Kentucky running back Seth McGowan (3) is tackled in the first quarter against Texas on Oct. 18, 2025, in Lexington, Ky.
Michael Swensen/Associated Press
The good news: Texas football, its 2025 season on the line yet again, beat the Kentucky Wildcats in overtime 16-13 to preserve the Longhorns’ SEC and College Football Playoff hopes. The bad news: the Longhorns had to beat the Kentucky Wildcats in overtime to preserve their SEC and CFP hopes.
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This was a Kentucky team that has now lost its last nine SEC games. If No. 21 Texas (5-2, 2-1) ends up having to woo the CFP selection committee at the end of the season, this meandering OT win in Lexington won’t inspire. Mason Shipley’s 45-yard field goal gave Texas a 16-13 win, but credit the W to the Longhorns’ D. Texas’ defense overcame Texas’ offensive malaise from start to finish — and the finish was an overtime goal-line stand that stuffed two straight Wildcat plunges over the top of from the 1-yard line.
MORE: Why the SEC schedule makers didn’t do Texas any favors the last half of the season
Here are some things we saw from Saturday night’s OT win:
Ryan Niblett saves Texas’ season
The Longhorns don’t beat Kentucky without Ryan Niblett, the shifty utility man who nearly transferred out of the program over the offseason. He has transitioned into a lethal punt returner, setting up the only touchdown of the game for the Longhorns’ offense with a 45-yard first-half return that positioned Texas at the Kentucky 5-yard line. In the second half, he returned another punt 43 yards to the Kentucky 42, setting up a Will Shipley field goal.
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Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks for a receiver in the second quarter against Kentucky on Oct. 18, 2025, in Lexington, Ky.
Michael Swensen/Associated Press
Arch Manning, Texas offense looked listless
The Longhorns turned in one of their ugliest offensive performances of the Steve Sarkisian era Saturday. They averaged 3.3 yards per play, tying the second-worst output under Sarkisian. The only worse effort came in a 30-7 loss to Iowa State in 2021. Texas’ issues developed from the same root as they have all season: UT’s offensive line simply couldn’t cope with Kentucky’s front seven. That, coupled with a 12-for-27 disappointment from Arch Manning, made the Texas offense unwatchable.
Lack of situational awareness nearly dooms Texas
One of Saturday’s biggest plays was a 9-yard reception by DeAndre Moore Jr. in the fourth quarter. The yardage on the play was inconsequential, but what Moore did after he caught the ball wasn’t. The junior receiver went out of bounds. With the game tied 10-10, Texas was attempting to kill the clock in regulation before sending Shipley out for a game-winning field goal. Moore going out of bounds with 65 seconds left, however, allowed Kentucky to save its last timeout for UT’s third-down play. Shipley then kicked a 39-yard field goal with 57 seconds left for the 13-10 lead. With 57 seconds to work with instead of 30, Kentucky marched downfield without a timeout and tied the game on a 45-yard field goal with nine seconds left in regulation. Texas then had to go win the game in overtime.
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Mason Shipley shows off his leg in Lexington
If there were any questions as to why Texas recruited Mason Shipley out of the transfer portal this offseason, the former Texas State kicker has answered them over the past two weeks. One week after he kicked three field goals against Oklahoma, Shipley went on the road and again hit three field goals at Kentucky. His 45-yarder in overtime was the game-winner, but his 53-yard kick in the first half was notable as well. Texas last hit a 50-yard field goal during the 2023 season, and Shipley missed 55- and 56-yard tries last week.
Next for Texas: Mississippi State
In Starkville, Miss. It’ll be either a 2:30 p.m. or a 3:15 p.m. kickoff.
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Basically, every game from here on out is do or die for the Longhorns, who don’t have much wiggle room anymore. The Bulldogs lost 23-21 at Florida earlier Saturday and are now 4-3 overall and 0-3 in the SEC.