Top-Ranked Texas Survives Tennessee 20-17 Behind Ten-Sack Defensive Effort
The short version
- No. 1 Texas defeated No. 13 Tennessee 20-17 in Knoxville to stay undefeated
- Arch Manning threw for 201 yards and was sacked six times; Texas punted seven times
- Texas sacked Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon 10 times, including five by Colin Simmons
- Tennessee recovered a late onside kick but could not capitalize before Texas swatted away a final Hail Mary
- Six ranked opponents remain on Texas' schedule
No. 1 Texas edged No. 13 Tennessee 20-17 in Knoxville on Saturday, overcoming offensive struggles and 11 penalties to stay undefeated.
Top-ranked Texas escaped Knoxville with a 20-17 win over No. 13 Tennessee on Saturday, remaining undefeated but showing considerable flaws on offense in a game that stretched roughly three and a half hours.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning started strong, completing nine of his first 10 passes, but his production faded as his pass protection broke down. He finished with 201 passing yards and was sacked six times. A late fourth-quarter completion to Ryan Wingo on third-and-long extended a touchdown drive and helped Texas hold off the upset bid.
The Longhorns' offense struggled throughout, managing six three-and-outs and seven punts. Texas was flagged 11 times in a game that followed a sloppy win over UTSA the week before.
Tennessee had a chance to steal the game after recovering an onside kick in Texas territory, but the Longhorns recorded their 10th sack of freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, who was making his first career SEC start. Texas sealed the win by batting down a Hail Mary as time expired.
Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons finished with five sacks. On one of them, he celebrated by miming urinating on the field, drawing a 15-yard penalty that the referee announced to the sold-out Neyland Stadium crowd as being for "simulating using the restroom." The penalty gave Tennessee a first down instead of a fourth-and-long situation.
The game's other memorable moments included an Air Force One pregame flyover. President Trump attended the game, which was played in a state he won by 30 points in the 2024 presidential election.
Texas reached No. 1 in the polls largely on the strength of a fourth-quarter comeback against Ohio State earlier in the season, when the Longhorns looked like a title contender for one quarter. The schedule does not get easier: six ranked opponents remain on Texas' slate.
There was a family-history subplot as well. Arch Manning's grandfather Archie Manning played his final game against Tennessee in 1969, winning 38-0 after Vols fans had taunted him with "Archie Who?" buttons. Archie had thrown six interceptions in a loss to Tennessee the year before. Arch wore the same number his uncle Peyton Manning wore during his Tennessee career.
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