LEXINGTON, Ky. — Texas football defensive back Michael Taaffe entered the interview room Saturday beneath the stands at Kroger Field alongside quarterback Arch Manning with a smile on his face and a song on his lips.
Don’t worry, Taaffe told the gathered media. Be happy — even after a sloppy 16-13 overtime win over Kentucky that kept the Longhorns’ College Football Playoff hopes alive. Manning and the Texas offense struggled while tallying a season-low 179 yards, and Manning reverted to the passer that last month drew boos from the home fans in a 27-10 win over UTEP.
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But the Longhorns earned a road win in the SEC. That by itself is enough reason to celebrate, Taaffe asserted, even if the Texas players and head coach Steve Sarkisian had to field question after question regarding the team’s offensive struggles.
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“These questions seem a little bit negative, I’m not going to lie, guys, to the offense,” said Taaffe, a fifth-year senior and one of the team’s unquestioned leaders. “I’ll say this, it’s freaking hard to win in the SEC. So, we freaking won. Let’s put some smiles on our face. We won, and the show goes on, and we’re dancing.
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“At the end of the day, we control our destiny, so we’re going to keep on pushing, and we’re going do it with a smile on our face. There’s going to be corrections. And I trust my guys, I trust my coaches, and I’m freaking excited. So, I want y’all to be, too.”
Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates after the defense stopped the Kentucky Wildcats on fourth down in overtime of the 16-13 Texas win at Kroger Field on Oct. 18, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
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Steve Sarkisian: Defense our identity right now
Taaffe was singing “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” the 1980s hit by Whitney Houston, as he stepped in front of the microphones. But whether Taaffe admits it or not, the Longhorns won’t be dancing in the CFP for a third straight season unless their offense can find some rhythm in an unforgiving SEC.
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But for now, Taaffe and his teammates on defense — along with a dynamite special teams led by kicker Mason Shipley and return man Ryan Niblett — will have to carry the load until Manning and the offense get right.
And that’s OK, says Sarkisian.
“Right now, we’re just not quite there yet on offense, but it’s surely good to know that if you can play defense and play good on special teams, you’re always going to have a chance,” Sarkisian said. “ We need to get going offensively. That’s our task, and that’s our job to get that done.”
Middle linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., who had eight solo tackles and his first interception of the season, said Texas’ veteran defense can bear a heavy burden as the offense continues to create its identity.
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“Of course we want to help out the offense,” Hill said. “We know we’re very young on that side and we’ve got a lot of older guys on the defense, so we kind of want to help them out and kind of just keep lifting them up and keep pushing them, because we know their time’s coming.”
As No. 18 Texas (5-2, 2-1) showed against a scrappy Kentucky squad, its defense seems more than capable of carrying the load. The weary but resolute unit played 86 snaps and stayed on the field for 39 minutes, 23 seconds even before the Wildcats’ lone overtime drive. But the Wildcats (2-4, 0-4) only averaged 4.6 yards a play and reached the end zone just once.
Texas head football coach Steve Sarkisian looks on during a game against Kentucky on Oct. 18, 2025, at Kroger Field in Lexington.
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Michael Taaffe: OT stand lifts Longhorns vs. Kentucky
The defense never stood taller than in overtime, when defensive tackle Cole Brevard and safety Michael Taafe led the charge that stuffed Kentucky running back Dante Dowell for no gain on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
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“I knew it was going to be a quarterback sneak or running back trying to jump over somebody, so I just wanted to time it up and go make a play for my for my team,” Taaffe said. “And it was sick, because you can never practice that, right? And so, to do it for the first time, to jump and make the play, that was super cool. I was so happy.”
That final stop by the defense proved enough. After Texas’ beleaguered offense lost 3 yards on its one overtime drive, Mason Shipley booted home the 45-yard field goal to win the game.
And the overtime field goal may just show how the Longhorns can continue to win during a rugged SEC slate that continues next week at scrappy Mississippi State.
“I think at the end of the day, you play to the strengths of your team,” Sarkisian said. “And the strengths of our team right now are our defense and our special teams.
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“Every team around the country is different, OK? If we won today 43-35, you guys would be asking me about our defense, right? Well, we’re fortunate enough that we’re playing really good defense right now, and that’s a good place to start. We’re playing good on special teams, and you can ride that. But you’ve got it play efficient offensive football, and we’re not playing efficient enough.”
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