Arch Manning’s late touchdown run helps Texas survive Ole Miss rally

Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, home of the Texas Longhorns. — Ajay Suresh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Summary

Texas beat No. 7 Ole Miss 34-27 in Austin, ending a two-game losing streak.
Manning had a touchdown pass and two rushing touchdowns, including the go-ahead score after Ole Miss tied the game at 24.
Ole Miss recovered an onside kick late, but McDonald intercepted Trinidad Chambliss in the end zone on the final play.
Backup KJ Lacey briefly entered when Manning went to the sideline for a medical check.

A lead nearly lost

AUSTIN, Texas — Arch Manning’s answer to a week of questions about his place in Texas’ offense was a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. It put the No. 19 Longhorns ahead for good in a 34-27 win over No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday, but the finish was far less comfortable than the scoreline suggested.^{[1] [2]}

Texas led 24-3 at halftime, then watched Ole Miss erase the deficit with three unanswered touchdowns. The Rebels tied it at 24 early in the fourth quarter on Horatio Fields’ 6-yard catch from Trinidad Chambliss. Manning’s short run, set up by Raleek Brown’s 47-yard burst, restored the Longhorns’ lead at 31-24.^[1]

Manning’s response, with a brief interruption

Manning threw a touchdown pass and scored twice on the ground, his first rushing touchdowns of the season. He passed for 212 yards, while Brown supplied 157 rushing yards. The performance came after consecutive losses had intensified scrutiny of Manning and coach Steve Sarkisian and raised questions about whether backup KJ Lacey might get a larger role.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Lacey did enter briefly after Manning took a hit and went to the sideline for a medical check. Texas handed the ball to Lacey before punting; Manning returned on the next series. The backup’s appearance was a small moment in a game that had made his availability a storyline all week.^{[1] [3]}

One last chance for Ole Miss

Texas extended its advantage with a field goal, but Ole Miss cut it to 34-27 and recovered an onside kick in the closing minutes. The Rebels reached a final play with a chance to force overtime; McDonald intercepted Chambliss’ end-zone pass to end the threat. Texas finished with 14 penalties for 134 yards, and Sarkisian acknowledged after the game that his team was far from perfect.^{[1] [2]}

The win lifted Texas to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play, while Ole Miss fell to 5-2 and 3-2. For Manning, the result also carried a family connection: his grandfather Archie and uncle Eli played quarterback at Ole Miss. On this night, Manning helped Texas hold on against the program that shaped part of his family’s football history.^{[1] [3]}

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