Texas Longhorns Overcome Deficit for Overtime Win vs Mississippi State

The Texas Longhorns secured a dramatic 45-38 overtime victory against Mississippi State, with backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell throwing the decisive 10-yard touchdown pass after starter Arch Manning was injured. Despite trailing 24-14 at halftime and struggling with turnovers and missed opportunities, Texas rallied in the fourth quarter, including a key 79-yard punt return touchdown by Ryan Niblett to tie the game. The win keeps Texas (6-2, 3-1) competitive in the SEC and national championship discussions as they face a challenging October schedule featuring top-ranked teams like Georgia and Texas A&M. Injuries have impacted Texas, with key defensive player Michael Taaffe sidelined and others like Butler and Hutson also out, but coach Steve Sarkisian remains confident in the team's depth and adaptability. Meanwhile, Mississippi State, coming off a long SEC win drought, put up a strong fight, capitalizing on Texas' mistakes to build a halftime lead before ultimately falling in overtime. Texas now prepares to host Vanderbilt next week, aiming to build momentum despite recent struggles against tough SEC competition.