Texas Rallies Past Mizzou 34-20 as Arch Manning Throws Three TDs in Fourth-Quarter Surge

Arch Manning threw for three touchdowns and Texas scored 21 unanswered points to beat No. 18 Missouri 34-20 at Faurot Field on Saturday, a win that keeps the Longhorns firmly alive in the College Football Playoff race. The Tigers had a golden chance at a second top-10 upset this season and instead watched a tied game slip away in the fourth quarter.

The matchup carried real playoff weight from the opening kickoff. Texas arrived at No. 7 and 6-2 with its CFP hopes in the balance, while Missouri entered 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC with a chance to prove its earlier win over Florida was no fluke. The Tigers had already beaten a ranked opponent by 28 points and lost to Ole Miss by the same margin, and Saturday was another turn on a season-long seesaw. With the result, Texas improves to 7-2 and 4-2 in conference play, while Missouri falls to 6-3 and 3-3.

A Seesaw First Three Quarters at Faurot Field

Missouri struck first. Quarterback Austin Simmons led a six-play, 78-yard opening drive and hit tight end Brett Norfleet for a two-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal. Texas answered immediately when Manning found running back Derek Cooper for a 24-yard score, and the teams traded field goals the rest of the half to go to the locker room tied 10-10.

The pattern held coming out of the break. Blake Craig drilled a 48-yard field goal for Missouri, and Texas kicker Gianni Spetic matched it from 33 yards to tie the game at 13. Then Simmons found Naeshaun Montgomery on the sideline, and the receiver slipped a tackle and raced 72 yards for a touchdown that put the Tigers up 20-13 late in the third quarter.

Texas, as it did all afternoon, had an answer. A third-down play that appeared to be an incomplete pass from Manning was ruled a fumble, a call that sparked an uproar in Columbia and will be debated for days. Three plays later, Manning hit Jermaine Bishop Jr. for a 24-yard touchdown to tie it at 20-20.

Manning Takes Over in the Fourth Quarter

Both offenses stalled to open the final period, but Texas broke the stalemate first. After Colton Vasek sacked Simmons and Missouri failed to convert a long third down, Manning connected with Raleek Brown on a touchdown pass of about 23 yards, giving the Longhorns their first lead at 27-20 with just over five minutes remaining.

Missouri had two chances to answer and could not. On its final drive within a touchdown, Simmons threw to Cayden Lee on third down, and a hard hit from Warren Roberson forced a fumble that effectively iced the game. Brown then punched in an eight-yard touchdown run to make it 34-20.

Manning finished 28-of-38 for 297 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions, the type of efficient, turnover-free afternoon Texas has been waiting on all season. Simmons was 23-of-43 for 252 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, with Lee catching nine passes for 79 yards. Linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez led the Missouri defense with 11 tackles, a tackle for loss and a half sack.

Special teams proved costly for the Tigers. Craig missed from 38 yards in the second quarter and from 46 yards in the third, and a blocked punt in the first half swung momentum. In a game decided by two scores that came late, those lost points loomed large.

Betting Market and What Comes Next

Oddsmakers viewed this as a near coin flip. Texas closed as a 2.5-point favorite at sportsbooks including FanDuel, with a total around 43.5, and the Longhorns covered the number comfortably. Bettors in the Show-Me State can see which operators are live through our guide to online sportsbooks in Missouri, and anyone shopping for a new account can compare the current FanDuel promo code offer before the next big slate.

The road does not get easier for Eli Drinkwitz’s group. Missouri travels to Athens next Saturday, Nov. 14, to face No. 2 Georgia, which sits at 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the SEC. Texas, meanwhile, keeps stacking SEC wins behind a quarterback who has finally found a rhythm, and every remaining Saturday now doubles as a playoff audition for Steve Sarkisian’s team.