The Texas Longhorns showed their resolve on Saturday, erasing two separate 17-point deficits in the fourth quarter to come back and stun the Mississippi State Bulldogs 45-38. They may have saved any playoff hopes they still have with this win, but it came at a cost.
On the first play of overtime, Arch Manning took a hard hit after scrambling for a 13-yard gain and left the game with an apparent injury. Head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed Monday that Manning is in concussion protocol, leaving his status for Saturday’s game against the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores in doubt.
Fortunately, the Longhorns still have someone they feel they can rely on under center.
Sep 14, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Troy Trojans quarterback Matthew Caldwell (12) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell came into the game and showed tremendous poise, hitting Emmett Mosley V for the go-ahead touchdown in overtime. Sarkisian had no shortage of praise for Caldwell after the game, particularly noting his “sense of maturity,” and that praise continued on Monday.
“The good thing for Matt, he’s a very even-keeled guy. I thought he had a great practice today. The players have a lot of confidence in him. He’s very engaged even when he doesn’t play,” Sarkisian said. “He’s played well every time that we’ve put him in the game. What gives me confidence is who he’s been, so I feel very comfortable with Matt whenever he’s in the ballgame.
“He’s earned the respect of his teammates. He has a great relationship with Arch. They respect the fact that he’s ready. The moment’s not too big for him.”
Caldwell – a senior from Auburn, Ala. – is certainly not lacking in experience. He started his career at Jacksonville State back in 2021, then spent two years at Gardner-Webb, mostly as a backup. He then spent last season at Troy, completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 1,608 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding an additional five scores on the ground.
Caldwell hasn’t had a ton of opportunities this season, as he’s completed eight of 11 passes for 85 yards and the touchdown to Mosley on Saturday. As Sarkisian said, though, Caldwell was the “right fit” for the Longhorns out of all the quarterbacks they looked at in the transfer portal.
The veteran won’t have it easy in his likely first start with the Longhorns, as the Commodores are a very formidable opponent. Diego Pavia and their offense attract much of the attention, but their defense is no slouch either. The Commodores have allowed just 18.8 points per game this season, ranking sixth in the SEC, and are very good at getting after the quarterback.
The Longhorns, with Caldwell possibly under center, will look for their fourth-straight win and an upset over the Commodores on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT.