Texas 35, Mississippi State 13

TLDR: Under the helm of Arch Manning, Texas claimed a significant victory on Saturday, marking their first win since joining the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Manning, starting in place of Quinn Ewers, delivered a stellar performance with 324 passing yards, leading the Longhorns to a 35-13 win over Mississippi State. Initially, the matchup was tighter than expected, but a series of plays by Manning helped Texas pull ahead in the second half. Despite some struggles, including turnovers and penalties, Texas demonstrated resilience. Coach Steve Sarkisian praised the team’s ability to overcome adversity, stating, “Our guys showed composure.” Mississippi State had their quarterback Michael Van Buren starting, replacing the injured Blake Shapen, yet they fell short against the top-ranked Longhorns. As Texas looks ahead to future conference challenges, this game underscored their potential while highlighting areas for improvement before facing formidable teams like Oklahoma and Georgia.

Well, howdy honestly! The Texas Longhorns made quite the entrance into the Southeastern Conference world with their maiden win against Mississippi State this past Saturday. Arch Manning, steppin’ up yet again in place of Quinn Ewers, stole the show by passing for two touchdowns and scootin’ into the end zone himself, leading Texas to a commanding 35-13 victory. Manning’s precision passing clinched him 324 yards, with a panache that surely pleased the Longhorn faithful. This victory ain’t just significant because it’s Texas’ first in the SEC, but also for how the team, under Steve Sarkisian’s guiding hand, kept their poise amid pressure.

A closer look into the game shows Texas didn’t have it all easy though. For three quarters, their run game got tangled up by one of the poorest defenses in the nation, and there were a few oopsies, with nine penalties adding up to 75 yards and a couple of fumbles that led to stalled drives. Yet, Manning’s 49-yard touchdown pass to Deondre Moore in the second and his determined 1-yard TD dash in the third painted a different storyline, paving the way for a stronger display. “We needed rough waters,” Coach Sarkisian chirped post-game. Amidst this rocky start, those showstoppers by Manning were the multipliers Texas needed.

Across the field, Mississippi State had its own hurdles, particularly with their fill-in quarterback Michael Van Buren, stepping in for the season-sidelined Blake Shapen. Although Van Buren was commendable in his efforts with 144 passing yards and scoring himself, Texas’ formidable defense stood tight, not allowing a touchdown till late in the game. The Bulldogs had a few early gains and managed to bring the game to 7-6 after two field goals, but ended up falling behind and unable to catch up, particularly after Manning’s late second-quarter heroics changed the tide.

This bout certainly showcased why Texas topped the ranks even above Georgia a fortnight back. Despite their uneven play and the mess of mistakes, they boxed out Mississippi State with a comfortable margin. Yet the celebration’s short-lived as Texas prepares for a fierce faceoff against Oklahoma followed by a duel with the Georgia Bulldogs. Both will test the Longhorns’ mettle in the SEC’s intense mix. The road’s rugged, but if Manning keeps up such play and Ewers returns strong, Texas surely ain’t backing down from the challenge.