Texas didn’t need Colin Simmons to rediscover its pass rush.
Two weeks after the Longhorns last logged a sack - and after finishing without one in the win over Ole Miss - the defense showed up in a big way Saturday against Mississippi State. Even with Simmons still sidelined, Texas piled up seven sacks in a 31-3 victory.
That total doesn’t top the Longhorns’ best pass-rush outing of the season. Texas got to the quarterback 10 times in the 20-17 win over Tennessee. But seven sacks without its top edge threat is still a loud answer, especially with the regular season down to the final four games.
The road ahead is unforgiving. Texas still has Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M on the schedule away from home, with Arkansas coming to Austin. Drop one of those four and the Longhorns likely fall out of College Football Playoff contention, which only raises the importance of getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Against Mississippi State, the pressure came from everywhere. Five different Longhorns recorded sacks: inside linebacker Rasheem Biles led the way with three, while Colton Vasek, Justus Terry, Justin Cryer and Zina Umeozulu each added one.
That kind of committee effort fits the reality of a defense that has leaned heavily on Simmons all season. Even after missing the last two games with an injury, he still leads the SEC with 10.5 sacks.
The biggest shift Saturday was Texas’ decision to let the linebackers hunt more aggressively, and Biles sounded like a player who helped push that change.
“Me and [Will] Muschamp did have a little talk,” Biles said after his three-sack performance against Mississippi State. “I told him, ‘Let me move a little more.’
He told me, ‘I got you.’ That’s what you’ve all been seeing the last two games: he’s let me loose a little more.”
Biles was everywhere for Texas. He worked in coverage, where his speed and athleticism can show up, but he also attacked downhill and lived in the backfield.
By the end of the day, he had eight tackles, four for a loss and three sacks, a career day in the pass-rush department for the former Pittsburgh transfer.
Texas now turns to Missouri, where it will try to keep that momentum going. Kickoff at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CT, with the Longhorns looking to add another ranked win to their College Football Playoff resume.
In Other News...
Texas Just Lost A Backfield Piece It Couldnt Afford To Lose
Texas backfield has already been stretched thin this season, and now it looks like the Longhorns will have to finish the year without Hollywood Smothers. He was ruled out for the upcoming game against Missouri, and the expectation is that he will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after injuries have repeatedly limited his availability.
Smothers absence is a tough blow for a running back group that has already had to adjust on the fly, with Raleek Brown stepping into a larger role during his time out. For Texas, the issue is no longer just replacing a player who flashed when healthy, but trying to keep the ground game steady without one of the pieces it was counting on most. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces A New Receiver Battle After Missing On Top Target
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Among the names drawing the most attention are Mays, a highly ranked Texas native, and Wiley, who has shown strong interest in the Longhorns. The challenge now is familiar for Texas: keeping pace with regional rivals like Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Oklahoma while making sure the next receiver battle does not slip away the way the last one did. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Just Lost A Key Rushing Threat At The Worst Time
Texas has already been juggling its backfield all season, and now it has to finish the year without one of its most experienced options. Senior running back Hollywood Smothers is out for the remainder of the season after tearing an MCL in the win over Mississippi State, a blow that comes just as the Longhorns are trying to keep their offense steady down the stretch.
Smothers had battled injuries throughout the year, but he still ranked second on the team in rushing yards before going down. His absence removes a proven runner from the rotation and leaves Texas preparing for Missouri without one of the few backs who had managed to provide both experience and production when available. [Read more 🡒]