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No. 7 Texas 93, Grambling State 62: Postgame discussion, reactions

AUSTIN, Texas — With a game-high 26 points by Matas Vokietaitis leading five players in double figures, No. 7 Texas rolled to a 93-62 win over Grambling State on Monday.
The Longhorns never trailed in their last tune-up before facing their first Power Four opponent of the season. Texas (3-0) will face Baylor at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center on Sunday, renewing a rivalry that was put on the shelf after the Longhorns left the Big 12 for the SEC after the 2023-24 season.
While Vokietaitis led Texas in scoring, Sean Miller’s talented freshmen made their presence felt. Joe Sterling (13 points, 3-for-4 from 3-point range and two steals) and Marcus Spears Jr. (12 points, four rebounds and two assists) reached double figures in scoring, with Austin Goosby and Bo Ogden making the most of the minutes they’re getting as Mikey Lewis recovers from a foot injury, which required surgery (Oct. 1).
Vokietaitis recorded at least 10 points and five rebounds for the 18th consecutive regular-season game. He has the longest such streak by a Texas player since Kevin Durant reached those marks in the last 21 games of his lone season on the Forty Acres.
Jeff Howe

Sunday - He Found Something

If you want to see a coach that is the very definition of competitive, take a look at the short video of Steve Sarkisian below.
Winning clearly meant something to him, something very deep. Almost like he was exorcising some football demons.
**
I believe it meant something special to him yesterday because, at least in part, he knows he helped put his players, his quarterback in particular, in a position to succeed.
And his quarterback and his offense answered the bell in a big way.
As a coach, I’m not sure there’s a better feeling than that.
It’s something Sark had struggled to get just right all season. Arch, the OL and some dropped passes along the way did not help matters.
But when the clock hit double zero in Columbia, the outlook of the 2026 Texas football team felt like it had fundamentally changed.
Why?
The 34 points scored against Ole Miss at home was no longer a fluke. The offense felt like it had created an identity. It was no longer a punching bag of three-and-outs.
Instead, it showed real signs that it could blossom into something truly efficient and at the same time forceful, a unit that can both score points and move the chains.
The emergence and usage of Jermaine Bishop helped. So too did the increased checkdowns to the running backs and tight ends and the steady play of Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V.
The offensive line, in this style of play, felt like it could hold up better. And the emergence of Raleek Brown as a true RB1 rather than a rotation also seemed to provide pop and consistency.
There’s a reason Sark pumped his fists in the air after the win yesterday. The Longhorns may have found a real path forward and to the College Football Playoff.
**
It’s a night-time kick in Baton Rouge.
6:30 on ABC.
The college football world will be watching the Longhorns and Tigers.
This will be a true test of the Texas offense and the Texas defense.
Enjoy your Sunday, folks. The Horns have a big one on Saturday.
Hook’Em!


Bobby Burton

Snap Judgments: No. 7 Texas finishes strong, puts away No. 18 Missouri

Trailing 20-13 with 4:52 left in the third quarter after Missouri’s Naeshaun Montgomery ripped off a 75-yard touchdown, Texas did something I’ve longed to see under Steve Sarkisian.
The Longhorns scored the game’s final 21 points, with 14 in a dominant fourth quarter in Saturday’s 34-20 win over the Tigers in Columbia.
No. 7 Texas (7-2, 4-2 SEC) out-gained 18th-ranked Missouri (6-3, 3-3) by 102 yards (144-42) after falling behind. It played complementary football with Will Muschamp’s defense, which finished strong in the Longhorns’ fourth win of the season over an Associated Press Top 25 opponent.
***
After the Tigers pulled ahead, the Texas defense forced the following outcomes on Missouri’s last five possessions:
— Six plays, punt
— Three-and-out
— Three-and-out
— Three plays, forced fumble (the only turnover forced by the Longhorns)
— Turnover on downs
***
Whether Arch Manning (28-for-38, 297 yards and three touchdowns) fumbled or threw an incomplete pass on third-and-10 from the Tigers’ 39-yard line late in the third quarter will be hotly debated. Still, Emmett Mosley V deserves credit for recovering the football to set up Manning’s game-tying touchdown pass to Jermaine Bishop Jr.
The fortunate sequence gave the Longhorns a chance to close out a quality opponent on the road. Unlike Texas’ wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss, which came down to the last play, the Longhorns were in the victory formation on the last snap of a two-touchdown win over a club that was in the College Football Playoff discussion heading into the weekend.
***
Warren Roberson was picked on throughout the game. While watching the game at OTF Headquarters with Bobby Burton and Rod Babers, Rod reiterated what he mentioned during the second quarter of the “Watch With Us:” If you’re getting picked on as a defensive back, you need to make the opponent pay for it by making a play at some point.
Roberson stepped up when it mattered most.
With Missouri vying for a tying score, Roberson laid the wood to Cayden Lee on third-and-5 catch inside the final two minutes of regulation. Graceson Littleton snagged the loose ball and returned it to the 6-yard line (he should’ve finished off the run in the end zone for a touchdown, but Raleek Brown closed out the scoring three plays later, forcing the Tigers to burn their remaining timeouts).
***
My only legitimate gripe from Saturday’s win is that I can’t believe Sarkisian when he describes the brand of football he wants Texas to play as one that wants to establish the run and play with a physical edge on the ground.
The Longhorns successfully ran the football on Saturday. Brown (85 yards rushing, 23-yard receiving and two touchdowns) had four carries for 36 yards by the 6:43 mark of the first quarter; he had three combined carries in the second and third quarters.
Thankfully, Sarkisian went to Brown in crunch time, putting the ball in his hands five times on a six-play, 54-yard drive, which ended with a 23-yard touchdown catch (Sarkisian drew up a beautiful wheel route for Brown out of the backfield on a score that put Texas ahead for good, 27-20, with 5:03 to play).
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Manning wasn’t perfect on Saturday, but he’s doing a better job of executing the formula Sarkisian has found that’s worked during the team’s current three-game winning streak. Although the Longhorns still had protection issues on attempted deep shots, the quick game got Manning into a rhythm and opened up the intermediate and deep throws he connected on down the stretch.
***
Even when adjusting Missouri’s rushing yards to exclude sacks, Texas held the Tigers to 94 yards (4.1 yards per attempt). Missouri's 84 net yards (3.5 yards per carry) are the second-fewest for the Tigers this season, with SEC rushing leader Jamal Roberts (66 yards, 3.5 yards per attempt) recording his third-worst outing of the season.
Only three of Missouri’s 23 non-sack rushing attempts went for 10 or more yards.
Even after Ryan Niblett fumbled a kickoff return and Mac Chiumento (36 yards per punt) struggled to flip the field, the Longhorns didn’t lose the kicking-game battle. Missouri missed two field goals and Texas blocked a punt, with Jonathan Cunningham doing the honors in the second quarter.
***
The Longhorns achieved what should’ve been one of their primary objectives on Saturday by winning in the red zone.
Texas went 4-for-4 in the red zone and scored 20 points inside the Tigers’ 20-yard line, improving to an SEC-best 16-for-16 (11 touchdowns) in conference play. Missouri scored only 10 points on three red-zone trips, including a missed field goal.
***
I loved Bo Mascoe's tackle on Lee late in the first half. Lee’s forward progress denied Jelani McDonald a potential long return on a forced fumble. Still, Mascoe denied the Tigers a potential 2-for-1 scoring opportunity by fighting through a block to stop Lee short of a first down on a well-defended perimeter screen.
***
The guys dealing with injuries who tried to play deserve a tip of the cap.
— Littleton had four tackles and set up Brown’s game-ending touchdown run with a fumble return.
— Colin Simmons didn’t look anywhere close to 100 percent healthy. Nevertheless, anybody who wondered whether the future first-round pick would pack it in and preserve his health for the 2027 draft has their answer. It means something to Simmons to wear the burnt orange.
— Ryan Wingo had six catches for 53 yards, including a 12-yard reception two plays before Brown’s go-ahead touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
— Kade Phillips had two tackles and spelled Roberson. He came in for a struggling Roberson and finished off a first-half drive that ended with Missouri missing a field goal.
***
When the Tigers had the ball in a tie game with 9:42 remaining, Juice Cryer’s tackle for loss and Colton Vasek’s sack of Austin Simmons (23-for-43, 252 yards and two touchdowns) led to a critical three-and-out. The offense turned favorable field position into the go-ahead touchdown drive.
***
Good things happened when Sarkisian tried to get the ball to Bishop, who wasn't targeted in the first half. Bishop was targeted five times in the second half, recording four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Bishop also drew a defensive pass interference call on a deep ball, which might've been a touchdown if he hadn't been grabbed.
***
Saturday's win means the rest of the regular season. The Longhorns head to Baton Rouge to face LSU next Saturday, playing with house money; as long as Texas doesn't get blown out, the CFP selection committee has positioned the Longhorns to get into the 12-team field with a 9-3 record.
That's only possible because Texas put its foot on Missouri's throat when it mattered.
Jeff Howe

Saturday - Three Probable

Yesterday morning, I went with the over-under of three of the Texas injured players being able to play today.
Well, three players were moved up from questionable to probable.
Ryan Wingo
Graceson Littleton
Kade Phillips
That means Colin Simmons and Cam Coleman remain questionable and are possible game-time decisions.
**
I think it’s interesting how we got to yesterday’s injury report.
As of yesterday morning, I was told Coleman and Simmons were actually unlikely to play and that one of the DBs was 50-50 at best.
It was somewhat disappointing news overall because early in the week, Texas was hopeful Simmons could play.
**
Now let’s talk about the game itself.
Missouri has an offensive identity. Texas doesn’t, at least not a consistent one.
Missouri has a solid defense. Texas has an elite one.
Special teams feels like a draw, though Texas has had the steadier placekicker thus far.
Both coaches are solid in game and time management IMO.
Texas may have an advantage when it comes to depth of talent. But Missouri is plenty talented to win this game.
Both teams are 6-2. And the game is in Missouri.
On paper, this is a toss-up. In Vegas, it’s the same (Texas favored by just 2.5 points).
The team that wins today will likely get on top early in the contest and then lean into their strengths. For Missouri, that’s its run game. For Texas, it’s the defense.
First one to 17 points wins this game.
I think the ball just might bounce the way of the Longhorns because the Horns’ defense are starting to create turnovers.
Hook’Em!
Bobby Burton

OTF staff score predictions: Texas-Mizzou

Bobby Burton
Will Muschamp, with a defense lacking at least a couple of starters, will slow the Mizzou run game just enough. The Texas offense moves the ball reasonably well. Texas wins utilizing Arch’s legs in the red zone. ... Texas 20, Missouri 17
Rod Babers
Texas needs to play clean football on offense to beat Missouri. They need to cut down on the penalties, win the turnover margin and reduce the negative plays; that's the formula on the road. They need to be comfortable grinding it out on offense, even if it's 3-5 yards at a time to avoid the dreaded 3 and out. Play clean on offense and special teams and win with defense. ... Texas 27, Missouri 23
Marcus Myers
I could see this one being ugly, and that's fine. Texas is banged up, with Smothers done for the year and two starting DBs on the report, so I expect Missouri to find a couple of scores through the air. But Mizzou struggles to finish drives and get off the field on third down, and Texas has been one of the best in the country at holding teams to field goals once they get close. That's the game. On offense, the key is sustaining drives. Arch has to live in the quick game, stay on schedule, get Emmett Mosley V and Jermaine Bishop Jr. the ball in space, and take the play-action shot when it's there, because this Missouri defense rarely bends but gives up the big one when it breaks. Texas doesn't get into scoring range often, but it cashes in when it does. Two touchdowns, three field goals, and a defense that makes Mizzou kick. Longhorns go to 7-2. ... Texas 23, Missouri 17
Jeff Howe
I don’t trust the Texas offense. Whether it’s establishing and sticking with the run or protecting the football, there’s no reason to believe the Longhorns will be anything close to a well-oiled machine on that side of the ball. With that said, I’m hopeful that Steve Sarkisian has come around to the realization that this Texas squad is a defense-first outfit. If Sarkisian leans into that and prioritizes field position and moving the chains to limit the defense’s exposure to unfavorable situations, the offense can do enough for the Longhorns to get an SEC road win. ... Texas 17, Missouri 16
Hank South
Texas in the month of November has been pretty good with its back against the wall (ignore the Georgia game last year). The Longhorns defense rises to the occasion, makes Austin Simmons uncomfortable, and limits the Mizzou rushing attack. The Texas offense does just enough to put UT over the finish line. ... Texas 23, Missouri 16
CJ Vogel
Texas has scored 21 points or more just once in true road games with Arch Manning as the quarterback. I don’t mean that to dog Arch, but more to provide context to how difficult points have been to find over the last year and a half away from DKR. Will Texas find 21 points Saturday against Missouri? I’m not banking on it. But I am banking on the Texas defense to continue carrying this team. ... Texas 17, Missouri 14
Jordan Scruggs
Though they’ve had two better weeks against Ole Miss and Miss. St., I’m still not confident in the offense putting up a lot of points on the board. The defense is where the confidence in Texas is and Will Muschamp’s unit will likely have to force multiple turnovers for Texas to come away victorious. Either way, I like this one to be low scoring with Texas’ experience in these ugly rock-fight-type games showing up in a positive way on Saturday. ... Texas 24, Missouri 23
Hank South

Has Steve Sarkisian found a formula for success with Arch Manning?

AUSTIN, Texas — More than two weeks ago, after a forgettable offensive showing in a 27-24 loss to Florida, Steve Sarkisian sat down with Arch Manning to discuss whether Texas would turn to KJ Lacey if QB1 couldn’t right the ship.
On Monday, two days after Manning's three touchdown passes highlighted a 16-for-20, 220-yard performance in a 31-3 rout of Mississippi State, Sarkisian gave Manning a ringing endorsement.
While answering a question about the offensive line during his weekly news conference, Sarkisian expressed the utmost confidence in Manning ahead of the 10th-ranked Longhorns’ trip to No. 19 Missouri on Saturday (11 a.m., ABC).
“Honestly, I've never felt better about Arch Manning than I do this week,” Sarkisian said. “This guy is ready. He's a warrior. He's tough. His competitive spirit is extremely high. I thought he willed us to play football on the offensive side last week. That's what a quarterback does.
“What a difference a few weeks make.”
Whether Manning’s arrow is pointing upward after Texas (6-2, 3-2 SEC) faces a Tiger defense that ranks 16th nationally against the run (98.3 yards per game and 2.94 yards per carry allowed), 23rd in scoring defense (18.4 points per game allowed) and 37th in total defense (325.1 yards per game and 4.82 yards per play allowed) remains to be seen. Nevertheless, along with Missouri (6-2, 3-2) entering the game with a pass defense that’s tied for 92nd in FBS (226.9 yards per game allowed), the chances are favorable for Manning to build two winning performances because Sarkisian’s confidence could be rooted in the fact that he’s found a formula for success behind center that the Longhorns can replicate.
The formula involves three things:
— Making the quick game and screens the focal point of the passing attack
After the win over the Bulldogs, 35 of Manning’s 48 pass attempts in his last two games were behind the line of scrimmage or short (0-9 yards downfield) based on Pro Football Focus’ four charted passing depths. Manning completed 28 attempts (72.9 percent of his charted-depth attempts) from those depths for 257 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Manning is 13-for-13 for 66 yards during the two-game winning streak. Short throws are more than just screens; hitches, slants, stop routes and underneath targets to running backs and tight ends force Manning to get the ball out quickly.
A lot has been made about Manning holding onto the ball too long and rightfully so. According to PFF, Manning’s average time to throw this season is 2.99 seconds. Among 187 FBS quarterbacks who’ve recorded at least 50 dropbacks this season, Manning’s time is tied for the 34th-longest in the country.
Holding onto the ball too long compounds Texas’ pass protection issues. Manning’s pressure-to-sack rate of 27.8 percent is pacing well ahead of his 2025 ratio (13.3 percent) and is on track to be the highest pressure-to-sack rate for a Longhorn starting quarterback since Shane Buechele in 2016 (31.3 percent).
It should come as no surprise then that Manning is effective and efficient when he gets rid of the ball in under 2.5 seconds. According to PFF, Manning gets the job done at a high level when the ball is out of his hands in less than 2.5 seconds (it only happens on 39.4 percent of his dropbacks, which is tied for 150th among the 187 qualifying FBS quarterbacks); he’s completing 72.8 percent of his passes (75-for-103) for 681 yards, with nine touchdowns (tied for 18th in FBS) and one interception.
The quick game works. If Sarkisian continues to lean into it, it could morph into an offensive fulcrum.
— Limiting throws beyond 10 yards downfield to schemed-up deep shots
According to PFF, Manning has only attempted four intermediate (10-19 yards) throws in the last two games (3-for-4, 46 yards and a touchdown), accounting for 8.3 percent of his attempts to a charted depth. That pales in comparison to the first six games of the season, when 23.8 percent of his charted-depth throws were in the intermediate game.
Given the offense’s pass protection struggles and Manning’s sack avoidance (or lack thereof), Sarkisian might've decided the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
When Manning holds the ball for 2.5 seconds or longer, which has happened on 60.6 percent of his dropbacks, the results have been disastrous. According to PFF, Manning's completion percentage plummets to 57.5 percent in those situations; his six interceptions are tied for the fourth-most in FBS and he's been sacked 22 times (only four FBS quarterbacks have been sacked more times when holding onto the ball that long).
Still, the Texas offense needs explosive plays. Sarkisian has settled on crafting carefully dialed-up deep shots to get the job done.
Manning has thrown nine deep balls (20 yards or more downfield) in the last two weeks, accounting for 18.8 percent of his total attempts to specific depths. Two of Manning’s three completions on deep balls against Ole Miss and Mississippi State went for touchdowns (a 50-yarder to Ryan Wingo against the Rebels and a 42-yarder to Emmett Mosley V against the Bulldogs); overall, he’s 3-for-9 on deep shots for 129 yards, with only one of his deep throws getting intercepted (three interceptions on deep throws through the first six games).
— Leaning on Manning’s legs as a weapon in the running game
Sarkisian has been hesitant to rely on designed runs for Manning. Nevertheless, the numbers suggest he’s accepted that those plays are one of the most effective ways the Longhorns can move the ball.
After Manning recorded six rushing attempts on designed runs through the first six games (according to PFF), he’s carried the ball nine times on such plays in the last two weeks. Those nine carries have netted Texas 31 yards and resulted in four first downs, with two of them going for touchdowns (both against Ole Miss).
Manning also seems more sure of himself when scrambling. While his 24 scrambles through the first six games saw him gain yards that were effectively empty calories (positive yards well short of the line to gain on third down, for instance), Manning’s four scrambles in the last two games have helped the offense move the chains.
Manning’s lone scramble for 19 yards in the win over Ole Miss came on third-and-17, two plays before his second-quarter touchdown pass to Wingo. Two of Manning’s three scrambles in the win over Mississippi State moved the chains, including a 10-yard scramble on third-and-9 en route to a second-quarter field goal by Gianni Spetic.
Manning's 2026 season hasn't played out the way anybody hoped. Still, if the current formula can be replicated and Manning continues to grow, the Longhorns have a realistic path to reach the College Football Playoff.
Jeff Howe

No. 7 Texas 109, Chicago State 59: Longhorns react to season-opening win

AUSTIN, Texas — Matas Vokietaitis’ game-high 22 points led five players in double figures as No. 7 Texas 109-59 cruised to a season-opening win over Chicago State at Moody Center on Monday.
There were signs of the Longhorns fulfilling Sean Miller’s desire to play a better brand of defense in his second season on the Forty Acres. Texas (1-0) forced 15 turnovers, recorded eight steals and blocked six shots, four of which came from Marcus Spears Jr.
The highly-touted freshman scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench in his collegiate debut. Spears headlined a productive opening night for the Longhorn freshmen.
Austin Goosby (seven points, seven rebounds and eight assists) got the start alongside Vokietaitis, Isaiah Johnson (18 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals), Elyjah Freeman (five points and four rebounds) and David Punch (nine points, three rebounds and three assists). Joe Sterling scored 14 points (4-for-6 3-pointers) off the bench and Bo Ogden (eight points, two rebounds and two steals) played well in 14 minutes.
Jeff Howe

Snap Judgments: Rasheem Biles spurs No. 11 Texas to 31-3 rout of Mississippi State

Maraad Watson’s 61-yard scoop-and-score was the play of the game in No. 11 Texas’ 31-3 rout of Mississippi State on Saturday.
But what Rasheem Biles did on that play encapsulated one of the most impressive individual defensive performances of the Steve Sarkisian era.
Inside the last 90 seconds of the first half, Biles sacked AJ Swann on second-and-10. The hit knocked the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback out of the game. The loose ball bounced sharply off the DKR turf into Watson’s hands, adding insult to injury.
Biles wasn’t done. He led the convoy that guided Watson down the visiting sideline and into the end zone, delivering a block that helped the Longhorns swing the momentum for good.
Biles finished with eight tackles, three sacks, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Will Muschamp deserves credit for weaponizing Biles in the defense’s two full games without Colin Simmons, but Biles executed the plan well enough to top his performance in last Saturday’s win over Ole Miss.
***
Biles also helped Texas (6-2, 3-2 SEC) hold Mississippi State (4-4, 2-4 SEC) to a field goal after Arch Manning’s third-quarter fumble gave the Bulldogs the ball at the 28-yard line. Biles sniffed out an end-around to Anthony Evans III, stopping Mississippi State’s outstanding wide receiver for a 15-yard loss after Evans threw the ball out of bounds.
***
The Longhorns sacked Swann and Billy Puckett a combined seven times. With its second game in SEC play with seven or more sacks (Texas had 10 in the conference opener against Tennessee), 21 of the defense’s 26 sacks this season have come in league play.
***
Muschamp seemed to adjust after Swann got into a rhythm early with an 8-for-8 start, playing tighter coverage and dialing up the pressure on the quarterback. The threat of the vertical passing game went away when Puckett entered the game, allowing the Longhorns to tee off on the Bulldogs.
The lost yardage on sacks contributed to Mississippi State finishing the game with 68 yards rushing, its second-lowest total of the season. Saturday’s effort against the run was the best of the season by the Texas defense, while the 1.7 yards per carry the Longhorns held the Bulldogs to was topped only by the 1.6 yards per attempt Texas held the Volunteers to on Sept. 26.
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We’ll see what (if anything) Sarkisian says about injuries after the game. Texas saw Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers, Kade Phillips and Graceson Littleton leave the field throughout the night.
***
Mississippi State’s five sacks and eight tackles for loss established new season highs. Zach Arnett followed the plan that a lot of defensive coordinators have successfully deployed against the Longhorns, using late movement to cross up Texas’ blocking schemes and protections and throwing multiple pressures at Manning.
Until the Longhorns can do a better job of picking up games, pressures and stunts, Manning can do a better job of determining where the ball needs to go and Sarkisian can make sure he’s got built-in hot routes and safety valves to help Manning get rid of the ball, Texas will continue to see pre-snap movement and face pressure from all directions.
***
The Longhorns couldn’t get the traditional running game going. Even when taking out the lost yardage on sacks, Texas ended the game with 93 rushing yards (3.4 yards per attempt).
***
Along with the offensive line’s forgettable performance, I thought Sarkisian got away from the things that worked against Ole Miss, namely the quick game and working the perimeter with screens.
Clunky might be the best way to describe the offense on Saturday. Manning lost a fumble on the first drive of the third quarter for the second consecutive game and the Longhorns had five three-and-outs after finishing last week’s win over the Rebels with three.
The whole operation wasn't right for large chunks of the game.
***
Mac Chiumento’s average of 38.2 yards per punt won’t cut it in closer games against better competition. The punt team has left a lot to be desired, a problem that becomes more glaring when the offense sputters.
***
Texas controlled the game from the jump. Saturday’s performance wasn’t good enough to beat Missouri or LSU, but at least the Longhorns took care of business.
They can look forward to the first of three season-defining road games in November with a win in tow.
Jeff Howe

Three matchups to watch when No. 11 Texas hosts Mississippi State

AUSTIN, Texas — It's fair to call Steve Sarkisian’s matchup against the opposing defensive coordinator the top in-game battle to watch in every Texas game.
However, it's crucial that Sarkisian wins his battle against Mississippi State on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPN). Not just to help the 11th-ranked Longhorns build on what went right in last Saturday’s 34-27 win over Ole Miss, but to set the tone for November.
“Zach Arnett is a guy who I have a ton of respect for as a defensive coordinator,” said Sarkisian, whose historic Alabama offense averaged 6.8 yards per play and racked up 499 yards in a 41-0 rout of the Bulldogs in 2020, Arnett’s first season as Mike Leach’s defensive coordinator. “They pose a ton of threats with the multitude of defenses that they throw at you and the athleticism that they play with.”
No. 11 Texas (5-2, 2-2 SEC) will be on the road for three of its final four regular-season games, including back-to-back trips to No. 23 Missouri and No. 15 LSU. While the Bulldogs appear to be dead in the water with injured quarterback Kamario Taylor ruled out for the rest of the season, the Longhorns haven’t played well enough to overlook anyone left on their schedule.
That’s especially true on offense.
It’s good that the win over the Rebels saw Texas set season highs against a Power Four opponent in points, total offense (419 yards), rushing yards (207) and yards per carry (4.9). Now the Longhorns need to at least match their most recent performance to establish some much-needed consistency.
Specifically, the Texas will attempt to establish the run and stick with it against a Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3 SEC) run defense that’s been solid through seven games.
Even with Raleek Brown coming off a 157-yard performance against Ole Miss, including three of Texas’ eight rushing plays of 20 yards or more this season, the Longhorns can’t expect to plow through a Bulldog defense that’s the nation’s No. 46 unit against the run (124.8 yards per game allowed). Mississippi State is also a top-50 defense in yards per carry allowed (3.66, tied for No. 44 in FBS); rushing attempts of 10 or more yards allowed (20, tied for 14th); rushing attempts of 20 or more yards allowed (four, tied for No. 19 in the country) and rushing touchdowns allowed (five, tied for 13th).
The challenge for a Texas offensive line coming off its most noteworthy performance of the season is keeping the offense on schedule and limiting negative plays against a defense that’s had trouble creating them. The Bulldogs are tied for 83rd in the country in tackles for loss (35 total and five per game), 91st in line yards per carry allowed (rushing yards attributed to the opposing offensive line using weighted yardage) and 124th in stuff rate (the percentage of an opponent’s rushing attempts stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage).
With 42 carries against the Rebels (including sacks and kneel-downs), the Longhorns improved to 25-2 under Sarkisian when recording 40 or more official rushing attempts, including 14 consecutive wins in 40-carry games. It’s not a coincidence that Texas controlled the late stages of the game on the ground in its two wins over top-10 opponents (Ole Miss and a 24-23 win over then-No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12). The Longhorns ran the ball on 13 of their last 14 plays from scrimmage against the Rebels, ending a 6-play, 80-yard drive with a touchdown and an 8-play, 44-yard drive with a field goal.
The best way Sarkisian can help Andre Cojoe settle in during his first career start, get Arch Manning into a rhythm, maximize the play-action deep shots he wants to dial up and keep the offense on schedule is to be patient with the running game. The Longhorns don’t need to match their production on the ground from the Ole Miss game against Mississippi State, but the rushing attack must be effective enough for Sarkisian to trust it for four quarters.
TEXAS WIDE RECEIVERS vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE CORNERBACKS
According to Pro Football Focus, Manning has been pressured on 80 dropbacks this season (tied for No. 35 in FBS and tied for the sixth-most in the SEC). He’s been blitzed 109 times through seven games, including 18 times on 33 dropbacks against the Rebels.
After Florida blitzed Manning 18 times in 28 dropbacks two weeks ago, he’s been blitzed at a 59-percent rate in the last two games. Arnett has blitzed three of the seven Power Four quarterbacks the Bulldogs have faced on more than 30 percent of their dropbacks: Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey (48 percent), Missouri’s Austin Simmons (31.7 percent) and Alabama’s Keelon Russell (55.6 percent).
Although Mississippi State’s pass defense is putrid (No. 129 in FBS, allowing 267.4 yards per game; 69 completions of 10-plus yards allowed is tied for 106th; 27 completions of 20-plus yards allowed is tied for 117th), the Bulldogs have one of the SEC’s top cornerback tandems in Jett Jefferson and Kelley Jones, who rank first and fifth in the conference in passes defended, with nine and seven, respectively. If Arnett feels Mississippi State’s only chance to survive is to do what the Gators did and get to Manning before he can get rid of the football, the Texas wide receivers must win one-on-one battles, especially when the Bulldogs are in man coverage.
According to PFF, Jefferson and Jones only play a quarter of their snaps in man coverage. While nine targets against Jones in man coverage have resulted in only four completions and 47 yards, four of the seven catches Jefferson has allowed in man coverage have been touchdowns.
JELANI McDONALD vs. FLUFF BOTHWELL
After injury limited him to one carry in Mississippi State’s 56-23 loss to Alabama on Oct. 3 and forced him to miss the team’s 31-0 road loss to LSU on Oct. 17, Bothwell returned to action and recorded his fourth 100-yard game of the season (111 yards on 17 carries) in a 23-15 loss to Oklahoma last Saturday.
Jeff Lebby’s Veer-and-Shoot offense naturally creates vertical seams in the running game and a lot of one-on-one opportunities for running backs to win against opposing safeties. That puts the spotlight on McDonald to keep Bothwell from getting loose, which he can do if he builds on last week’s 12-tackle performance, with an interception and a pass breakup.
McDonald had a career-high 14 tackles in last season’s win in Starkville. He should be in line for another double-digit tackle game, especially if Will Muschamp continues to line him up as the middle safety in a three-high shell. The Longhorns utilized their three-safety look on roughly one-third of their snaps against Ole Miss, a defensive structure that only works if McDonald properly diagnoses what the offense is doing, primarily when it comes to fitting the run properly.
Since the Bulldogs love to crank up the tempo offensively, McDonald getting lined up quickly and dissecting what’s happening in front of him at a breakneck pace will be a battle in and of itself. Then, McDonald will try his hand at wrapping up Bothwell, who ranks seventh in the SEC in yards after contact (382 total yards and 4.2 yards per attempt) and eighth in missed tackles forced (25).
Jeff Howe

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