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10/24 23:59 CDT Arch Manning and No. 19 Texas hang on to beat No. 7 Ole Miss
34-27 after blowing 21-point lead
Arch Manning and No. 19 Texas hang on to beat No. 7 Ole Miss 34-27 after
blowing 21-point lead
By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) --- Arch Manning threw a touchdown pass and had his first
two rushing scores of the season, including the tiebreaker in the fourth
quarter, and No. 19 Texas held on for a wild 34-27 victory over seventh-ranked
Mississippi after blowing a 21-point lead Saturday night.
The Longhorns also nearly squandered a 10-point lead in the final two minutes
when receiver Emmett Mosley IV couldn't hang on to an onside kick and the
Rebels recovered to stay alive. But Trinidad Chambliss' pass into the end zone
on the final play was intercepted by Jelani McDonald.
Raleek Brown had 157 yards rushing, including a 47-yard run that set up
Manning's 1-yard stroll untouched around the end for a 31-24 lead when his fake
handoff fooled everyone.
Manning and coach Steve Sarkisian cooled the criticism that emerged from
consecutive losses to unranked teams that sent the Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 SEC)
tumbling from the top spot.
They also avoided the firestorm that would have come from losing a third
straight game after going ahead by double digits --- each lead bigger than the
one before it.
Chambliss threw two touchdown passes to Horatio Fields after Kam Franklin
recovered a fumble by Manning in the end zone as the Rebels (5-2, 3-2) erased a
24-3 halftime deficit.
"I would be the first one to tell you we were not perfect tonight," said Texas
coach Steve Sarkisian while also rattling off the penalty yardage. "We had an
opportunity to be closer to perfect, but we get sack, fumble, they get a
touchdown, they get momentum."
The Longhorns got the ball to start the second half after a goal-line stand
just before halftime, but Manning was hit from the blind side by Blake
Purchase. Franklin picked up the bouncing ball at the 5, lost control of it and
then recovered it in the end zone.
On the next possession, Franklin hit Manning head-on for a sack that put Texas
in third-and-16 and sent Manning to the sideline for a medical check. He tried
to come back, but was forced to sit for the play. Texas punted after a handoff
from backup KJ Lacey Jr. Manning returned on the next series.
Defensive penalties by Texas fueled the drive to Fields' 6-yard touchdown catch
as the Longhorns finished with season highs of 14 penalties for 134 yards.
Fields made a nice contested catch in the end zone from 27 yards to get the
Rebels even at 24 early in the fourth.
Texas lost to Florida at home 27-24 last week after leading 17-3 in the first
half. The Longhorns fell to Red River rival Oklahoma by the same score after
taking a 17-7 lead into halftime.
"We said that at halftime, they've been up multiple possessions in this stadium
and lost," Ole Miss coach Pete Golding said. "They've been down multiple
possessions in this stadium and won (over then-No. 1 Ohio State). So we knew if
we went out and played good football that we can get back in it."
The takeaway Ole Miss: The Rebels were on the verge of getting blown out when they faced fourth down late in the first half, and the prospect of Texas getting the ball to finish the first half and start the second half with a 24-3 lead. But punter Oscar Bird ran 17 yards on a fake, and Ole Miss ended up with a great scoring chance. Texas stiffened and took the 21-point lead to the locker room. Texas: The Longhorns can't expect to keep winning with the mistakes they're making. The penalties included several personal fouls that were simply avoidable, and special teams was a problem again. It's the second time the Longhorns have had to sweat a final-play pass into the end zone because of the opponent recovering an onside kick. It happened in the 20-17 victory at Tennessee.
Ole Miss' Lacy injured again Rebels running back Kewan Lacy exited with what Golding said was the same shoulder injury that sidelined him against Florida last month. He only missed one game because of an open week and was coming off a season-high 122 yards rushing in a victory over Missouri. He had 16 carries for 36 yards.
Cam Coleman's rough night It was a rough night for Texas receiver Cam Coleman. The high-priced Auburn transfer dropped what should have been an easy 59-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. On the first play of the second half, he fell hard on his left shoulder trying to make a diving catch and had to be helped to the sideline.
Up next Ole Miss: Auburn at home next Saturday. Texas: Mississippi State in the last of three straight home games next Saturday. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here
The takeaway Ole Miss: The Rebels were on the verge of getting blown out when they faced fourth down late in the first half, and the prospect of Texas getting the ball to finish the first half and start the second half with a 24-3 lead. But punter Oscar Bird ran 17 yards on a fake, and Ole Miss ended up with a great scoring chance. Texas stiffened and took the 21-point lead to the locker room. Texas: The Longhorns can't expect to keep winning with the mistakes they're making. The penalties included several personal fouls that were simply avoidable, and special teams was a problem again. It's the second time the Longhorns have had to sweat a final-play pass into the end zone because of the opponent recovering an onside kick. It happened in the 20-17 victory at Tennessee.
Ole Miss' Lacy injured again Rebels running back Kewan Lacy exited with what Golding said was the same shoulder injury that sidelined him against Florida last month. He only missed one game because of an open week and was coming off a season-high 122 yards rushing in a victory over Missouri. He had 16 carries for 36 yards.
Cam Coleman's rough night It was a rough night for Texas receiver Cam Coleman. The high-priced Auburn transfer dropped what should have been an easy 59-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. On the first play of the second half, he fell hard on his left shoulder trying to make a diving catch and had to be helped to the sideline.
Up next Ole Miss: Auburn at home next Saturday. Texas: Mississippi State in the last of three straight home games next Saturday. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here
