For 30 minutes on Saturday night, Texas looked like it had finally put the whole thing together. The Longhorns were controlling both sides of the ball, building a 24-3 lead and looking every bit like a team headed for another Top-10 win.
Then the second half arrived.
That has become the part of the game Texas can’t seem to survive. Over its last three games, the Longhorns have gone scoreless in the third quarter while Oklahoma, Florida and Ole Miss have piled up 24 points combined.
In those three third quarters, Texas produced only 68 total yards on 34 plays and picked up four first downs. It had 41 yards against Oklahoma, eight against Florida and 19 against Ole Miss.
The split is brutal. Texas has outscored those same opponents 58-20 before halftime, then been outscored 61-24 after it.
And it hasn’t just been one thing. The Longhorns keep creating problems for themselves with offensive mistakes that leave their defense with no margin for error.
Against Oklahoma, it was a third-and-1 run where Arch Manning handed off to Derrek Cooper and the play was stuffed at the line. Oklahoma took over near midfield and tied the game early in the fourth quarter.
Against Florida, Texas opened its final third-quarter possession with two negative plays and went three-and-out. The Gators got the ball at their own 33, drove the field and kicked the go-ahead field goal, a lead Texas never got back.
Ole Miss brought the same theme, just louder. Texas had 258 first-half yards, but the third quarter went sideways before the Longhorns even snapped the ball.
An unsportsmanlike penalty on the opening kickoff pinned Texas at its own 12. Four plays later, Blake Purchase sacked Arch Manning, forced a fumble and watched the ball trickle into the end zone before Kam Franklin recovered it.
Less than two minutes after halftime, a 21-point cushion had been sliced to 14 without Ole Miss’ offense touching the field.
Texas then punted on its next three drives and never reached midfield. The Rebels finally strung together a drive that stretched into the fourth quarter, and another Texas penalty helped set up the tying touchdown.
The Longhorns did answer, though much of that response came through Raleek Brown in the fourth quarter. Manning threw a touchdown and Gianni Spetic added a field goal with 2:25 left to push Texas back in front by 10.
At that point, the game should have been done.
Instead, a special teams mistake after an Ole Miss field goal cracked the door back open. Texas was able to finish the job only after Jelani McDonald’s interception. Without it, the Longhorns might have watched their playoff hopes disappear before November.
The final second-half numbers tell the story. Texas had two turnovers and seven penalties for 88 yards after halftime, and it converted just one of six third-down chances.
The problem is becoming so obvious that opponents are talking about it before the game is even over. Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding said afterward, “We said that at halftime. They’ve been up multiple possessions in this stadium and lost.”
Texas escaped with a win, but the escape itself is the warning sign. The Longhorns keep leaning on late-game heroics to clean up self-inflicted messes, and that’s a dangerous way to live if they want a serious postseason run.
At some point, Texas has to stop surviving games and start closing them out.
In Other News...
Texas Fans Just Got A Halloween Gameday Reason To Arrive Early
Longhorn fans heading to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Oct. 31 have an extra reason to get there early, with Longhorn City Limits presented by Hollister set for a Halloween edition on the LBJ Lawn before Texas takes on Mississippi State. The pregame scene will feature Uncle Kracker and special guest Julianna Rankin, along with free admission and the kind of tailgate atmosphere that has become part of the gameday rhythm around the stadium.
The event will also include food and beverage offerings for fans 21 and older, adding another layer to what is already shaping up as a full-day experience around the football game. Athletics director Chris Del Conte pointed to the festivities as part of the broader gameday package, and for Texas supporters, it is another chance to make a night game feel like more than just what happens between the lines. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Fans May Not Expect How Reachable This Halloween Game Feels
The atmosphere around Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium has stayed as tight as ever, with all 2026 home games sold out before the season even began, extending Texas run of sellouts to five straight years. Still, one of the more surprising byproducts of that demand is that the upcoming Mississippi State game is not out of reach for fans looking for a seat, at least not compared with what you might expect for a sold-out fall date in Austin.
Tickets are only showing up on resale platforms, but the market for this one has been relatively friendly, with listings generally starting under $100. For a Texas home game with the stadium already spoken for, that makes this Halloween matchup look more accessible than plenty of other dates involving either the Longhorns or the Bulldogs, even if the final price will depend on where buyers are willing to shop. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Injury Report Leaves One Huge Question For The Playoff Push
Texas has reached the part of the season where every injury report feels heavier than the last, and the latest one only underscores how thin the margin is for a team still trying to navigate the playoff push. The Longhorns will head into the Mississippi State game without starting left tackle Trevor Goosby, who is out for the season with a knee injury, a blow that changes the look of the offensive front at a crucial time.
There is some good news mixed in, with running back Hollywood Smothers and wide receiver Cam Coleman both listed as probable after working back from injuries. The biggest lingering question, though, centers on star pass rusher Colin Simmons, who has been upgraded to questionable status because of an ankle injury, leaving Texas to wait and see whether one of its most important defensive playmakers will be available when it needs him most. [Read more 🡒]