in Austin, expectations will be as high as they should be.
advertise
As usual, I want to thank all my dear readers for following the season and taking the time to read my post-game ramblings. Without you, this would basically be a dear journal entry for me, so I appreciate all of you taking the time to read my thoughts on Longhorn football. Whether we agree, disagree, or meet somewhere in the middle, I am grateful for each of you as we enter the new year.
As I come to the end of 2025, I want to leave you with this. Make sure you hug someone and tell them you love them and know that it’s not goodbye, but just see you later, until the fall. I look forward to meeting my BON friends at the same time and place in the fall of 2026. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Hook them!