The first half in Columbia ended tied at 10-10, but the biggest moment came on a play that should have swung things Texas’ way.
With Missouri backed up near its own 20 and 45 seconds left before halftime, Tigers receiver Cayden Lee caught a short pass near the line of scrimmage and tried to fight for extra yards as Texas defenders closed in. He stayed upright long enough for safety Jelani McDonald to strip the ball, and McDonald recovered it in bounds for the Longhorns well before the whistle.
The ball was clearly out, and Texas should have had possession in field-goal range. Instead, after review, the officials kept the original ruling and somehow decided the forced fumble did not come a full second after the whistle.
That left Texas empty-handed on a turnover that was right there for the taking in a game that could factor into a College Football Playoff spot.
It was the kind of sequence that made the officiating crew’s afternoon stand out for all the wrong reasons. The play could easily have been blown dead live, but it wasn’t, which at least opened the door for replay to sort it out. That didn’t happen either, as the crew in Columbia stuck with the call on the field despite the evidence on the screen.
Texas also had a chance to help itself before the half expired, and that part fell on Steve Sarkisian. After the third-down stop, he let nearly 40 seconds drain away without using a timeout, passing up an opportunity to give his offense a shot at a field goal before halftime.
In Other News...
Texas May Need A 5-Star Freshman In A Huge SEC Test
Texas is heading into a big SEC test with a little less certainty in the secondary than it would like, as cornerbacks Graceson Littleton and Kade Phillips are both listed as questionable for the Missouri game. That puts added pressure on a defensive backfield that may have to absorb more snaps than planned, especially with Missouri and key receiver Donovan Olugbode looming as a real challenge for the Longhorns.
One name to watch is true freshman John Meredith III, the former five-star recruit who could be asked to play a bigger role if the injuries linger. Texas is also still waiting on edge rusher Colin Simmons, whose status remains uncertain, even as other defenders have helped keep the unit afloat in his absence. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Freshman Receiver May Be Needed More Than Ever This Week
Jermaine Bishop Jr. has already shown why Texas is leaning on him as a freshman receiver, even after arriving in Austin as a multi-position high school player who had to settle into one role at the college level. Through the 2026 season, he has given the Longhorns a useful spark with 16 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown, production that has come with the kind of steady presence coaches tend to trust when the game gets tight.
Steve Sarkisian has pointed to Bishop Jr.'s composure and confidence in different situations, and that matters now as Texas looks for answers at receiver this week. For a young player still learning the full demands of the position, the next step is less about proving he belongs and more about seeing how much responsibility the Longhorns are willing to place on him when they need it most. [Read more 🡒]
Texas May Have Found The Best Way To Rattle Missouri
Missouri has looked more balanced this season under Eli Drinkwitz, with Chip Lindseys offense and quarterback Austin Simmons giving the Tigers a cleaner, more efficient identity than they had a year ago. Even in the loss to Mississippi, the bigger story was how well the Rebels controlled the line of scrimmage, limiting Missouris rushing game and forcing Simmons into a tougher night than he usually sees.
That blueprint is the part Texas will be studying closely. If the Longhorns can recreate that kind of pressure and make Missouri play from behind the chains, they could disrupt the rhythm that has fueled the Tigers recent run of three wins in four games. For Texas, the challenge is not just slowing an improved offense, but doing it in a way that keeps Simmons uncomfortable from the opening series. [Read more 🡒]