For the second consecutive week, Texas football had to work overtime for an SEC road win. But Saturday’s 45-38 victory at Mississippi State will go down as one of the most memorable comebacks in school history. Behind a career night from quarterback Arch Manning, Texas rallied from a 17-point deficit entering the fourth quarter and a 38-21 deficit with 12:29 left by scoring 24 unanswered points.
And the final Texas score came in a most unlikely way. After Manning had to leave the field in overtime to apparently undergo concussion protocols, backup Matthew Caldwell came in and lofted a 10-yard touchdown pass to Emmett Mosley V for the only score in overtime.
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Here’s how the Longhorns graded out in their third straight victory:
Texas quarterback Matthew Caldwell (18) celebrates with running back Christian Clark after the game Oct. 25, 2025 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.
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Quarterback: A
Texas wide receiver Ryan Niblett (21) runs a punt return for a touchdown against Mississippi State during the second half Oct. 25, 2025 in Starkville, Miss.
James Pugh/Associated Press
With the running game bogged down, Manning threw for a career-high 346 yards on 29-of-46 passing with three touchdowns. Sure, he tossed an interception for the first time in three games, but it probably should have been caught by Parker Livingstone. Manning proved his best in the game’s tautest moments, and he could be blossoming into the star seemingly everyone expects.
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Running back: D+
Even with the return of CJ Baxter, this unit continues to confound. Quintrevion Wisner led the team with 41 yards, but averaged just 3.4 yards a carry, and Baxter had just 27 yards on nine carries. Also, neither had a catch out of the backfield, which has long been a staple in a Steve Sarkisian offense.
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Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner (5) carries the ball during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Oct. 25, 2025 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.
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Receivers: A-
Ryan Wingo finally had a breakout game when his team needed it the most. He set a career high with 184 yards receiving on five catches, and Mosley had two touchdowns in his first big game since arriving from Stanford this offseason. Toss in a pair of touchdowns from Livingstone and this unit made plays all over the field. A pair of drops by Wingo and Livingstone’s bobble that led to a pick are the only red marks.
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Offensive line: C+
It’s been a rough season for the group, and it got rougher when senior right guard DJ Campbell — the only returning starter from a year ago — went down in the first half and didn’t return. The unit failed to clear many running lanes, and it also failed to protect Manning while allowing five sacks. But credit Connor Stroh for filling in for Campbell, and credit the unit for giving Manning enough protection late in the game when it mattered the most.
MORE: No Arch Manning, no problem for Longhorns in comeback 45-38 OT win
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Defensive line: B+
Texas played 86 snaps on defense for the second consecutive week, but the line seemed to ratchet up the pressure as the game wore on. Ethan Burke had arguably his best game of the season with seven tackles, a fourth-down tackle for a loss and the game-clinching sack. Alex January also played well inside with 1½ sacks as the unit didn’t allow many deep drops for Blake Shapen.
Texas defensive lineman Alex January (right) sacks Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen (2) during the second half Oct. 25, 2025 in Starkville, Miss.
James Pugh/Associated Press
Linebackers: B
Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski unleashed middle linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. as a pass rusher and he responded with 10 tackles, four quarterback hits, 3½ tackles for loss and 2½ sacks. The unit did help allow backup Bulldogs running back Davon Booth to scoot for 99 yards, and they’ll need to fit the running lanes better in the coming weeks.
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Secondary: D
The secondary struggled to match up with Mississippi State’s spread offense without injured safety Michael Taaffe, the All-American who missed the game with a broken thumb. Shapen threw for a career-high 381 yards, and former UT player Brenen Thompson torched star cornerback Malik Muhammad for a 23-yard touchdown. Safety Jelani McDonald gave a valiant effort in run support with a team-high 14 tackles.
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GOLDEN: How the Cardiac Longhorns pulled one out of the fire to win in Starkville
Special teams: A
Return man Ryan Niblett may just be the team’s MVP, considering his second punt return for a touchdown in the past three weeks tied the game late in the fourth quarter. Oh, and the 6-foot-6 Burke got Texas’ first blocked kick when he swatted down a 47-yard field goal try by Kyle Ferrie. The only negative came when kicker Mason Shipley missed from 29 yards, his first errant try under 55 yards all season.
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Coaching: B
The Texas defense seemed unprepared for the Bulldogs’ spread, especially while allowing 281 yards in the first half. But the Longhorns hung tough and finally found an offensive groove when Sarkisian turned the ball over to Manning. Sarkisian has hinted that “defense and special teams” may carry this team, but he trusted his passing game to key Saturday’s comeback.
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