What We Learned About Will Muschamp’s Defense After Texas vs. Tennessee

Texas didn't need its offense to stack the scoreboard to escape Neyland Stadium with a win.

It just needed its defense to keep Tennessee from doing so.

Facing a Volunteers offense that entered Saturday averaging 510.3 yards and 47.7 points per game, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's unit turned what was expected to be its toughest test so far into its most impressive performance yet.

Tennessee finished with just 221 yards of total offense in Texas' 20-17 win, averaging only 2.9 yards per play and failing to score an offensive touchdown until 1:22 remained in the fourth quarter.

Four games into Muschamp's return to Austin, Saturday offered the clearest picture yet of what his defense can be.

Texas Took Away Tennessee's Strength

Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Derek Williams Jr. tackles Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Braylon Staley during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stopping Tennessee meant stopping its run game.

Through its first three games, Tennessee averaged 298.7 rushing yards per game, with running backs DeSean Bishop and Daune Morris combining for 520 yards on 72 carries.

Against Texas, neither found the same success.

Bishop finished with 34 yards on 11 carries, while Morris added 33 yards on nine attempts. Neither found the end zone, and Tennessee's longest run of the afternoon went for just 16 yards.

That success against the run put more pressure on true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon.

And Texas made him uncomfortable.

Pressure Here, Pressure There, Pressure Everywhere

Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Texas edge Colin Simmons celebrates after Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon is sacked again during a college football game between Tennessee and Texas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026. Brianna Paciorka-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colin Simmons will receive most of the attention and deservedly so.

The junior tied a Texas single-game record with five sacks and tacked on 10 pressures, but the Longhorns' pass rush extended well beyond their star edge rusher.

Rasheem Biles, Alex January, Hero Kanu, Zina Umeozulu and Maraad Watson each recorded a sack. By the end of the afternoon, Texas had brought Tennessee's quarterbacks down 10 times, the second-highest single-game total in program history.

According to PFF, Brandon was under pressure on 23 of his 49 dropbacks. When he attempted a pass under pressure, the Volunteers completed just four of eight attempts for 27 yards.

For Texas, the encouraging part was where that pressure came from.

Simmons can take over a game himself, but Saturday showed Muschamp doesn't necessarily need him to. Six different Longhorns recorded a sack, with pressure coming from throughout the defense.

The Defense Gave Texas Another Way to Win

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) looks to pass against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at Neyland Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas gave itself few advantages outside of its defense.

Texas' offense finished with 262 yards and converted just three of 12 third downs. The Longhorns committed 11 penalties for 115 yards. Special teams surrendered a punt return touchdown before allowing Tennessee to recover an onside kick late in the fourth quarter.

Yet Texas never trailed.

Tennessee went 4-of-17 on third down, punted seven times and didn't find the end zone offensively for more than 58 minutes.

That's perhaps the biggest thing Texas learned Saturday.

Muschamp's defense doesn't simply have to complement Arch Manning and the offense. On a day when almost everything else went wrong, it was good enough to become the reason Texas won.

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