Texas rallies past Ole Miss as coach praises Arch Manning's confidence

Texas held off No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday night, winning 34-27 after rallying from a 21-point second-half deficit. Head coach Steve Sarkisian said he appreciated the "edgy, borderline arrogant, full-of-swagger" attitude that Manning displayed throughout the week, describing the quarterback as a fighter who performed best when confident.

Manning completed 18 of 30 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown, added two rushing scores, and also recorded three turnovers, including a fumble and two interceptions that Sarkisian attributed to Ole Miss' strong defense. After a second interception, Texas relied on its ground game, with running back Raleek Brown carrying the ball 23 times for 157 yards, helping the Longhorns maintain a lead late in the game.

The contest was decided on the final play when Texas safety Jelani McDonald intercepted a Hail-Mary pass from Ole Miss with no time remaining. Sarkisian praised the team's resilience and credited Manning's renewed fire for inspiring the collective effort.

"One thing I know about Arch Manning, he's a fighter," Sarkisian said. "I like the edgy, kind of borderline arrogant, full-of-swagger Arch. I just feel like that's when he's at his best."

Manning, who admitted to feeling pressure about his starting role, said he had visited his family after a recent loss and felt emotional, but embraced the challenge of proving himself.

"I've been hyped up all my life, like everyone tried to do in preseason and all this stuff," Manning said. "I think I kind of like being disregarded and counted out."

Injuries to key players, including pass-rusher Colin Simmons, offensive lineman Trevor Goosby, and wide receiver Cam Coleman, were noted, but Sarkisian said the victory represented a team win and highlighted the impact of Manning's mindset on the squad's performance.