Arch Manning found Raleek Brown for a 4-yard touchdown pass with only three seconds left on the clock, completely flipping the script and handing No. 6 Texas a nail-biting 22-21 victory over No. 21 LSU. Talk about a gut punch. This final play didn’t just win the game, it absolutely crushed LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes, while Texas is now almost certainly locked into that 12-team field.
The Clock Ticks Down in Baton Rouge
Man, that final drive was a wild one. Manning, showing incredible composure, ran for a first down inside the LSU 5-yard line with a mere nine seconds to go. Now, here’s where it got dicey. Texas had just one timeout left. Instead of spiking the ball to stop the clock and save that precious timeout, possibly for another run play near the goal line, they burned it after Manning’s run. A gamble, right? On first down, the pass fell incomplete. You could feel the tension through the TV, like, “What’s the play here?”
The Gutsy Call, The Crushing Blow
With the clock ticking down, Texas quickly motioned Brown out into the flat. The ball was snapped, Manning got it out to him on a swing pass, and Brown was in space for the 4-yard touchdown. Just like that. Three seconds. Game over. LSU fans were probably still trying to figure out what just happened. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian couldn’t have been prouder, telling ESPN after the game, “I thought our guys had great poise and composure in that final drive to execute, showed a lot of guts by Arch for sure.” And guts it was. This game was everything college football is about, proving every single snap matters. For LSU, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. For Texas, well, they’re likely going dancing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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