Texas vs. Mississippi State: Longhorns Lead 17-0 at Halftime Behind Manning-to-Coleman and a 61-Yard Fumble Return
Texas scored on its first drive, added a field goal, and turned a strip into a 61-yard defensive touchdown in the final minutes of the half to lead Mississippi State 17-0 at halftime at DKR. This is a live file — the second half is still to play, and no final is claimed.
Texas needed four plays to score, and its defense did the rest of the first half's damage. The No. 11 Longhorns lead Mississippi State 17-0 at halftime on Halloween night at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, in a game Texas is trying to use to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.
The opening drive set the tone: Arch Manning squeezed a 47-yard completion to Cam Coleman, then found Coleman again one play later for a 14-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 12:59 left in the first quarter. Gianni Spetic's 45-yard field goal made it 10-0 with 5:41 left in the second quarter, and Mississippi State's best chance of the half died at the upright — Kyle Ferrie's 38-yard field goal attempt hit it and missed. Ryan Niblett's 84-yard punt return touchdown for Texas was called back by a penalty.
The half ended with the defense scoring. Texas hit Bulldogs quarterback AJ Swann and forced a fumble, and 333-pound defensive lineman Maraad Watson picked the ball up and rumbled 61 yards down the sideline for a touchdown with 1:13 left before halftime — 17-0, and a stadium shaking on Halloween night.
Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3 SEC) has been shut out for a half despite moving the ball early — Swann was 8-for-8 for 79 yards on the Bulldogs' early possessions, per the Clarion Ledger's live file. Texas (5-2) gets the second half to protect the lead. This story will be followed by the final on the Sports Desk's game-night roundup; no result beyond the halftime score is claimed here.
