Manning Leads Texas Past Mississippi State

The Halloween atmosphere at Royal-Memorial Stadium settled as Texas opened its season finale against Mississippi State. The Longhorns dominated the Bulldogs on the ground and in the air, securing a 31-3 win. Quarterback Arch Manning led the offense despite physical damage sustained during the contest.

Manning began the game with precision, completing two passes to Cam Coleman for 47 and 14 yards on the opening drive. He guided a second-quarter sequence that ended with a field goal, though he absorbed two hard hits in that drive. The second hit caused bleeding from his hand, requiring him to get taped before returning to the field. He entered the break with 89 passing yards.

A fumble on Texas' first possession of the second half threatened momentum, but Manning responded in the third quarter. He threw a four-yard touchdown pass to running back Raleek Brown, extending the lead to 24-3. He added a 42-yard strike to Emmett Mosley V in the fourth quarter to close the scoring.

With 3:51 remaining, Coach Steve Sarkisian substituted backup KJ Lacey for Manning. The starter finished with 16 completions on 20 attempts for 220 yards. He also carried the ball 13 times for 10 yards, including five attempts that were sacks and one 12-yard gain. Sarkisian praised Manning's ability to use his legs in various situations.

This victory marks the third time Manning has started against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are the only opponent he has faced in that capacity multiple times. Texas won 35-13 in September 2024, when Manning replaced an injured Quinn Ewers for the SEC debut. He led a fourth-quarter comeback from a 17-point deficit in October 2025 but left the game with a head injury before the overtime winner.

The family legacy against the Bulldogs continues. Archie Manning went 1-0-1 in the Egg Bowl with Ole Miss, while Eli Manning holds a 2-1 record in that rivalry. Peyton Manning started one game against Mississippi State in 1995, resulting in a Tennessee victory. Manning now owns a 3-0 record against the team from Starkville.

The statistical record for these three matchups shows consistent production. In the 2024 win, he threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns on 31 attempts. In the 2025 game, he passed for 346 yards and three touchdowns on 46 attempts, along with one interception. Saturday's performance added three passing touchdowns to his column against this specific opponent.