Texas Longhorns Secure Win Against Vanderbilt
Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns are edging closer to playoff contention after a rocky start to their season.
On Saturday afternoon, the 20th-ranked Longhorns claimed a 34-31 victory over No. 9 Vanderbilt at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Manning, 21, showcased an impressive performance, completing 25 of 33 passes for 328 yards along with three touchdowns.
In a nail-biting overtime win against Mississippi State the previous week, he threw for 346 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, solidifying his growing prowess on the field.
The Longhorns began strong against Vanderbilt, with Manning connecting with wide receiver Ryan Wingo for a 75-yard touchdown on the very first play. Moments later, a fumble from Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia set the Longhorns up for a field goal, quickly leading 10-0.
They stretched their lead to 17-0 after a solid 83-yard drive, ending in a touchdown pass to running back CJ Baxter.
Despite the early lead, Vanderbilt managed to respond with a field goal to narrow the score to 17-3, but Texas answered back with another touchdown. Running back Quintrevion Wisner scored from four yards out to bring the score to 24-3.
Pavia rallied his team with a 75-yard touchdown drive, hitting tight end Eli Stowers for an 18-yard touchdown, leaving Texas ahead 24-10 at halftime.
In the second half, after Vanderbilt’s three-and-out, Manning led Texas on another lengthy drive. This time, it was a 93-yard march culminating in a touchdown pass to Emmett Mosley V, pushing the score to 31-10.
Vanderbilt fought back valiantly in the fourth quarter, scoring three touchdowns to narrow the gap to 34-31. They had a chance to tie with an onside kick in the final moments, but the ball veered wide.
Pavia threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns for Vanderbilt, yet it wasn’t enough to secure a win.
With this victory, the Longhorns improve to 7-2 and will take a break before facing Georgia (6-1). A win there could significantly boost their playoff hopes.
Vanderbilt, now also at 7-2, will look to recover next week against Auburn (4-4).
