Texas Opens Season with a Statement, Blows Out Texas State 59-7

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas didn’t waste any time making a statement in its 2026 season opener, burying Texas State under a 59-7 final that was over almost as soon as it started.

Arch Manning set the tone from the jump, needing just four plays to find Cam Coleman for a 6-yard touchdown less than five minutes into the game. He wasn’t done. Manning connected with Ryan Wingo for an 8-yard score before the first quarter even ended, and Texas had a 14-0 lead before Texas State’s offense had a chance to find any rhythm.

The Bobcats tried to answer, but the game slipped away from them in the second quarter. Texas extended the lead to 21-0 on a 13-yard Raleek Brown touchdown run, and then the Longhorn defense delivered the knockout blow — Graceson Littleton scooped up a Texas State fumble and raced 59 yards to the house, pushing the score to 28-0. Texas State finally got on the board late in the half on a 4-yard touchdown run, but by then the deficit was already 28-7 and the game had the feel of a rout.

Texas never let off the gas. Manning added two more touchdown passes in the third quarter — a 20-yarder to Coleman and a 13-yarder to Hollywood Smothers — and Brown broke off a 21-yard touchdown run of his own to make it 49-7 through three. Gianni Spetic tacked on a 48-yard field goal in the fourth, and James Simon capped the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run to set the final margin at 59-7.

By the numbers, Texas piled up 516 yards of total offense to Texas State’s 349, and Manning finished 20-of-27 passing for 305 yards and four touchdowns. Texas also won the turnover battle in a big way, turning three Texas State fumbles and a Bobcat give-away into 14 points, with Littleton’s fumble-return score standing out as the game’s biggest defensive play. Jelani McDonald led all tacklers with eight stops for the Longhorn defense.

Texas State’s Brad Jackson threw for 150 yards but was intercepted once and never found the end zone through the air, with the Bobcats’ only points coming on the ground. Texas State also missed both of its field goal attempts on the night.

Texas moves to 1-0 on the season. Texas State falls to 0-1.