Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian stated that outside belief was low regarding the No. 7 Longhorns prior to their 34-20 victory against No. 18 Missouri on Saturday.
Postgame Comments from Steve Sarkisian
According to Jonathan Wagner of On3.com, Sarkisian addressed the team’s mindset following the matchup by explaining that players hear outside discussions despite coaching efforts to block it out. Sarkisian told reporters that external doubts questioned whether the squad possessed enough toughness at the line of scrimmage and anticipated that the team would get pushed around.
Despite the head coach’s assertions about external skepticism, FanDuel Sportsbook had listed the Longhorns as favorites heading into the contest.
Arch Manning Leads Texas to Victory
The win lifted the Longhorns’ record to 7-2 as quarterback Arch Manning delivered a three-touchdown performance against the Tigers. Manning completed 28 of 38 pass attempts for 297 yards and added the three scores.
The SEC encounter remained tightly contested throughout three quarters, featuring a 10-10 tie at halftime and a 20-20 deadlock heading into the fourth period, with neither side holding a two-score advantage until the final frame.
Texas broke the tie after forcing two early Missouri punts in the fourth quarter when Manning threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Raleek Brown to make it 27-20. The Longhorns defense held firm before Brown extended the lead to 14 points with an eight-yard rushing touchdown.
Missouri turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, allowing Texas to run out the clock and secure the outcome. The win handed the Tigers their first home loss after entering the game with a 4-0 record at home.
The Longhorns accumulated 401 total yards of offense while holding Missouri to just 10 points over the final three quarters. Texas will aim for its fourth consecutive win when the team plays against LSU on Nov. 14.
