Will Muschamp has already shown Lane Kiffin what a bad night can look like.
The Texas defensive coordinator and LSU head coach are set to meet for the fifth time on Saturday, when the Longhorns travel to Tiger Stadium with a shot at knocking off their fifth ranked opponent of the season. Kiffin owns the series 3-1, but Muschamp’s last answer was emphatic: Georgia rolled past Ole Miss 52-17 in 2023.
That game didn’t start as a blowout. Ole Miss opened with three drives that stretched across 28 plays, covered 185 yards and ended in two touchdowns.
After that, though, the Rebels went cold. Their next six possessions produced just 19 yards, and Georgia turned that stretch into a 31-point cushion.
The key was how Muschamp took away the easy answers. He made Jaxson Dart hold the ball longer than he wanted, cut off his escape lanes and squeezed the Rebels’ run game. Georgia also forced Dart away from the quick game and screens Kiffin likes to use outside, pushing him into vertical throws that didn’t work.
The numbers tell the story clearly. Georgia sacked Dart twice, intercepted him once and held him to 20 rushing yards on eight carries. Dart finished with a Pro Football Focus passing grade of 49.5 and a 9.1% turnover-worthy play rate, easily worse than his second-lowest mark that season, 5.4%.
Even with Muschamp blitzing on only 28.6% of Dart’s drop-backs, Georgia still pressured him on 38.1% of those plays. Dart was an All-SEC honorable mention that year, but Muschamp found a way to attack the weak spots anyway by spreading bodies around and taking away the simple throws.
That adaptability is the edge Muschamp has leaned on throughout his career, and it’s a big reason he finally beat Kiffin the last time they matched up. It has also shown up this season, with Texas using a flexible mix of coverages, fronts and disguises.
If Muschamp can line up the right combination again on Saturday, the Longhorns could be in position to make the College Football Playoff for the third time in four years.
In Other News...
LSU Brings One Dangerous Edge Into Texas Clash Despite Clear Concerns
Texas is coming off a win over Missouri and now turns its attention to LSU, a matchup that looks far less comfortable on paper than the Tigers recent results might suggest. LSU has been productive enough on offense to stay dangerous, ranking well in points per game, yards per game and third-down conversions, which means the Longhorns cannot afford to let drives linger or give the visitors extra chances to settle in.
The concern for LSU is that the same unit has also shown some rough edges, especially in the red zone and with quarterback Sam Leavitts interceptions, so Texas has a chance to force the issue if it can tighten up near the goal line. Defensively, though, LSU brings a different kind of problem, with a strong sack rate and the ability to create disruption even while leaving itself exposed to big plays, which gives this game a volatile feel before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Heads To Baton Rouge Facing Its Biggest Test Yet
Steve Sarkisian had plenty to like after Texas handled Missouri, especially with the Longhorns extending their run to six straight wins over ranked opponents. The latest step forward also brought a little extra recognition for Arch Manning, whose performance against Missouri earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors and gave Texas another sign that its offense can rise to the moment when the competition tightens.
Now the challenge gets sharper in Baton Rouge, where Sarkisian called LSUs defense the most talented group Texas will see all season. For a team that has already shown it can win big games, this trip is about more than carrying momentum - it is about preparation and offensive efficiency against a front that will ask far more questions than Missouri did. [Read more 🡒]
Matas Vokietaitis Is Giving Texas Fans Real Reason To Believe
Texas keeps stacking wins early, and the latest one came with another encouraging sign in the frontcourt. The Longhorns rolled past Grambling State 93-62 for their third straight regular-season victory, and junior center Matas Vokietaitis was the clear headliner with 26 points, nine rebounds, a block and a steal. It was the kind of all-around showing that gives a team more than just a box score boost, especially for a group still trying to settle into a rhythm.
Even with the offense humming at a 100-point pace, the bigger takeaway may be how much easier Texas looks when Vokietaitis is involved early and often. The Longhorns now turn to Baylor in San Antonio, where the level of competition rises and the same questions about consistency and interior production will get a more revealing test. [Read more 🡒]