Texas’ night against Ole Miss took a sharp turn, and the Longhorns were forced to keep fighting without two key pieces after injuries knocked Cam Coleman and Trevor Goosby out of the game.
Texas had built a 24-3 halftime cushion before Ole Miss clawed back in the second half and pulled even early in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns were suddenly staring at the possibility of a third straight loss, and they had to try to steady things without Coleman and Goosby on the field.
Coleman’s exit came after he went down hard on his right shoulder while diving for a ball. He was seen coming up in visible discomfort after the play.
Trevor Goosby, meanwhile, was already off the field and appeared in street clothes after halftime. Goosby, who protects Manning’s blind side on the offensive line, was observed on the sideline with no wrap or boot on his ankle or foot, but with a brace on his left knee underneath his sweats. He had no brace on his right leg and was also on crutches.
The injury list has become a real problem for Texas. The Longhorns entered Saturday night having dropped two in a row, and they were already without star running back Hollywood Smothers before kickoff. Superstar edge rusher Colin Simmons is also out with an injury.
With more difficult games still ahead, Texas now has to find a way to stay afloat in the SEC and College Football Playoff race while dealing with a roster that keeps getting thinner.
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Texas Faces One Brutal Test Protecting Arch Manning Against Ole Miss
Ole Miss has spent much of this season proving it belongs in the national conversation, and the Rebels defense has been a big reason why. Pete Goldings group has already faced four ranked opponents and come away with three wins, a run that has helped establish the kind of edge and consistency teams need in the heart of conference play. Now the Rebels are getting another showcase opportunity, with Texas coming in after slipping from No. 1 to No. 19 on the heels of back-to-back losses.
For Ole Miss, the matchup is less about the Longhorns slide and more about the chance to keep bringing pressure the way it has against top competition. The Rebels have been especially effective rushing the passer, and that is where this game could tilt if Texas cannot keep Arch Manning upright. Ole Miss still has some offensive areas to clean up, but this is the kind of stage where its defense can do the talking again and force one of the SECs most scrutinized teams to answer a tough road question. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Gets One More Jolt Of Hype Before Texas Showdown
The buildup to Ole Miss trip to Austin already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and the stakes only got bigger with the No. 7 Rebels headed into a ranked conference showdown against No. 19 Texas. With College Football Playoff implications hanging over it, the matchup has become one of the weekends most closely watched games, and the talk around it has only intensified as Texas sorts through personnel questions before kickoff.
The Longhorns are expected to be without key players Colin Simmons and Hollywood Smothers, and there is even uncertainty at quarterback, with backup KJ Lacey Jr. taking more first-team reps than usual. Add in a round of predictions from Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Dalton Kincaid, most of whom backed Ole Miss, and the Rebels arrive in Austin with no shortage of outside belief riding along with them. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Is Driving A Start Ole Miss Could Regret Fast
Arch Manning wasted little time putting Ole Miss on its heels, helping Texas build a 17-3 lead with a night that showed off both his legs and his arm. He rushed for a touchdown and later uncorked a 50-yard strike to Ryan Wingo, a reminder that the Longhorns have more than one way to stress a defense when their quarterback is in rhythm.
Ole Miss also had to sit through the kind of sequence that can swing a game and linger long after it ends, including a critical third-and-15 conversion on a scramble and a deep shot that nearly turned into another touchdown before Cam Coleman could not haul it in. After a recent loss, Steve Sarkisian had pushed backup KJ Lacey for more reps, and Manning has looked plenty motivated in response. [Read more 🡒]