ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Quinn Ewers threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 3 Texas beat No. 10 Michigan 31-12 on Saturday.
The Longhorns (2-0) moved the ball at will through the air and on the ground against the defending national champions, whose turnover-prone offense failed to throw or run the ball effectively.
The Wolverines (1-1) had three streaks snapped in the first regular-season matchup of the traditional college football powerhouses.
Michigan had won a Big Ten-record 29 consecutive regular-season games, 23 straight home games and a national-best 16 games in a row since losing to TCU in the 2022 College Football Playoff.
Davis Warren was 22 of 33 for 204 yards, to go along with a touchdown when the game was out of reach and two interceptions. Preseason All-America tight end Colston Loveland had eight receptions for 70 yards and an unforced fumble for the overmatched Wolverines.
Texas took control early in the highly anticipated game, turning a buzzing Big House into a quiet stadium.
After the game, linebacker David Gbenda took Texas’ white flag with an orange longhorn and tried to plant it into the maize block M at midfield but it didn’t stick in the turf.
That was the only play the Longhorns didn’t make all day.
Texas led 24-3 at halftime and didn’t give up a touchdown until Warren threw a 31-yard pass to Semaj Morgan with 1:54 left.
Ewers threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm in the first quarter. Helm, a senior tight end, set career highs with seven catches for 98 yards, showing off for 15 NFL teams in attendance.
The Wolverines answered with a field goal on the ensuing possession and the four-point deficit was the closest they would get for the rest of the cloudy and windy afternoon.
Jerrick Gibson had a 7-yard TD run midway through the second quarter, helping Texas average 4.5 yards a carry for a total of 143 yards.
Ewers had a 5-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden late in the second quarter and a 7-yard throw to Jaydon Blue in the third as the Longhorns coasted to a lopsided victory with little resistance.
The former Ohio State quarterback completed 24 of 36 passes without an interception, a week after he had 260 yards passing and three touchdowns in a 52-0 win over Colorado State.
The takeaway
Texas, in its first season as an SEC school, looks like it has a chance to contend for conference and national championships.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore’s first mistake as Jim Harbaugh’s successor may prove to be choosing not to add an experienced quarterback from the transfer portal.
Poll implications
AP poll voters can’t move Texas much higher while they will likely drop Michigan a lot.
Up next
Texas hosts UTSA on Saturday night.
Michigan plays Arkansas State on Saturday.
___
Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
