Considering No. 22 Texas football is coming off its first true road win of the season at Kentucky, but it’s had to deal with plenty of noise in the buildup to Saturday’s game at Mississippi State.
First, the Longhorn coaches and players answered question after question about a struggling offense that limped to its lowest production in a decade with 179 total yards in the 16-13 win at Kentucky. Then, the team found out outspoken All-American safety Michael Taaffe — the Longhorns’ leading tackler — will miss Saturday’s game after undergoing surgery earlier this week on his thumb.
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Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) catches a snap in the third quarter of the Red River Rivalry, as the Sooners play the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 11, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Finally, a report broke Saturday from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini that “representatives for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have let NFL decision-makers know that he would be interested in potential head-coaching openings, including the Titans.”
But the Longhorns (5-2, 2-1 SEC) can’t let all those issues distract from their immediate concerns. Texas must beat dangerous Mississippi State (4-3, 0-4) if it wants to keep its thin hopes alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Follow along for scores and live updates as the Texas Longhorns Saturday take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 3:15 p.m.
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Texas quarterback Arch Manning warms up before the game Oct. 25, 2025 against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.
Justin Ford/Getty Images
A big tackle for the big German, Hero Kanu. His tackle for a loss inside the 10-yard line helps hold the Bulldogs to a 24-yard field goal by Kyle Ferrie.
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Arch Manning goes deep, a wobbly pass goes off the hands of a leaping Parker Livingstone, and extra-large cornerback Kelly Jones gets the interception and returns it to the Texas 40-yard line. That’s the first turnover for Manning in three games.
This game is suddenly developing into a shootout in Starkville. The Bulldogs, who have 175 yards of offense, march down the field and get into the end zone on a fourth-down, 1-yard pass from freshman Kamario Taylor to Seydou Traore that safety Derek Williams Jr. almost knocked down. Think the Longhorns miss injured safety Michael Taaffe? They allowed three TD passes through the first seven games. Mississippi State has two TD passes today.
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Mason Shipley hits a 25-yard field goal for Texas, but an illegal block by Mississippi State – a tackle dove at a lineman’s legs – gives Texas a first down. Three plays later, Arch Manning rolls right and tosses a 1-yard touchdown pass to Parker Livingstone.
Arch Manning stands in the pocket, takes a hit and delivers a 14-yard pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. on third-and-8. The Longhorns are set up at the Mississippi State 11-yard line to start the second quarter.
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Texas safety Jelani McDonald with two big tackles, including one on fourth-and-1 from the Mississippi State 37-yard line. McDonald has to play a bigger role this game with Michael Taaffe out, and he delivered on that series.
Senior right guard DJ Campbell, the lone returning starting offensive lineman for Texas from last season, hurt his right leg after getting rolled up in pass protection. That’s an injury that Texas cannot afford considering its issues at the position. Connor Stroh replaces Campbell, but the Horns go 3-and-out for the third time today after Ryan Wingo drops a pass on third-and-19.
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Mississippi State decides to go with some tempo, and it pays off as the Bulldogs march 53 yards in six plays. State QB Blake Shapen went 3-for-3 for 43 yards on the drive, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sam West. Getting lined up quickly could prove tricky for the Texas secondary all game, considering the absence of all-American safety and master communicator Michael Taaffe.
Derion Gullette, the former Texas Longhorn, blitzes in and sacks Texas quarterback Arch Manning. Take away that 60-yard play by Texas receiver Ryan Wingo, and UT has just 2 yards on its first three drives.
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Texas finally gets an elusive blocked kick for the first time this season. Big Ethan Burke, the 6-foot-6 senior edge, knocks down a 47-yard attempt by Kyle Ferrie. On its first three drives, Mississippi State has just 30 yards.
How’s that for a start for Texas? After the Longhorns’ defense gets a 3-and-out, quarterback Arch Manning throws the ball in the flat to Ryan Wingo, who races 60 yards to the Mississippi State 3-yard line. One play later, Manning bulls in for a 3-yard touchdown run. He gets up slowly, but early damage by Texas.
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Texas running back CJ Baxter has been removed from the injury report and will play for the first time since he injured a hamstring on the Longhorns’ first play from scrimmage in Week 3 against UTEP. Mississippi State running back Fluff Bothwell, the team’s leading rusher, will not play for the second consecutive game.
It’s been an eventful day for Texas football even before kickoff. After a report surfaced this morning about head coach Steve Sarkisian expressing interest in a NFL head coaching job, Sarkisian’s representatives at Creative Artists Agency denied the report in a social media post Saturday afternoon.
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“Any reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate. Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team,” agents Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz posted on the Creative Artists Agency social media feeds.
When: 3:15 p.m. Saturday
Where: Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi
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TV/radio: ESPN, 1300, 98.1, 105.3 (Spanish)
Line: Texas is favored by 7 points; over/under is 44 ½ points
Cloudy with temperatures in the 70s, and scattered showers are expected in the second half.
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Week 1 at Ohio State: L, 10-7
Week 2 vs San Jose State: W, 38-7
Week 3 at UTEP: W, 27-10
Week 4 vs Sam Houston: W, 55-0
Week 5 BYE
Week 6 at Florida: L, 29-21
Week 7 vs Oklahoma: W, 23-6
Week 8: at Kentucky: W, 16-13
Reach Texas beat reporter Thomas Jones via email at tjones@statesman.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
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