AUSTIN, Texas — BEVO XV is all grown up and raring to go as the No. 4 Texas Longhorns open the 2024 season against the Colorado State Rams at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday with kickoff at 2:30 p.m. Central on ESPN.

Despite season-ending injuries to running backs C.J. Baxter and Christian Clark, the Longhorns have depth at the position and the most talented roster in Steve Sarkisian’s four-year tenure as head coach of the Forty Acres. They’re expected to contend for the SEC title when Texas moves to their new conference and reach the College Football Playoffs for a second straight year with the added margin provided by the expanded format.

Colorado State, led by former assistant Jay Norvell, is not expected to offer much resistance to Texas, which is focused on execution and getting playing time on the team’s two-deck depth chart that was officially released Saturday morning.

Next week, the Horns travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines in the Big House, so staying healthy and preparing for one of the most important non-conference games of the season are top priorities for Sarkisian and his staff.

First quarter

With junior quarterback Quinn Ewers, junior left tackle Kelvin Banks, senior defensive end Barryn Sorrell and senior cornerback Jahdae Barron not participating in the coin toss, Colorado State won the coin toss and the game went to the second half, giving Texas the ball to start the game and the 2024 season.

Junior wide receiver Matthew Golden ran an aggressive kickoff from the end zone but had to break through multiple tackles to reach the Texas 26-yard line.

With a quick swing pass to start the season, junior running back Jaydon Blue was able to miss several defenders on a 15-yard gain, then Ewers hit junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond on another quick hitter for 13 yards before the Longhorns were flagged for a false start by senior center Jake Majors. Behind the chains, Texas handed the ball off for the first time, a short gain by Blue. With Blue out wide and senior tight end Gunnar Helm lined up out wide, Ewers was unable to connect with Helm, resulting in 3rd-and-13, a dropped pass by Bond.

A line-drive punt by freshman Michael Kern pinned Colorado State inside their own 10-yard line. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill flew to the football on a screen pass and took down the receiver for a loss of three yards. On a running play, the Horns were called for a holding penalty that they declined to put the Rams on 3rd-and-10, a swing pass produced a one-yard gain to force a punt, a rugby kick was caught on a hop by Bolden, who was immediately tackled.

Two runs by Blue ripped 24 yards off a 12-man package, and Ewers hit Helm over the middle. Leaping over one defender and running through another, Helm gained 37 yards to the Colorado State three-yard line by stepping over a defender and making another miss, where sophomore running back Tre Wisner took over to score Texas’ first touchdown of the season.

Colorado State picked up its first down and paid for it with a big open-field hit by Texas junior safety Michael Taaffe. Back to the quick passing game after a run stuff by Hill, the Rams moved the chains back into Longhorn territory. The drive stalled there, however, as Texas stopped another run, Colorado State was flagged for delay of game, and quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi nearly got sacked on his first real dropback before a ball went off the hands of Dylan Goffney to end the drive.

Texas started on the 15-yard line after a punt out of bounds by Colorado State, giving the Horns a long field midway through the first quarter.