sportingnews
Arch Manning crossed his arms and stomped along the sideline as fireworks burst overhead, a defiant celebration after his go-ahead touchdown run. The quarterback then walked into the end zone for the decisive score, delivering the must-have performance that No. 19 Texas desperately needed. The Longhorns withstood a second-half surge from No. 7 Ole Miss to secure a 34-27 victory on Saturday.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian had called Manning "edgy" during the week, and the sophomore quarterback embodied that description. Manning completed 18 of 30 passes for 212 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns, though he also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. The Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 SEC) raced to a three-touchdown advantage over the Rebels (5-2, 3-2 SEC) before holding on.
"I think all week we just said, 'Whatever it takes,' and got the win," Manning told ESPN's Holly Rowe after the game. He also noted a quirky trend: "I think you need to start doing our games more. We're 3-0 with you this year." Those three contests were decided by a combined seven points.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss spearheaded a furious comeback, finishing 25 of 52 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Chambliss attempted to tie the score on the game's final play, but Jelani McDonald—who had broken up a Hail Mary in the 20-17 win over Tennessee on Sept. 26—intercepted the pass to seal the outcome.
Manning and Texas remain the soap opera of the 2026 season, and this was another cliffhanger for the two-loss Longhorns in the crowded SEC playoff race. Backup quarterback KJ Lacey, rumored to be in line for more first-team reps after Texas' 27-24 loss to Florida in Week 7, played just one snap after Manning took a hard hit in the third quarter. Manning's transfer rumors, which have swirled for four years, will likely fade again. He could still enter the 2027 NFL Draft and be a first-round pick, and Texas' season-long script with Manning is far from finished.
Key Analysis
Manning took his own advice and "let it rip" against the Rebels. He opened the first quarter with a 43-yard pass to Ryan Wingo and a 23-yard run by Raleek Brown, who trucked Ole Miss safety Joenel Aguero on the play. Manning scored on a 2-yard run and struck a pose in the end zone. A 19-yard scramble set up a 50-yard touchdown pass to Wingo for a 17-3 lead with 12:38 left in the third quarter. Michael Terry III added a 3-yard touchdown run to extend the advantage to 24-3.
Manning was 13 of 19 for 171 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the first half. Chambliss was 6 of 18 for 63 yards and two interceptions, including a fourth-and-goal pick to Texas linebacker Rasheem Biles with 1:37 left in the half. It looked like the game where Manning would silence all the critics.
But Texas, coming off losses to Oklahoma and Florida in the previous two weeks, nearly let it slip away. The Sooners and Gators had outscored the Longhorns 37-14 in the second half over that stretch. Manning lost a fumble on a sack by Blake Purchase, which Kam Franklin recovered in the end zone at the 13:28 mark of the third quarter. The Rebels trimmed the lead to 24-17 on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Chambliss to Horatio Fields with 6:46 left in the third. Texas managed just two first downs in the quarter.
Chambliss tied the score with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Fields with 13:57 remaining in the fourth. Texas answered with a six-play, 80-yard drive that came exclusively on the ground. Brown had a 47-yard run up the middle, the Longhorns' first chunk play of the second half. Terry added runs of 19 and 12 yards, and Manning walked in a 1-yard touchdown on a bootleg with 8:04 left. Alex January blocked an Ole Miss field-goal attempt, and Gianni Spetic gave Texas a 34-24 lead on a 33-yard field goal with 2:25 remaining.
Lucas Carneiro kicked a 39-yard field goal, the Rebels recovered the ensuing onside kick, and Chambliss nearly led a game-tying drive before the final interception. "I was pacing and said a few prayers, but our defense came up clutch," Manning said. "That's what it's all about."
Texas still has issues. Edge rusher Colin Simmons (ankle) and running back Hollywood Smothers (shoulder) missed Saturday's game. Tackle Trevor Goosby was carted off with an injury in the first quarter, and receiver Cam Coleman left with a shoulder injury in the third. The Longhorns committed 14 penalties for 134 yards. Yet if the College Football Playoff rankings came out Tuesday, Texas would probably be in the top 12 based on victories against Ole Miss, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 11 Tennessee. No other team has three wins against teams inside the top 12 at this point. More will be revealed over the next two weeks in road games against No. 22 Missouri and No. 18 LSU. Texas needs even more from Manning; otherwise, the doom-and-gloom cycle will start again with a third loss. Is there a more entertaining drama in college football right now?
Originally reported by sportingnews.