No. 1 Texas snagged a 20-17 victory over No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium Saturday, but holy cow, it was a nail-biter that came down to the absolute final play. It took a desperation Hail Mary bat-down from safety Jelani McDonald to preserve the win, all thanks to defensive phenom Colin Simmons, who brought the heat on the final pass. Simmons even wisely held up on the hit, dodging a personal foul that could have flipped everything. This team might be 4-0 and 1-0 in the SEC, but they definitely survived against the Volunteers and their miscues almost cost them big time.
Colin Simmons Had a Night, and a Gaffe
Dude, Colin Simmons was an absolute wrecking ball, racking up a school-record five sacks. FIVE! He made his claim as the top defensive player in the country, tormenting Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon all game long. Brandon went 17 of 29 for 145 yards and a touchdown, but he was under pressure constantly. Simmons had back-to-back sacks in the third quarter, and he even added a fifth in the fourth, creating a highlight reel that NFL teams with top-five picks in the 2027 draft are definitely watching.
But remember that second sack at the 5:11 mark in the second quarter? Yeah, Simmons got popped for unsportsmanlike conduct for “simulating using the restroom.” Wild, right? He learned fast though, pushing his hands down after a later sack, clearly acknowledging that first-half penalty. Texas’s defense, coordinated by Will Mushcamp, was stellar overall, accounting for 10 sacks and completely shutting down Tennessee’s run game. The Vols, who came in ranked fourth in the FBS with 298.7 rushing yards per game, were held to a measly 70 rushing yards on 1.6 yards per carry. That defensive effort was the only thing offsetting an offense that looked pretty uneven.
Manning Battled, But Took Some Licks
On the offensive side, Arch Manning was out there playing in front of his uncle Peyton’s alma mater, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” adding to the charged atmosphere. He started hot, hitting 3 of 3 passes for 56 yards on the opening drive, which ended with a 9-yard touchdown from Raleek Brown. That drive also featured Manning’s longest completion of the game, a 43-yard pass to Emmett Mosley V.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Manning. He took his hits, with Tennessee notching six sacks. He also threw an interception to Vols defensive back Kayin Lee on a deep pass attempt in the second quarter. Still, when it mattered most, Manning came through. He led an eight-play, 60-yard drive in the fourth quarter for the game-sealing touchdown by Brown with 5:41 left. Manning finished the day 14 of 19 for 201 yards.
So, Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC) survived, but their “less than desirable” finish against Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) definitely shows they have some things to figure out. They proved their defense can carry the day in a tough SEC road environment, but those offensive miscues need to get cleaned up if they want to keep that No. 1 spot locked down. This was a wild one, and it leaves you wondering how much Texas will learn from almost blowing it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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