No. 11 Texas smothers Mississippi State as Manning throws three touchdowns

AUSTIN, Texas — No. 11 Texas leaned on Arch Manning and a defense that gave Mississippi State almost nothing, rolling to a 31-3 SEC win at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Manning completed 16 of 20 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns, and the Longhorns limited the Bulldogs to 187 total yards on a day when the visitors managed just 1.7 yards per rush.

Manning spread the work efficiently, averaging 10.5 yards per pass attempt. Emmett Mosley V was his most productive target with four catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Raleek Brown led a modest Texas rushing effort with 30 yards on eight carries. Defensively, Rasheem Biles got to the quarterback three times for sacks, and Jelani McDonald finished with nine tackles.

The game swung early and stayed there. Texas scored seven in the first quarter and added 10 in the second to lead 17-0 at halftime. Maraad Watson's 61-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 1:13 left in the half was the biggest play of the game's early stretch. Mississippi State's only points came on a third-quarter field goal, and the Longhorns answered with a touchdown in that period and another in the fourth to close it out.

Mississippi State's best moments came through the air, where AJ Swann completed 12 of 15 passes for 97 yards without an interception. Marquis Johnson caught six of those for 61 yards. Fluff Bothwell carried 17 times for 49 yards, but the Bulldogs' ground game never found room, and the offense converted just 6 of 18 third downs and failed on its only fourth-down attempt. Zakari Tillman had one of Mississippi State's sacks, and Fatt Forrest made seven tackles.

Both teams turned the ball over once on a lost fumble. Texas finished with 280 total yards, 220 of them through the air, and converted 6 of 14 third downs.

The win moves Texas to 6-2 on the season. Mississippi State falls to 4-4.