In Quinn Ewers, Texas has the QB to win a

• Jake Trotter, ESPN Senior WriterSep 7, 2024, 06:22 PM ET

  Close

  Jake Trotter covers college football for ESPN. He signed up with ESPN in 2011. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him @Jake_Trotter.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.– Vince Young and Texas pertained to Big Ten country 19 years back and delivered a declaration. Unflappable, Young moved those Longhorns past No. 2 Ohio State, setting the stage for Texas’ magical run to the championship game that ended with Young’s renowned dash past the Rose Bowl pylon.The Longhorns were back in the Big 10 on Saturday. And behind another unflappable quarterback, Texas again provided a statement– this time in the Big Home– that these Longhorns are primed for their own title run.Behind junior quarterback Quinn Ewers, who, like Young did

, keeps conserving his best performances for the brightest lights, Texas completely took apart No. 10 Michigan en route to a resounding 31-12 success. “This one game isn’t going to define our season,”Longhorns coach

Steve Sarkisian said later. “However I believe it would serve as a pretty good barometer of the type of team that we could be.”With the levelheaded Ewers, these Longhorns might be a team that wins its first championship game considering that 2005. Dealing with a Michigan defense still filled with numerous future first-round NFL draft picks, including defensive take on Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson, Texas moved the ball at will. The Wolverines blitzed. They dropped back. They camouflaged protections. They tried whatever. Nothing worked against Ewers. “We did a really excellent job having fun with grace and composure,”Ewers said.Editor’s Picks 2 Related The Longhorns transformed seven of their very first eight attempts

on 3rd down, with Ewers finding receivers over and over. He even transformed on

the other third-down

effort, however his scrambling, 24-yard goal strike to DeAndre Moore Jr. on the opening drive was negated by a holding call.That penalty led to a missed out on field goal, however it didn’t matter. Ewers returned and continued completing passes.”There’s something about Quinn in his behavior. He’s an extremely calm guy. He’s actually collected.

He never ever rides the emotional rollercoaster, “Sarkisian said. “When you’ve got a quarterback that everyone can believe in, that simply fuels self-confidence and belief that,’Hey, let’s go do our part, due to the fact that the guy that’s holding the ball every play he’s on point.'” The Longhorns have reason to think in Ewers, who is now the only FBS quarterback in the country given that the start of last season to throw three touchdowns without an interception against several AP top-10 opponents, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Last year, Ewers passed for 349 backyards in a success over then-third-ranked Alabama.Against Michigan, Ewers was simply as respected. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 246 lawns, as Texas scored on 4 straight drives in the very first half, consisting of 3 touchdowns, to put the Wolverines on their heels.He tossed

a 21-yard goal to tight end Gunnar Helm, who finished with a career-high seven receptions for 98 yards. Then, after a Michigan fumble in the last minute of the first half, Ewers completed four straight passes, capped with a 5-yard touchdown throw to Matthew Golden on third-and-goal with 10 seconds to go. The pass put Texas up 24-3 and, successfully, put the Wolverines away. “When he’s positive [we feel] unstoppable, “Golden said of Ewers.”We [seem like] we can score 60.”But with an enhanced offending line now apparently constructed for the SEC, and a defense that overwhelmed the Wolverines, Texas will not need to score 60 to keep winning games.Michigan produced only 88 yards of offense in the very first half, and handled to get off just nine plays the whole first quarter– their fewest in a first quarter considering that 2011, according to ESPN Statistics & Information.When Ewers swung a 7-yard goal pass to running back Jaydon Blue late in the

third quarter, the Big Home began to empty out.” I was wishing to learn more about ourselves,”Sarkisian said.” Would we be overwhelmed by the environment? “Our guys played a really made up football game.

They played tough, they played physical. … We weren’t truly attempting to come to show anything. We wished to play our brand name, our style of football

.” Nineteen years earlier, the Longhorns discovered in Week 2 at Ohio Stadium that they had a special quarterback who could

lead them to success versus anybody anywhere. Then Young did just that, leading Texas to a dramatic win over USC at the Rose Bowl.The Longhorns have another unique quarterback now. And while other tests lie ahead, Ewers showed once again

, that with him, Texas is all set to beat anyone anywhere.