Texas Football No. 16 Texas is working hard to become the first three-loss team in the College Football Playoffs with three victories over opponents in the top ten.
Austin, Texas One burnt-orange spectator exclaimed, “What a win, I don’t even remember Athens, Georgia,” to no one in particular as ecstatic Texas supporters floated out of Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
That’s the kind of sorcery that erases memories after winning the Lone Star Showdown. Last season, the century-old rivals reunited as Southeastern Conference members, bringing the rivalry back to Austin for the first time in fifteen years.
A&M Controls Early, Texas Responds in Force
Two years. Two wins for Texas. Two painful SEC championship eliminations for Texas A&M.
This match unfolded differently than the 2024 encounter. The No. 3 Longhorns controlled that tense 17-7 battle from start to finish. In contrast, this time Texas found itself down 10-3 at halftime against the No. 3 Aggies.
Longhorns Rally Hard, Hand A&M Their First Loss
But like the 2025 Longhorns have done three other times this season in SEC play, they again got to again utter a variation of: “They had us in the first half.”
In an exhilarating second half, Texas surged ahead by scoring 17 unanswered points, taking the lead from Texas A&M. They sealed the victory with two crucial turnovers in the fourth quarter, delivering A&M their first loss of the season, dropping them to 11-1. This win propels Texas to a solid 9-3 record and strengthens their case to be the first three-loss team to make the playoff.
Sarkisian’s Rally Cry Ignites Texas Run Game
Sarkisian remarked, “These guys are so resilient.” “This crew has experienced a great deal. Most teams would have been out of business when we lost (35-10) in Athens a few weeks ago. The bell was answered by them.
At halftime, Sarkisian rung the bell, instructing his squad to be proud. The Longhorns reacted by running with brutal efficiency.
In the second half, Texas totalled the ball 22 times for 157 yards on 7.1 yards per carry, nearly twice as often as their season average of 3.77.
Wisner Explodes After Halftime With Season-Best Performance
Before the game, Sarkisian played a few clips of Wisner’s 186-yard performance against Texas A&M from the previous campaign. The Longhorns haven’t had a 100-yard ball carrier in a single game this season and have had difficulty running the ball. Sarkisian wants his starting back to be believable. On Texas’ first offensive play of the second half, Wisner responded with a season-high 155 yards, which included a 48-yard sprint. Inside zone, according to Sarkisian. Wisner likened seeing the hole and the verdant grass in front of him like witnessing “heaven” open up.
Manning Faces the Wind as Texas Leans on the Run
We used the run to control the game, according to Sarkisian. Arch Manning, the quarterback for Longhorn, may have answered on Friday better than anybody else.
Every throw and every move made by Manning, a rookie starter who was dubbed the sport’s “first flop” halfway through the season, has been scrutinised. He has improved significantly since Texas’ Red River victory over Oklahoma, but on a windy Friday night in Austin, he had trouble throwing the ball consistently against Texas A&M, ending 14 of 19 for his fourth sub-50% throwing effort of the year.
Arch Manning Finds His Rhythm When Texas Needs Him Most
It took Manning some time to find accuracy. For 128 yards and a touchdown, he finished six of his last seven throws.
With 9:15 left, Texas A&M trimmed Texas’ 10-point advantage to 20-17, and Manning made the play. Inside zone, Sarkisian dialled up. Arch scored the game-winning goal by finding the hole, forcing a linebacker to miss a shoestring tackle, and running to daylight.
Sarkisian Praises Manning as Confidence Skyrockets
“It became difficult,” Sarkisian remarked. “(Arch) worked his way through it.”
Following the score, Texas All-American safety Michael Taaffe, who also had a game-winning interception on senior night, said of Manning, “The best player in college football, ARCH MANNING.”
By the middle of the year, that assertion would have been scoffed at. Perhaps looking ahead to 2026, when Manning is anticipated to return to Austin, it seemed plausible on Friday night.
Rival QB Endorses Texas’ Playoff Dreams
“Y’all deserve to be in (the playoff),” said Texas A&M’s Heisman hopeful Marcel Reed, who had thrown two interceptions in the fourth quarter, to Manning after the game.
Over the next nine days, Texas’ playoff case will be the most talked-about topic in Austin and possibly even in college football. For More Article Like That
The Longhorns improved to 9-3 with the victory over Texas A&M. But Texas isn’t your typical three-loss team, as all of the coaches and players who spoke with you after the game were keen to point out.
Sarkisian arrived to the podium bearing statistics
The Longhorns became the first team to defeat three top 10 teams in the regular season (Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M) since LSU in 2019. Sarkisian said, “Chew on that for a second.”
Texas has the fifth-best schedule in the country, according to TeamRankings.com.
The top three teams in the nation—Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Georgia—were faced by Texas.
In the regular season, Texas had a 3-2 record against the top 10 teams.
This year, Texas is the only team to defeat No. 1 Ohio State by a single
Longhorns Highlight Ohio State Clash in Playoff Case
The main point of Texas’ argument before the committee may turn out to be that first-week game versus Ohio State. The point that Texas did not need to schedule Ohio State was emphasised by Sarkisian. It might have chosen to play another Power Four game, prevailed, and ended up 10-2. Taaffe even went so far as to imply that the Longhorns should not be penalised for scheduling a game on national television in Week 1 that everyone appreciated.
Texas Coach Sends Strong Message on Fair Playoff Treatment
“What (message) do we want to send to the head coaches and athletic directors around the country?” Sarkisian remarked. “This isn’t a conversation if we’re currently a 10-2 squad. We’re in the postseason.
“I firmly believe that punishing ourselves for doing that is not what we want. What are we going to do? We’re going to win these games, just like many other teams across the nation have done, and they currently have quite good records.” For More Details
Despite Flaws, Longhorns Demand Playoff Consideration
Other teams would undoubtedly contend that the Longhorns shouldn’t have needed frantic comebacks against Kentucky and Mississippi State, the bottom two teams in the SEC, or lost to a now-3-8 Florida club.
In any case, Texas’ Lone Star Showdown statement will force the committee to consider its candidature. A season that started with Texas ranked as the top team in the preseason for the first time in program history is somewhat salvaged by this victory. The Longhorns’ quarterback was the one who best embodied the preseason hype and the erratic nature of Texas’ season. Manning simply isn’t prepared to consider the season or the fact that Texas won’t be able to continue playing until December.
“I think we’re going to make the playoffs, I don’t know why we wouldn’t,” Manning replied. “I’m not going to worry about.”
