AUSTIN – Texas made some mistakes in its Southeastern Conference debut, but Arch Manning wasn’t one of them.

The redshirt freshman quarterback made his second career start against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and was responsible for three touchdowns, including a 49-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore in the second quarter.

“I think we need to clean up there,” Manning said. “Three quick penalties, holdings, that’s mostly my fault. I have to be a leader in the room, on offense. We’ll take care of that in the bye week and get ready for OU.”

Manning set up a touchdown of his own in the third quarter with a 26-yard scramble to the goal line, putting the Longhorns up 21-6 going into the fourth.

With a week between this Saturday’s game and the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 12, first-string quarterback Quinn Ewers should have fully recovered from his early-season injury. But Manning proved he could take on the starting role.

Ewers will likely still start against the Sooners, but for once he will have a solid challenger for the position. Yet there is no rivalry between the two.

“(Ewers) has been great to me,” Manning said. “(I) just lean on him for advice.”

Whether it would be Ewers or Manning who would start in the conference opener wasn’t decided until Friday, but Manning, now more experienced in the collegiate game, got ready like any other weekend.

“All week I wanted to prepare the same way I prepared,” Manning said. “Once it’s game time you have to loosen up and have fun, that’s what it’s all about. Last week I didn’t have as much fun as I wanted, today I had a little more fun even though it was a little rocky.”