Arch Manning threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns as No. 5 Texas hammered Texas State 59-7 and shifted immediately toward No. 1 Ohio State.

Texas got exactly what it needed from Arch Manning on Saturday: control, explosives and no drama.

The No. 5 Longhorns blasted Texas State 59-7 in Austin, and Manning looked every bit like the quarterback Texas needs him to be before the schedule turns nasty next week.

He finished with 305 passing yards and four touchdowns, carving up the Bobcats before leaving in the third quarter with Texas already ahead 42-7. That’s about as efficient as a season opener gets.

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The biggest development may have been Manning’s instant chemistry with Cam Coleman.

The former Auburn receiver caught three passes for 70 yards and scored twice in his Texas debut, including the Longhorns’ first touchdown of the season. Manning also found Ryan Wingo for a score on Texas’ next possession, and the offense never really looked back.

That matters because Texas needed more than just a comfortable win.

It needed evidence that the new pieces could fit quickly.

Raleek Brown added two touchdowns, giving Steve Sarkisian another transfer who made an immediate impact, while the defense supplied one of the game’s biggest plays. Graceson Littleton, now a sophomore defensive back, returned a fumble 59 yards for a touchdown to help Texas stretch the margin to 28-0 before halftime.

That was part of a strong debut for Will Muschamp in his return as Texas defensive coordinator.

The Longhorns forced three turnovers and held Texas State under 350 total yards. Bobcats quarterback Brad Jacksonmanaged 150 passing yards and 27 rushing yards but never generated enough consistent offense to make Texas uncomfortable.

That’s the part Sarkisian should like most.

Texas didn’t just beat an inferior opponent. It controlled the game in every phase and got its stars off the field early.

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Now comes the matchup everyone has been waiting for.

No. 1 Ohio State visits Austin on Sept. 12, and the recent history isn’t friendly to Texas. The Buckeyes knocked the Longhorns out of the 2024 College Football Playoff and beat them again in the 2025 season opener.

Texas State was about proving the machine works.

Ohio State will tell us how powerful it really is.