No. 11/11 Texas didn’t just beat Mississippi State on Saturday night - it smothered the Bulldogs from start to finish and walked out of Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium with a 31-3 win in front of 103,586 fans.
The Longhorns limited Mississippi State to a season-low 187 yards and continued a familiar trend in conference play, holding all five of their SEC opponents to season lows in yards per play. Texas improved to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC, while Mississippi State fell to 4-4 and 2-4 in the league.
Steve Sarkisian also hit a milestone in the process, earning his 100th career victory. He now owns a 100-57 (.637) record in 13 seasons as a head coach.
Texas’ defense set the tone, and Rasheem Biles was at the center of it. He finished with a career-high three sacks and two forced fumbles, piling up eight tackles with four for loss.
His second-quarter strip sack of AJ Swann directly led to a 61-yard fumble return touchdown by Maraad Watson, pushing Texas ahead 17-0 with 1:13 left before halftime. That return was the longest fumble return touchdown by the Longhorns since Rodrique Wright’s 67-yard return against Oklahoma on Oct.
8, 2005.
The takeaway machine keeps humming for Texas at home, too. The Longhorns have forced a turnover in 27 of their last 28 home games, and those 50 takeaways have turned into 207 points.
The pass rush kept coming after Biles, with Colton Vasek, Justus Terry and Zina Umeozulu each adding sacks.
On offense, Arch Manning was sharp and efficient, finishing 16 of 20 for 220 yards and three touchdowns. It was his ninth career game with at least three passing scores.
Texas opened fast with a 4-play, 62-yard drive that ended on Manning’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Cam Coleman. One play earlier, Manning had hit Coleman for 47 yards, the receiver’s longest catch of the season. Coleman finished with two receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown, and his 20 career receiving scores are tied for the sixth-most among active FBS players.
Emmett Mosley V also made his presence felt, catching four passes for a season-high 98 yards and a touchdown. His first score of the year came on a 42-yard strike to close out the scoring in the final quarter. That completion was Manning’s 10th pass of 40 or more yards in 2026, the most in the SEC.
Raleek Brown added a 4-yard receiving touchdown with 5:35 left in the third quarter.
Texas has been nearly unbeatable at home under Sarkisian, going 24-2 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium since 2023. Nineteen of those wins have come by at least 14 points, tying the Longhorns for the second-most home victories by that margin in the FBS, behind only Ohio State’s 22.
The Longhorns will be back on the road next, heading to face Missouri at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 7, and the game will air on ESPN.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisian Just Sent A Clear Message About Arch Manning
Steve Sarkisian is not sounding like a coach looking to press the panic button on Arch Manning. Even with the turnovers piling up and the sack count climbing, Sarkisian has made it clear he still believes in his quarterback, while also pointing to the bigger issues around him. The Texas coach said the offense needs better play up front and a quicker release from Manning, but he also praised the way the young quarterback competes and absorbs contact.
Manning, for his part, has owned some of the blame for the sacks and said he is focused on getting better and helping Texas win. That matters as the Longhorns head into a critical game, where the pressure is only going to rise and every snap will be watched closely. For now, the message from the sideline is less about doubt than about trust, even if the next step has to come fast. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Passing Game Suddenly Rests On Unproven Wideouts
Texas is leaning harder on its receiver depth chart after injuries to Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo forced the passing game to adjust on the fly. In recent games, head coach Steve Sarkisian and quarterback Arch Manning have both pointed to junior Emmett Mosley V as a key piece in that reshaped plan, praising the way he can line up in different spots and handle a bigger workload.
Mosley is now part of a wider group being asked to grow up quickly, with freshmen Jermaine Bishop Jr., Kohen Brown and Chris Stewart all in line for more snaps as the Longhorns manage the shortage. For a passing attack built around timing and trust, the challenge is less about finding bodies than finding reliable ones, and Texas is now testing how much production it can get from receivers who have not had to carry this kind of responsibility before. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Is About To Get A Brutal Playoff Reality Check
Texas is sitting at 6-2 with four regular-season games left, and the latest AP Poll has the Longhorns at No. 10, which keeps them in the playoff conversation but hardly in a comfortable spot. The first College Football Playoff rankings are coming soon, and for a team still trying to stack wins in the SEC, that initial reveal should offer an early look at how the committee views Texas against the rest of the crowded field.
Steve Sarkisian has already pointed to the reality facing SEC teams with multiple losses, a reminder that record alone may not tell the whole story once the selection process begins. For Texas, the bigger question is how the committee weighs the Longhorns' wins and losses from here, especially as the season enters its final stretch and every result starts carrying more meaning. [Read more 🡒]