{"id":456963,"date":"2026-10-05T13:30:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/456963\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T13:30:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:30:10","slug":"three-bold-predictions-for-texas-coming-out-of-the-bye-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/456963\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Bold Predictions for Texas Coming Out of The Bye Week"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6i\">Texas\u2019 first month answered plenty of questions.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6n\">The Longhorns proved they could survive close games, win on the road and lean on their defense when the offense sputtered.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6s\">Now comes the harder part: finding out what this team looks like once the schedule tightens and breaks become few and far between.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6x\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/texas\/football\/film-room-what-texas-needs-to-change-to-keep-arch-manning-clean-vs-oklahoma\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Texas returns from the bye with Oklahoma up first<\/a> and eight consecutive SEC games ahead. Here are three bold predictions for what could come next.<\/p>\n<p>Arch Manning Records His First 300-Yard Game Against P4 Talent<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m446ndche0trjyr354.jpg\" alt=\"Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning\" title=\"Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning\" width=\"360\" height=\"360\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"7e\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA;  Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning passes Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7k\">Since Texas State, Arch Manning hasn\u2019t been able to reach 300 passing yards. In fact, he\u2019s eclipsed 200 just once over that stretch, doing so in Texas\u2019 most recent game against Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7p\">That shouldn&#8217;t last much longer.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7u\">Texas has rarely needed Manning to completely take over a game through the air. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/texas\/football\/texas-defensive-front-is-much-more-than-colin-simmons\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Longhorns&#8217; defense has kept scores low enough<\/a> that simply protecting the football and putting together a handful of scoring drives has often been enough.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7z\">Over the next eight games, that luxury probably won&#8217;t exist every week.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"84\">Oklahoma, Florida, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas A&amp;M all remain on the schedule, and eventually Texas should find itself in a game where Manning has to shoulder a larger share of the offense.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"89\">He certainly has the weapons to do it, and the bye gives Steve Sarkisian another opportunity to figure out how to get the most out of them.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8e\">Manning has already shown he can reach 300.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8j\">Now he just needs to prove he can do it against much tougher talent.<\/p>\n<p>Cam Coleman Finishes as Texas\u2019 Leading Receiver<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m446q8yxazrh7dpnyf.jpg\" alt=\"Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman.\" title=\"Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman.\" width=\"360\" height=\"360\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Sep 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA;  Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman celebrates with wide receiver Ryan Wingo and teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.  Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"96\">A few weeks ago this would&#8217;ve seemed like more of an obvious prediction rather than a bold one.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9b\">But while Ryan Wingo currently leads Texas in receiving yards, Coleman isn&#8217;t far behind.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9g\">Through four games, Coleman has turned just 12 receptions into 208 yards and four touchdowns, making the most of his opportunities despite a relatively limited workload.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9l\">That&#8217;s what makes the possibility of a bigger stretch after the bye so intriguing.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9q\">Coleman has already shown he doesn&#8217;t need double-digit targets to change a game. His size, catch radius and ability downfield give Texas a matchup problem that few players on the roster can replicate.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-21\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9v\">Now, it&#8217;s about getting him the ball more often.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"a0\">The bye gives <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/texas\/football\/the-biggest-thing-texas-must-fix-coming-out-of-the-bye-week\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sarkisian<\/a> time to find different ways to feature Coleman rather than waiting for the occasional deep shot. More intermediate targets and designed opportunities could quickly increase his production.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"a5\">He also sits just 31 receiving yards behind Wingo.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-24\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"aa\">If Coleman&#8217;s workload starts to catch up with his efficiency, that gap may not last long.<\/p>\n<p>Texas Finishes the Regular Season 12-0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m453rw85ngrsg37xew.jpg\" alt=\"Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian\" title=\"Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian\" width=\"360\" height=\"360\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"ar\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian leaves the field at the half during a college football game against Tennessee on Sept. 26, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-27\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"ax\">Eight games stand between Texas and a perfect regular season.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-28\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"b2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/texas\/football\/texas-longhorns-2026-schedule-has-suddenly-taken-an-interesting-turn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The margin of error only gets thinner as Texas makes its way through its SEC slate<\/a>, but the Longhorns may still have their best football ahead of them.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-29\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"b7\">Texas is averaging just 22 points per game against ranked opponents, yet it has already beaten both Ohio State and Tennessee.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-30\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"bc\">That&#8217;s significant because the defense has given the offense room to grow without costing Texas games along the way.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-31\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"bh\">Texas doesn&#8217;t need its offense to become elite overnight. If the Longhorns can simply get more consistent play from Manning and the offensive line after the bye, the defense has already shown it can handle the rest.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-32\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"bm\">Texas has already reached 4-0 without consistently putting together complete performances on both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-33\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"br\">If that changes after the bye, the Longhorns have enough talent on both sides to arrive in Atlanta for the SEC Championship undefeated.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-34\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"bw\">Sign up to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/texas\/newsletter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">our free newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TexasLonghornsOnSI\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LonghornsOnSI\" rel=\"nofollow\">X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/texaslonghornsonsi\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0for the latest news.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\" class=\"shrink-0\"\/>Add us as a preferred source on Google<a aria-label=\"Follow si.com on Google News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" preventdefault:click=\"\" class=\"flex h-[30px] w-[30px] shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary font-group-large text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-secondary focus:bg-secondary md:w-auto md:gap-2.5 md:px-4 md:py-[5px]\" on:click=\"q-BKH5TN-7.js#s_lDqay9E5m5g[0]\" q:id=\"c2\">Follow<\/a><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Texas\u2019 first month answered plenty of questions. The Longhorns proved they could survive close games, win on the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":456964,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[27,29,28],"class_list":["post-456963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456963"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456963\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/456964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}