Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-25**Lead**
AUSTIN — Arch Manning threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, but it was a frantic fourth-quarter comeback that saved No. 6 Texas from a disastrous home loss to No. 14 Ole Miss on Saturday, as the Longhorns survived 31-30 after another second-half meltdown that reignited familiar anxieties in Austin. The Longhorns led by 17 points midway through the third quarter, only to watch the Rebels storm back with 21 unanswered points, forcing a tense final drive that ended with a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The victory keeps Texas alive in the Southeastern Conference title race, but it did little to calm the nerves of a fan base that has seen this script before. For the second consecutive week, defensive breakdowns and offensive stagnation after halftime allowed a determined opponent back into the game, and Saturday's escape was less a statement of dominance than a reminder of how fragile this team's margin for error remains.
**Contexto**
Texas entered the game as a two-touchdown favorite, riding a wave of confidence behind Manning, the redshirt freshman who has taken over the starting quarterback job and injected new life into the Longhorns' offense. In the first half, the young quarterback played like a seasoned veteran, completing deep passes downfield, scrambling for key gains, and converting third downs with poise. The Longhorns moved the ball at will, and when running back Tre Wisner punched in a short touchdown late in the second quarter, Texas appeared to be in complete control with a 24-7 lead.
But the second half exposed familiar cracks. Ole Miss, led by quarterback Jaxson Dart, began winning the battle at the line of scrimmage, and the Rebels' up-tempo offense started to find seams in the Texas secondary. Dart found his rhythm, hitting receivers on crossing routes and over the middle, while the Longhorns' pass rush, so effective in the first half, became a non-factor. Texas meanwhile went conservative on offense, and Manning's decision-making grew tentative. A fumble in the red zone, followed by a quick three-and-out, swung momentum entirely.
By the time Ole Miss took its first lead at 30-24 with under five minutes remaining, the Longhorns' sideline looked shaken, and the home crowd at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium grew restless. Players on the Texas defense were seen gesturing at each other in frustration after blown assignments, and coaches on the sideline conferred urgently between series. The atmosphere felt less like a top-10 team cruising to victory and more like a program trembling on the edge of another embarrassing collapse.
**Analise**
The pattern is now unmistakable. One week after allowing a late 14-point lead to slip away before recovering late against Oklahoma, the Longhorns again spent the final quarter trading body blows with a lesser opponent instead of putting them away. The root causes are consistent: a defense that struggles to adjust when the opposing offense speeds up, an offensive line that tires in the fourth quarter, and a play-calling approach that seems to shrink when the lead grows. Manning remains a singular talent — his improvisational ability and arm strength are undeniable — but his youth shows in late-game situations, when he holds the ball too long or forces throws that his protection no longer allows.
Coach Steve Sarkisian spoke after the game about the need to "finish," but that word has become a fragile promise in Austin. The Longhorns have the talent to reach the SEC championship and beyond, yet they continue to find ways to make games unnecessarily close. Against a more disciplined opponent — or on the road, where crowd noise will complicate every snap — these lapses could prove fatal. Texas has not lost consecutive games this season, but the margin between a dominant contender and a vulnerable one is growing thinner each week.
What does this mean for the College Football Playoff picture? The win keeps Texas in contention, but the selection committee will remember how shaky these victories have been. Style points matter in the current format, and a team that needed a last-second field goal to beat an unranked-or-even-ranked Ole Miss team will not scare the likes of Alabama or Georgia when the playoff arrives. The Longhorns have brand recognition, a star quarterback, and an elite defense — when they play all four quarters. The problem is that they have not done so in consecutive weeks, and the clock is ticking toward the postseason.
For Austin, the anxiety is real. The city has embraced Manning as the heir to a football dynasty, and every win feels like part of a larger redemption story. But football fans here have seen championship hopes derailed by late-season collapses before, and the last two games have brought those old ghosts back to the surface. There is no panic — not yet — but the patience of the Longhorns faithful is being tested one stressful fourth quarter at a time.
**Fontes**
Informações baseadas na transmissão ao vivo do jogo, estatísticas oficiais da equipe divulgadas após a partida, e declarações públicas do treinador Steve Sarkisian em entrevista coletiva. Dados contextuais de desempenho da equipe referem-se a jogos anteriores da temporada 2026 da SEC, conforme registros públicos da conferência.