No. 11 Texas didn’t need a late rescue this time. Against a depleted Mississippi State team, the Longhorns turned in one of their more comfortable wins of the season and did enough in all the right spots to put the Bulldogs away.
Even so, the performance left Texas with a familiar reminder: there’s still work to do before two difficult road trips to Missouri and LSU.
The biggest concern remains the run game. One week after showing its most explosive ground attack in recent memory, Texas managed only 55 rushing yards before the starters came out.
The Longhorns had just three runs longer than five yards, and one of those belonged to Arch Manning. Hollywood Smothers returned from injury and finished with -6 yards, Raleek Brown averaged 3.8 yards per carry, and Michael Terry carried four times for 16 yards.
Texas didn’t need to lean on the ground game to close this one out, but that won’t be the case on the road. If the Longhorns want to handle Missouri and LSU, they’re going to need more from the run game than they got here.
Mississippi State did make things uncomfortable in the backfield. The Bulldogs recorded XX tackles for loss for XX yards, and their disruption kept Texas from ever really settling in on the ground. Still, holding Texas to XX rushing yards marked Mississippi State’s second-best defensive performance of the 2026 season, behind only the 16 yards it allowed to Minnesota in Week 2.
Arch Manning’s day looked a lot like the version Texas has seen throughout the season: flashes of sharp command, mixed with stretches where he held the ball too long and had trouble working through his reads. Another strip sack deep in Texas territory brought back memories of the issues that helped fuel the Ole Miss comeback a week earlier, but this time the Longhorns were able to absorb it and move on.
Manning also delivered just his fourth multi-touchdown game through the air, after throwing one touchdown pass in each of the previous two games. He looked comfortable early and then capped things off with the dagger to Emmett Mosley late, offering another glimpse of the upside that made him such a big name heading into the year.
Texas wasn’t dazzling, but it was disruptive. The Longhorns finished with nine tackles for loss and seven sacks, and Rasheem Biles was at the center of it all. He was everywhere, piling up three sacks and four tackles for loss while also forcing the fumble that set up Maraad Watson’s scoop-and-score touchdown in the second quarter.
In Other News...
Texas Could Land A Massive Recruiting Win Fans Will Love
Texas is in the mix for one of the biggest early recruiting prizes on the board, with five-star wide receiver Brysen Wright down to Texas, Florida and Miami ahead of his Nov. 5 commitment date. The 2028 prospect is one of the top names in his class, and his decision will give a clear read on how far the Longhorns can push on the trail this cycle.
For Texas, landing Wright would be a major boost to a 2028 class that already includes two commitments but still needs more firepower to keep building momentum. The Longhorns have made a habit of chasing elite receivers, and this one carries the kind of upside that would immediately energize fans watching the future of the offense take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Volleyball Just Sent A Rivalry Message Fans Will Love
Texas volleyball kept the edge in a familiar rivalry Friday night, sweeping No. 17 Texas A&M in straight sets at Gregory Gymnasium. The win gave the Longhorns another boost at home and added to their lead in the series, with Torrey Stafford and Henley Anderson doing much of the damage at the net as Texas controlled the match from start to finish.
The performance also offered a timely reminder of how dangerous Texas can be when it gets rolling in conference play. Stafford finished with 13 kills and Anderson added 10, a strong tandem effort that helped the Longhorns leave no doubt before turning the page to a road trip that now takes them to Missouri and Vanderbilt. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Win Came With One Sideline Concern Fans Should Watch
Texas handled Mississippi State 31-3, but the postgame conversation may linger a little longer on the sideline than the scoreboard. Injured edge rusher Colin Simmons was active with the defensive coaches during the game, a reminder that Texas is still managing key pieces even in a convincing win.
The bigger concern came from the secondary, where cornerback Graceson Littleton tested a lower-body injury at halftime and did not return. There is growing worry it could be a knee issue that might keep him out for the rest of the regular season, while wide receiver Cam Coleman also exited early after an injury and was seen briefly talking with Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte on the sideline. [Read more 🡒]