The No. 7 Texas Longhorns just padded their College Football Playoff resume in a massive way, shutting down a tough No. 18 Missouri team on the road. This wasn’t some easy stroll either: the game was tied at 20-all heading into the fourth quarter, but Texas put on an impressive final-frame clinic that absolutely slammed the door on any hopes Missouri had for a huge upset. Remember, Missouri already knocked off a Top-10 team in Florida earlier this season, so this was a seriously dangerous matchup for the Longhorns.
Fourth Quarter Fireworks (and a Wild Call)
This game kicked off bright and early at 11 a.m. CT in Columbia, but it sure didn’t play like an early morning snooze. Missouri jumped out to a 10-7 lead after the first quarter, but Texas clawed its way back with a 27-yard field goal to tie things up at 10 apiece by halftime. The third quarter? Pure offensive fireworks, with both sides trading field goals and touchdowns to keep it locked at 20-all heading into the final fifteen minutes. Then, things got really interesting.
After three straight punts from both offenses to start the fourth, Arch Manning fired off a touchdown pass to Raleek Brown, giving the Longhorns a 27-20 lead. But that drive, man, it had a moment. What was initially called a Manning fumble ended up being ruled a 12-yard gain and a first down for Texas. Former referee Terry McCauley even hopped on X to say that play should have been “clearly and Obviously an incomplete forward pass.” Talk about a break, right?
Longhorn Defense Closes It Out
With the lead, Texas’ defense stepped up big time. They forced a Missouri punt after a quick three-and-out. The Longhorns burned just 1:36 off the clock and punted the ball back to Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons, who had been having a stellar game with 252 yards and two touchdowns, with 2:06 left on the clock. Simmons had taken a huge hit on their previous drive, even needing to come out for a third down play before that earlier punt.
But Texas’ defense wasn’t done making plays. On 3rd-and-6, Simmons connected with his receiver Cayden Lee, and it looked like a first down. Nope. Texas defensive back Warren Robinson came in with a massive play, popping the ball out. His teammate Graceson Littleton was right there to recover it, giving Texas the ball right back and sealing the deal. Raleek Brown then punched in an eight-yard touchdown run to make it 34-20 with 1:25 left, putting a dagger right into Missouri’s upset hopes.
This road win is huge for Texas. Even with two losses on their record, they were a Top-10 team going into this game. Now, they’ve got two big road victories over ranked opponents, including their September 26 win over current No. 13 Tennessee. Plus, don’t forget that come-from-behind victory against then-No. 1 Ohio State in Week 1, and beating No. 10 Ole Miss at home. This Missouri win just beefed up their CFP resume even more, and the committee has to take notice.
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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