Sam Houston vs Texas: Texas dominates Sam Houston 55-0 behind Arch Manning’s 309 passing yards & five total touchdowns in their final nonconference game. Read full Texas vs Sam Houston recap, key stats, standings implications & what’s next for Longhorns Football.

Background Context

• Teams & Records Coming In
  The Texas Longhorns entered the matchup ranked No. 8 in the AP poll with a 2-1 record, following wins over San Jose State and UTEP and a season-opening loss to then-No. 1 Ohio State. They were looking for a strong finish to their nonconference schedule as they prepare to begin SEC play.
  Sam Houston Bearkats (0-3) came in winless. Their offense had struggled in prior games, and their defense had been vulnerable. The Longhorns were heavy favorites.
• Arch Manning Under Pressure
  Arch Manning had been criticized after early inconsistency, with low completion percentages and some questionable plays. This game vs Sam Houston was widely viewed as an opportunity for him to regain confidence and momentum before tougher conference matchups.
• Nonconference Finale & SEC Play Looming
  This was Texas’s final nonconference game, serving as a warm-up for entering SEC competition. The Longhorns playoffs hopes and national rankings depend heavily on how they perform in conference play, so this game was more than just padding a win.

Game Recap — Texas 55, Sam Houston 0

Here’s what happened during Sam Houston vs Texas (final score 55-0), with key plays and stats.

The Final Score & Stats Snapshot

• Texas wins 55-0 over Sam Houston.
• Total yards: Texas amassed about 607 total yards, including ~343 passing yards. Sam Houston was held to ~113 total yards.
• Arch Manning’s line: 18 of 21 for 309 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, plus two rushing touchdowns.
• Game flow: Texas led 31-0 at the half, then continued to dominate through the third and fourth quarters. Backup players saw time once the outcome was secure.

Key Plays & Moments

• Opening dominance: Texas defense stifled Sam Houston from the start; Sam Houston failed to record a first down until late in the first half.
• First half offensive fireworks: Manning found receivers like Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore Jr. for big plays. Wingo had touchdowns of 53 and 13 yards in the third quarter. Manning also ran two TDs himself in the first half.
• Defensive performance: Texas recorded 5 sacks in the game; held Sam Houston’s offense largely in check.
• Depth shown: With a big lead, Texas rotated in backup QB Matthew Caldwell in the third quarter. Freshman Christian Clark scored his first career touchdown.

Player Spotlights & Performance

• Arch Manning — The story of the night. He completed ~86% of his passes (18/21), threw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs, plus added two rushing scores. A bounce-back performance that addresses critics.
• Ryan Wingo — Breakout performances in recent weeks; tonight he hauled in two touchdowns (53 & 13 yards) and ~90+ receiving yards. Connection with Manning showed signs of consistency.
• Defense & Pass Rush — Texas’ defensive front and secondary stifled Sam Houston. Five sacks, near zero production from Sam Houston’s offense until reserves played.
• Sam Houston struggles — The Bearkats couldn’t generate offense; total yards very low; many drives stalled early. Quarterback Hunter Watson had modest numbers.

[Note: Images are collected from Instagram]

 

What We Learned & Takeaways

1. Texas offense clicking: Manning looked more comfortable, receivers stepped up, and coaching seemed to fine-tune play calls to match personnel’s strengths.
2. Line issues but overcame: Early in season, offensive line penalties had hurt Texas; in this game, while there were some mistakes, the offense overcame them and sustained long drives.
3. Defense ready for tougher tests: Keeping Sam Houston scoreless is good, but upcoming SEC games will demand more against high-caliber offenses. The defensive line and secondary need to maintain energy and focus.
4. Confidence boost before SEC: This game served its purpose: regaining swagger, especially for Manning, heading into more challenging matchups.
5. Sam Houston’s uphill battle: The Bearkats are still winless; their program is facing mismatches vs power programs, and this probably exposed depth issues, execution, and ability vs higher talent levels.

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I’m so torn on Arch Manning flexing on that dude from Sam Houston State.

1. Manning has been through a lot this past few weeks and you can imagine he has a lot of bottled emotion to let out. Also, he is trying to find his swagger.

2. He flexed on a future Progressive…

— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) September 21, 2025

Implications for Texas & College Football Landscape

• Texas record improves to 3-1, with nonconference now completed. They’ll enter SEC play with momentum and a convincing performance.
• SEC opener ahead: Next for Texas is an important road game vs Florida, part of what may be a difficult stretch — those early wins and confidence are vital.
• Rankings & expectations: As a top-10 team, Texas needed this kind of statement performance to validate preseason hype, especially for their quarterback and offensive identity. This may solidify some of the doubters’ opinions.

Where to Watch & Broadcast Information

• The game was held at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. It was broadcast on SEC Network+ / ESPN+ streaming.
• Fans without traditional cable TV could stream via ESPN+ or other streaming platforms per SEC agreements.