Steve Sarkisian and senior Michael Taaffe celebrate after the game against Kentucky on Oct. 18, 2025.
As senior kicker Mason Shipley lined up to kick a potential game-winner, something felt so bleak. There was a mix of emotions: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian kept a straight face, but sophomore quarterback Arch Manning was holding in celebration. Shipley remained poised as the kick went through to elevate the Longhorns to a 16-13 victory against an unranked Kentucky that was 0-3 in conference — and Texas simply survived.
Shipley was 45 yards out and good, winning the first true road game of the year for the No. 21 Longhorns. But panic ensued all over social media, the questions were firm in the press conference, and the answers were short.
Should we panic? Sure, but there are layers to this.
Texas had two standout performers on special teams: the punt returner, Ryan Niblett, and the kicker, Shipley. Nibblet had a 45-yard return in the second quarter to set up the Longhorns’ only touchdown of the game. And Shipley, of course, was 3-3 from FG range, hitting from 53 yards, 39 yards and 45 yards again to win in overtime for Texas.
The defense also did well, and was the reason Texas was able to walk away with a win. With three sacks from sophomore edge rusher Colin Simmons, a 7-18 stoppage rate on 3rd down, and a 1-3 rate on fourth, Texas kept Kentucky’s score low.
Manning was 12-27 for 132 yards, junior running back Quintrevion Wisner had just 37 yards on 12 carries and no receiver had over three receptions. The offense contributed to just one touchdown on a five-yard drive and had only two first downs in the second half.
The offense looked gimmicky, the defense was elite, and special teams won the game for Texas.
Most importantly, though, the team won. The Longhorns are now 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference, and they won a football game with all four sides around the stadium booing against them for the first time this year. So, to all the fans who are panicking, who are worried about the future of the team, try to stay in the moment. Once again, Texas sure is.
Sarkisian harped after the game that each week, half the teams lose, but this week they were on the winning side. No. 5 Ole Miss fell to No. 9 Georgia. No. 11 Tennessee fell to No. 6 Alabama. No. 10 LSU fell to No. 17 Vanderbilt. A win is as much as the players hoped for.
“It’s hard to win in the SEC,” senior safety Michael Taaffe said postgame. “We freaking won. Let’s put some smiles on our faces. We won, and the show goes on and we’re dancing, and at the end of the day, we control our destiny.”
November looks to be a beast for the Longhorns, hosting No. 10 Vanderbilt and No. 3 Texas A&M while traveling to Athens to play No. 5 Georgia. With five games left in just over one month of football to play, three games are against Top-10 AP opponents.
So maybe that’s the answer — not to panic, not just yet. When Shipley’s field goal sailed through the uprights, it wasn’t about glory; it was about survival. But that counts. In the SEC, ugly wins are still wins, and for a Texas team that slipped in offensive identity, that fact is enough for now.
The offense sputtered, the defense carried and the special teams saved the day — not the script the Texas faithful would have wanted. However, it’s more of what it means to be a fan of any college team in the season of 2025. To panic, or not to panic? Ask again next week.