Texas Beats Mississippi State 31-3: Manning Throws Three Touchdowns and the Defense Scores in a Halloween Rout at DKR
No. 11 Texas closed out its halftime file with a complete second half on Saturday night, beating Mississippi State 31-3 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Arch Manning threw three touchdown passes, the defense returned a fumble for a score, and the Bulldogs never reached the end zone.
The final is in from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, and it was never close after the first drive. No. 11 Texas beat Mississippi State 31-3 on Saturday night, turning a 17-0 halftime lead into a rout behind three Arch Manning touchdown passes and a defensive touchdown, in the game-night final to the Longhorns' Halloween home date.
Manning opened the scoring on the game's first possession, hitting Cam Coleman for a 14-yard touchdown after Coleman had already broken a 47-yard catch on the drive, according to the live accounts read by the desk. A 45-yard field goal stretched the lead to 10-0, and the defense delivered the night's decisive play late in the second quarter: Rasheem Biles forced a fumble by Bulldogs quarterback AJ Swann, and Maraad Watson recovered it and returned it for a touchdown and a 17-0 lead with 1:13 left in the half, theScore's scoring summary and Burnt Orange Nation reported.
Swann did not return. The Clarion Ledger reported he was knocked out of the game on the fumble play, came back to the sideline after halftime with a sling on his right arm, and was replaced by Billy Puckett the rest of the way. Mississippi State's only points came on Kyle Ferrie's 30-yard field goal in the third quarter. Manning answered with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Raleek Brown and closed the scoring with a 42-yard strike to Emmett Mosley V with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter, Longhorns Wire reported.
Texas also finished the night without its top receiver: Coleman, who caught two passes for 61 yards and the opening touchdown, did not play the second half and was spotted in street clothes, ClutchPoints reported. It did not matter. Texas outgained Mississippi State 280 yards to 187, and the Bulldogs — now 4-4 and 2-4 in the SEC with four straight losses — have scored 18 points in their last 13 quarters, the Clarion Ledger noted. Texas improves to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC.
