Leading into Saturday’s game, the question was whether Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning would suit up after suffering a concussion against Mississippi State. Manning not only showed up – but showed out – throwing for 328 yards and three touchdowns in Texas’ up-and-down 34–31 win over Vanderbilt.
11 seconds. In about the time it takes to say the alphabet, the Longhorns opened the game with a touchdown. On a quick pass from Manning, Ryan Wingo took the ball 75 yards to the end zone. After routinely starting games slow, it looked like Saturday might be a continuation of the second half against Mississippi State. By the end of the first quarter, Texas held a 17–0 lead over Vanderbilt.
The Near Meltdown
As has been the case all year, playing a complete game continues to elude the Longhorns. When leading big, the best teams finish off their opponent like a Rocky Balboa knockout punch. But when you don’t put a team away, you give them hope – and that’s what Texas did Saturday.
Despite entering the fourth quarter with a 34–16 lead, things nearly unraveled. The Longhorns allowed a Diego Pavia 8-yard touchdown pass to Richie Hoskins with just 33 seconds left, Vanderbilt’s third touchdown of the quarter. The Commodores’ 21–0 run cut the lead to 34–31. However, their comeback hopes ended when Texas recovered the onside kick attempt.
How did the game get so close? Big plays. While losing, Vanderbilt led that category 16–8. In the secondary, Texas struggled badly, giving up several major plays due to blown coverage or miscommunication – including two of Pavia’s three touchdown passes.
The Longhorns were already missing safety Michael Taaffe, and they lost starting safety Jelani McDonald during the game. Afterward, Steve Sarkisian noted how the defense felt the loss of both safeties, especially in communication. It showed, as the unit allowed 423 yards of total offense.
Promising Signs
Although the passing defense struggled, the Texas pass rush was on point, tallying six sacks – led by Ethan Burke who had two. Additionally, Colin Simmons was a force of havoc the whole game, constantly applying pressure on Pavia.
Meanwhile, offensively, Arch Manning picked up where he left off against Mississippi State. The Texas quarterback looked like the guy that fans expected to start the year. If Manning keeps it up, Texas’ chances of making the College Football Playoff could quickly return.
Looking Ahead
Next weekend, the Longhorns will be off on a bye week. Afterwards, the team will take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, GA, with final details to be announced later.
