TEXAS VS. MICHIGAN
No. 3 Texas' rebuilt receiving corps ready to race and rumble with No. 10 Wolverines
Sep 4, 2024, 2:33 pm
The Longhorns square off with the Wolverines this Saturday. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Texas ended Alabama's long home winning streak last season with Quinn Ewers throwing to big and fast receivers who are now in the NFL.
The No. 3 Longhorns play at No. 10 Michigan on Saturday with Ewers throwing to a mostly new receiving corps, one rebuilt through the transfer portal with smaller but fast players who could pose a challenge for a Wolverines secondary that features preseason All-American cornerback Will Johnson but only one other player with extensive starting experience.
The game at the Big House is the first regular-season matchup of the two historic programs, and the only top-10 matchup of the week. The Longhorns (1-0) and Wolverines (1-0) have not played each other since the 2005 Rose Bowl. Michigan, the defending national champion, has won 23 in a row at home.
Texas will be throwing it around. Ewers spread the ball to 10 different receivers in the first half alone of Texas' 52-0 opening romp over Colorado State. Top transfers Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden and Silas Bolden all caught touchdowns in their debuts.
“We need like two quarterbacks back there to throw to all those guys,” Ewers said.
In a way, Texas did. Ewers left the game in the third quarter for top backup Arch Manning to throw his first career TD pass.
Texas lost its top five receivers from the 2023 Big 12 championship team. Ewers' favorite targets then were Xavier Worthy and A.D. Mitchell, who combined for three touchdowns in the big win at Alabama. That game set up the Longhorns' run to the program's first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
But even before they left campus, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns had propped the transfer portal wide open with an enticing invitation for 2024: join an elite offense with a big-armed QB just as the program heads into its first season in the SEC.
Golden was the first one in. He caught two touchdowns against the Longhorns last season with Houston, then caught two more in his burnt orange debut last week. One was a no-look pass from Ewers.
Next in was Bond, who left Alabama after coach Nick Saban retired. Bond was the Crimson Tide's leading receiver last season. Bond has not yet met with reporters at Texas, but told ESPN in January that the chance to play with Ewers was a big factor in his decision.
“(Ewers) is top pick in the draft next year. I’m also going to be a top pick. It’s going to be a good duo,” Bond said.
A few days later, Bolden committed from Oregon State, where he was the Beavers' top receiver. He is also the Longhorns No. 1 punt returner, and set up Golden's second touchdown last week with a 35-yard return.
“We've got a lot of weapons,” Golden said.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian praised all three, and Ewers' leadership in spring practice and summer workouts, for the seamless transition within the offense.
"They played with a lot of confidence. That’s half the battle. When you know what to do, you play fast. And that’s where we’re pretty dangerous,” Sarkisian said.
As a group, the newcomers are on the small side. Golden is the biggest at 6-foot, 195 pounds. But all bring top-level speed that can stretch a defense and burn up chunks of yards in the blink of an eye. Sarkisian's offense thrives on personnel mismatches in open space.
“They’re all fast. They’re all playmakers,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “The big thing that stands out is their speed, their ability to separate.”
Texas goes deeper than just those three. The Longhorns have a legitimate six-man rotation that also boasts freshman Ryan Wingo, a five-star recruit who had four catches for 70 yards in the opener.
“(Last year) we had to keep guys on the field that were probably too tired to play at a really optimal level. Now we have a really good rotation and they’ve earned our trust. I’m very comfortable with those six guys,” Sarkisian said.
Michigan has played Bond before. He caught four passes for 47 yards but did not score against the Wolverines in last season's Rose Bowl playoff matchup that Michigan won in overtime. Johnson, Michigan's shutdown corner, remembers Bond from that game. And he was on a 7-on-7 team with Golden in high school.
The Longhorns won't just yield the field to Johnson. Fresno State didn't last week, when Johnson allowed five catches before closing out a 30-10 Michigan win with an 86-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“They are very explosive with a lot of experience,” Johnson said of Texas. “When the ball is thrown my way, I have to make a play.”
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Miami (6-7) at Houston (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM Odds: Texans by 3.
Against the spread: Dolphins 5-8; Texans 5-6-2.
Series record: Texans lead 8-3.
Last meeting: Dolphins beat Texans 30-15, on Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami.
Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 32-26 in OT; Texans were off, beat Jaguars 23-20 on Dec. 1.
Dolphins offense: overall (19), rush (24), pass (14), scoring (23).
Dolphins defense: overall (9), rush (7), pass (11), scoring (T14).
Texans offense: overall (18), rush (16), pass (17), scoring (11).
Texans defense: overall (5), rush (10), pass (7), scoring (T12).
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Texans plus-10.
Dolphins player to watch
QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at throwing with anticipation and accuracy since he returned from a concussion in Week 8. Tagovailoa leads the NFL with a 73.8% completion rate and threw for 300 yards for the third straight game last week vs. the Jets. Tagovailoa is the first player in NFL history to have at least 40 pass attempts, multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions in three consecutive games within a single season.
Texans player to watch
QB C.J. Stroud has thrown for at least 225 yards in each of his six home games this season and is 11-4 in 15 starts in Houston, including the playoffs. He has thrown for 3,117 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.
Key matchup
Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Miami’s run defense. Mixon ran for 101 yards in Houston’s previous game for his seventh 100-yard game this season. He ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game. This week he’ll face a run defense that ranks seventh in the NFL by holding teams to 105.6 yards a game.
Key injuries
Miami LT Terron Armstead is dealing with a knee injury that limited him to just five snaps last week. He did not practice Wednesday… LBs Bradley Chubb (knee) and Cameron Goode (knee) could make their season debut, depending on how this week of practice goes, coach Mike McDaniel said. … WRs Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (hamstring), RB Raheem Mostert (hip), and LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring) were among those limited in practice Wednesday. … Houston S Jalen Pitre is expected to miss a second straight game with a shoulder injury. … DE Denico Autry was limited in practice Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Series notes
Houston won the first seven meetings in this series. … Miami didn’t get its first win against the Texans until a 44-26 victory in 2015. … The Dolphins have won the past two meetings. … These teams first met in the season opener in 2003 when Houston got a 21-20 win on a late field goal.
Stats and stuff
Three of Miami’s final four games of the season are on the road. … K Jason Sanders needs 13 points Sunday to reach 800. He also needs one field goal to reach 177, which would give him the second-most field goals made in franchise history. … TE Jonnu Smith needs 100 yards receiving to reach 792 and set a franchise record for most yards receiving by a tight end in a single season. Smith had three catches for 44 yards, including the game-winning TD vs. the Jets last week after having no receptions during regulation. … Tagovailoa needs a completion rate of 70% or better on Sunday to reach eight consecutive games completing at least 70% of his passes. That would tie him with Joe Montana (1989) and Drew Brees (2017-18) for the longest streak in NFL history. … The Dolphins gave up a season-high 402 yards to the Jets last week. Aaron Rodgers burned Miami’s pass defense for 319 yards, and Miami’s secondary allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams. … Houston can clinch the AFC South title for the second straight year with a win and a loss by Indianapolis Sunday. … The Texans rank second in the NFL with 84 tackles for loss. … Their 42 sacks also rank second. … WR Nico Collins had eight receptions for 119 yards for his fourth 100-yard game this season in Houston’s previous game. He has had at least 75 yards receiving and a TD reception in each of his four home games this season. … TE Dalton Schultz had five receptions for 61 yards and a score in Week 13. He has had at least five catches in two of his past three games. … LB Azeez Al-Shaai will serve the first game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of QB Trevor Lawrence Sunday. … DE Danielle Hunter is one of two players in the NFL this season with at least 15 tackles for loss (15) and 10 sacks (10 1/2). It’s his sixth career season with at least 10 sacks. He has eight tackles for loss and five sacks combined in his past three games. … DE Will Anderson has had a sack in his past two home games. … LB Henry To’oTo’o has had at least five tackles in four straight games. … CB Derek Stingley had his third interception of the season in his previous game. … CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high eight tackles, including a tackle for loss in Week 13. … S Jimmie Ward has had an interception in his past two home games. He also had an interception in his previous game against Miami in 2022 while with San Francisco.
Fantasy tip
Collins has 456 yards receiving and four touchdown receptions in four home games this season.