The Texas Longhorns have been plagued by offensive problems all season, and while the easy answer is to default to the performance of Arch Maning, the real problem is actually a lot easier to spot: the performance of the offensive line.
That was evident in their 16-13 win over the Kentucky Wildcats, just barely sneaking by a conference opponent who hasn’t won an SEC game in eight straight attempts. This performance serves as another harrowing reminder that the Longhorns’ most significant problem is only further hindering any potential success they hope to achieve this season.
Even more shockingly, the Longhorns dominated an Oklahoma Sooners defensive line that was one of the best in the country last weekend. Then, on the road in Lexington, they were the ones dominated.
Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian claps during warmups before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The Wildcats entered the game as the worst-ranked SEC team in terms of sacks on the season, with seven on the year. They had three in the contest against the Longhorns; nearly half their season total came in the contest against a Longhorns offensive line that was only missing their starting center, Cole Hutson. The Wildcats entered the game with a sack percentage of 4.49 percent, but that number jumped up to 11 percent against the Longhorns.
It didn’t stop at just sacks, though; they allowed seven quarterback hurries, while the Wildcats only had 11 quarterback hurries total on the season entering the game. Manning, whose average time to throw is higher than three seconds, was given no time in the pocket to find an open receiver.
What looked like a communication and a fundamental problem within the group for the season was amplified on the road against the Wildcats, often missing stunts from the opposing defensive line and failing to create a clean pocket for Manning to step into. When given ample time to throw, the Longhorns’ signal-caller was completing an average of 11 yards per completion, showing his capability of commanding the offense.
It wasn’t just a passing problem for the offensive line, which failed to establish a new line of scrimmage on running plays, resulting in the Longhorns averaging only 1.7 yards per rush on 28 attempts. That number is less than half of what the Wildcats entered play allowing on the season (3.9), and heightened the struggles of finding a rhythm on offense, after head coach Steve Sarkisian talked about the offense’s need to run the ball to help open up the playbook.
The Longhorns will look to clean up the issue after the group showed in the Red River Rivalry that they are capable of playing at a high level, before another one-possession, low-scoring game does not go their way this season, and they drop their third game of the year.