Rebel Rundown: What to watch for Ole Miss at Texas

Ole Miss currently sits as a 3.5-point road underdog, as Texas desperately seeks to get back into the win column.

Sep 12, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Members of the Texas Longhorns spirit squad carry flags on to the field before a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No. 7 Ole Miss (5-1, 3-1) travels to Austin to take on No. 19 Texas (4-2, 1-2) in Week 8. The Rebels are searching for their third-straight victory, while the Longhorns are desperately seeking to snap their two-game skid. 

With a win, Ole Miss’ path back to the College Football Playoffs looks almost as clear as ever and would all but eliminate Texas from playoff contention. The Longhorns have their backs against the wall and will give Ole Miss everything they have. Behind the real playoff implications of this game is also the fact that Arch Manning is playing the program that has his last name stapled everywhere on its campus. Manning needs a good performance himself in order to quiet the disappointing talks and maintain his starting role. 

Ole Miss On SI’s Tyler Komis and host Bailey Flanders preview the top-25 matchup. They discuss keys to a win and break down their predictions for the SEC showdown in Austin in Episode 106 of The Rebel Rundown.    

What Golding Said About Texas 

Oct 17, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding looks on during the third quarter against the Missouri Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I think (Steve Sarkisian is) one of the best play callers in the country, and it’s not close,” Golding said of Texas earlier this week. “I think he does the best designing plays to get his best player the ball in stride as well. I think what’s unique about this year to me is when you watch them on tape, they’ve had a lot of bad luck. I mean, there’s a lot of things you’ve actually watched on the tape, hitting guys in stride, hits them in the chest, ball bounces off, get a pick, you know, all those type of things. I think somehow it’s been lost that they’ve beaten the number one team in the country. They were the number one team in the country at some point. 

They haven’t played perfect. But Arch is still an elite player. They’ve got elite skill and a really, really good coach. So we’re going to have our work cut out for us. I just think the consistency there that you talk about, sometimes it’s a lack of protection, sometimes it’s a drop, sometimes the defense makes a good play. But a lot of it to me has been bad luck, to be honest with you.”

I think Sark runs his system and has been really effective everywhere he’s been. So I think regardless of who’s at quarterback, that’s not going to change much. Obviously there’s packages and short yardage and field position to where you got to be aware of certain things that he’s done in the past. But obviously (Arch has) elite arm talent has been in the system a long time. I think some people have shown him some different looks and taken away some first reads and applied some pressure and all that. But the perception that he’s not an elite player right now is crazy to me…We know what we’re going up against. I know the perception of what it is right now, but I still think it’s an elite offense.”

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