AUSTIN, Texas — As jubilant Texas fans filed out of Royal Texas Darrell K. Memorial Stadium, one spectator dressed in bright orange said to no one in particular, “What a win, I don't even remember Athens. Georgia”
This is a kind of memory erasing magic that is inherent in victory in Lone Star Showdown. The rivalry returned to Austin for the first time in 15 years as age-old enemies reunited as members Southeastern Conference last season.
Two years. Two Texas wins. Two Heartbreaking SEC Championship Eliminations for Texas A&M.
This game played at a different frequency than the 2024 version. Last season, the No. 3 Longhorns went 17-7 defensively from start to finish. This time, Texas trailed the No. 3 Aggies at halftime, 10-3.
But just as the Longhorns did in 2025 three more times this season in SEC play, they again had to utter a variation of, “They caught us in the first half.”
Texas scored 17 straight points in the second half to take the lead from A&M, ended the game with a pair of turnovers in the fourth quarter and handed Texas A&M, 11-0, its first loss of the year.. The win pushed Texas to 9-3 and gave the program a case for becoming the first three-loss team to make the playoffs.
“These guys are so tough,” Sarkisian said. “This team has been through a lot. When we lost (35-10) in Athens a few weeks ago, most of the team was already dead. They answered the call.”
Sarkisian called at halftime and told his team to show some pride, and the Longhorns responded by running with ruthless efficiency.
Texas ran the ball 22 times for 157 yards (7.1 yards per carry) in the second half, nearly double its season average of 3.77.
Leading up to the game, Sarkisian showed Wisner some video of his 186-yard attempt last season against Texas A&M. The Longhorns have struggled to run the ball this season and haven't had a single game with a 100-yard rusher. Sarkisian wanted to instill confidence in his starting guard. Wisner responded with a season-high 155 yards, including a 48-yard run on Texas' first offensive play of the second half. Sargsyan named the inner zone. When Wisner saw the hole and all the green grass ahead of him, he compared it to seeing “the sky” opening up.
“We controlled the game (with the run),” Sarkisian said.
Perhaps no one reacted more Friday than the Longhorns quarterback. Arch Manning.
Midway through the year, the freshman called the sport his “first failure,” and Manning's every throw was analyzed and his every move picked apart. He played much better in Texas Red River's win over Oklahoma, but he struggled to shoot the ball consistently against Texas A&M on a windy Friday night in Austin, finishing 14 of 19, his fourth sub-50% shooting performance of the season.
Manning discovered his accuracy late. He completed six of his last seven passes for 128 yards and a score.
When Texas A&M cut Texas' 10-point lead to 20-17 with 9:15 remaining, Manning made the play. Sargsyan dialed the number inside the zone. Arch found a hole, made a half-back miss on a skimpy tackle and ran into daylight to score the decisive score.
“It was hard,” Sarkisian said. “(Arch) handled it.”
The touchdown propelled Texas to All-American safety. Michael Taaffe — who himself threw the game-tying interception on graduation night — to proclaim Manning: “The best player in college footballARCH MANNING.”
People would have laughed at this statement mid-year. On Friday night, perhaps with an eye toward 2026, when Manning is expected to return to Austin, it seemed possible.
After the game, Texas A&M's Heisman candidate Marcel Reedwho threw a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter, pulled Manning aside and told him, “Y'all deserve to be in (the playoffs).”
Over the next nine days, there will be no more important question in Austin and perhaps in college football than the Texas playoffs.
The win over Texas A&M improved the Longhorns to 9-3. But as every Texas coach and player who spoke after the game wanted to tell you, Texas is not your average three-loss team.
Sargsyan came to the podium with statistics:
The Longhorns are the first team since 2019. LSU beat three teams from the top 10 (Oklahoma, VanderbiltTexas A&M as usual. “Think about that for a second,” Sarkisian said.
- Texas' strength of schedule ranks No. 5 nationally according to TeamRankings.com.
- Texas played at number 1 (Ohio), No. 3 (Texas A&M) and No. 4 Georgia team in the country.
- Texas went 3-2 against top 10 regular season teams.
- Texas is the only team to play No. 1 Ohio State this year by one score.
This Week 1 game against Ohio State could be a key moment in Texas' case before the committee. Sarkisian convincingly expressed an idea that Texas did not adhere to have make Ohio State schedule. He could have picked another Power Four game, won it and finished 10-2. Taaffe went so far as to say the Longhorns scheduled a Week 1 game that everyone liked on national television and the program shouldn't be penalized for it.
“What (message) do we want to send to head coaches and athletic directors across the country?” – Sargsyan said. “If we’re 10-2 now, it’s not a debate. We're in the playoffs.”
“I certainly think we don’t want to be punished for this. What are we going to do? We're going to come out of these games like a lot of teams in the country have done and they have good records right now.”
Other teams will likely argue that the Longhorns shouldn't have lost at 3-8. Florida team or needed desperate retaliation against SEC feeders Kentucky And Mississippi.
Either way, the committee will be forced to weigh in on Texas' candidacy because of its Lone Star opposition claim. The win goes some way to salvaging a season that began with Texas ranked No. 1 in the preseason for the first time in program history.
No player has defined this preseason hype (and the ups and downs of the Texas season) quite like the Longhorns' QB1.
Manning just isn't quite ready to contemplate the season or the reality that Texas won't be able to continue playing until December.
“I think we’ll make the playoffs, but I don’t know why we wouldn’t,” Manning said. “I won't worry.”
