For most of the third quarter, it felt like the third chapter of the same story: a Texas Longhorns team built an early lead but couldn’t put the opponent away, letting them come roaring back. But where the Longhorns folded and couldn’t get the game back in hand in the previous two losses, they put together two key drives in the second half to take the lead and do just enough to end the losing streak with a 34-27 win over Ole Miss on Saturday in Austin.
Arch Manning is who he is
We keep waiting for the Arch Manning from the last half of 2025 to show back up, and for a few fleeting moments we saw what could be, but it was too good to last. After being in rhythm to start the game, a costly interception ended the Longhorns’ momentum early. He picked up the pace again and even tossed an explosive touchdown pass in the first half, but when the game turned, Manning started to press, and the wheels started to fall off.
A strip sack on the opening drive of the second half gave the Rebels the life they needed to get back into the game. Manning closed the second half without completing consecutive passes, unless you count the 18-yard completion to Masunas followed by an arm punt to give Ole Miss the ball with the game somehow tied 24-24 in the fourth quarter.
Texas has to unlock the ground game
In the second half, when Texas needed to put points on the board, the duo of Raleek Brown and Michael Terry delivered. Great vision, explosive running, and the best blocking of the contest let Texas drive 80 yards in just six plays to retake the lead. Texas ran the ball every play of the drive, kickstarted by a 47-yard run by Brown on 2nd and 9 that was the first of three explosive runs that gave Texas 1st and goal from the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Manning jogged into the end zone untouched to break the tie.
On the seven-play scoring drive that put the Longhorns up 10 points with a field goal, Manning threw a screen pass on the first play, but never put it in the air again.
Texas has struggled to run the ball consistently this year, but they did it when it counted against the Rebels, and it made the difference. The Longhorns have to find some sort of consistent ground game in the coming weeks, as they are somehow still alive in both the College Football Playoff and a berth in the SEC Championship game.
There needs to be a change on special teams
We may not have learned this today, but it definitely cemented the need for a rapid change and improvement in the third phase. The game really turned on an improvisational fake punt from Ole Miss, where the Australian specialist saw a look he liked and took off running. A 10-yard unnecessary roughness penalty turned what would have been a 3rd and 3 into a Rebels first down. That drive ended with an interception, but that was the first time that the Rebels showed signs of life.
Ole Miss scored 21 unanswered points, and the wheels seemed to fall off for Texas until one big second-half drive. Even with the blocked field goal that set Texas up to eat more clock and extend the lead, that can’t make up for Texas’ repeated special-teams sins. For the second time this season, Texas had to survive a last-second drive when all they needed was to recover an onside kick. Instead, three Longhorns had a chance to recover the kick, but somehow a Rebels player ended up with it.