The Good, Bad and Ugly from Texas' Win Over Mississippi State

Texas avoided a Halloween scare on Saturday, finally finding a comfortable SEC win.

But that doesn’t mean the Longhorns’ performance was without a few frightening moments.

While the scoreboard suggested a dominant performance, the Longhorns still had their share of problems, particularly along the offensive line and on special teams.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Texas' victory over the Bulldogs.

The Good — Dominant Defensive Perfomance

Oct 24, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Rasheem Biles celebrates on the field after the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Is there any better feeling than watching a big man with the football?

Texas fans were treated to quite the spectacle on Saturday night when 333-pound defensive lineman Maraad Watson scooped up a fumble forced by Rasheem Biles and rumbled 61 yards into the end zone.

But while Watson stole the show, the rest of the defense was equally deserving of the spotlight.

Despite playing without star edge rusher Colin Simmons, Texas overwhelmed Mississippi State's offensive front, recording seven sacks and nine tackles for loss while holding the Bulldogs to just three points.

Biles was particularly dominant, finishing with three sacks and four tackles for loss.

And even when Texas’ offense put the defense in a difficult position, the Longhorns refused to budge.

After an Arch Manning fumble gave the Bulldogs possession at the Texas 28-yard line, the defense held Mississippi State to a field goal, with Biles delivering a 15-yard sack on a trick play.

It was the Bulldogs’ only scoring play of the night.

Although Mississippi State is likely to be one of Texas’ easiest SEC tests of the season, it was an encouraging way for the Longhorns to end October.

The Bad — Particularly Poor Punting

Texas Punter Mac Chiumento — Oklahoma's Danny Okoye blocks the punt of Texas' Mac Chiumento in the first half of the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Texas Longhorn at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, Oct., 10, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It’s a good thing the defense was able to clean up the punting unit’s messes.

Because there were plenty.

Punter Mac Chiumento averaged just 38.2 yards on six punts, including a particularly ugly 23-yard shank late in the third quarter.

Punting from the Texas 25-yard line, Chiumento sent the ball out of bounds at the Longhorns' 48, handing Mississippi State possession just two yards shy of midfield.

It wasn't the first time Chiumento put the defense in a difficult position.

Late in the second quarter, his 36-yard punt gave Mississippi State possession at the Texas 46-yard line. Three consecutive punts traveled just 36, 23 and 39 yards. Not a single punt pinned the Bulldogs inside their own 20-yard line.

Against a Mississippi State offense struggling to move the football, those shortcomings ultimately proved inconsequential.

But against more dangerous SEC offenses, surrendering that kind of field position could be the difference between winning and losing.

The Ugly — Offensive Line Woes

Oct 10, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Dylan Sikorski blocks the Oklahoma Sooners rush during the game between the Sooners and the Longhorns at Cotton Bowl. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If Saturday was supposed to be an opportunity for Texas' offensive line to get back on track, it turned into another nightmare.

The Longhorns surrendered five sacks and eight tackles for loss against a Mississippi State defense that entered the game averaging just 2.3 sacks per contest.

And the problems weren't limited to pass protection.

Just one week after rushing for 207 yards against Ole Miss, Texas managed a miserable 60 yards on 32 attempts, averaging just 1.9 yards per carry. The Longhorns' longest run gained only 12 yards.

Even removing the impact of sacks, the numbers weren't much prettier. Texas' running backs combined for just 50 yards on 19 carries, with only three attempts gaining more than five yards.

And with Missouri and LSU looming, those problems could become increasingly difficult to overcome.

Texas could afford stalled drives and costly sacks against Mississippi State because its defense was dominant. But against more dangerous opponents, the Longhorns can't continue relying on Manning to overcome their deficiencies up front.

If Texas has any hope of making a playoff run, the offensive line needs to find answers. And fast.

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