With Arch Manning in medical tent, Texas QB Matthew Caldwell throws game-winning TD in 45-38 OT win over Mississippi State

Texas barely kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with another overtime win.

Matthew Caldwell found Emmett Mosley V for a touchdown pass in a 45-38 win over Mississippi State. Caldwell was in the game during the first overtime after Arch Manning hit his head on the turf as he scrambled for a first down on No. 22 Texas’ first play of the extra period.

Manning was attended to by trainers before slowly walking off the field and into the Texas medical tent. Caldwell immediately replaced him and capped a 17-point comeback with the dime to Mosley.

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Mississippi State got the ball second in overtime and had a chance to match the Longhorns but failed to get a first down and ended up losing yardage as Blake Shapen was sacked near midfield to end the game.

"We didn't play great football tonight, but we surely fought and we played as a team," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

Texas scored 24 straight points in the final 10 minutes of regulation and OT after Mississippi State had a 38-21 lead. The Longhorns tied the game at 38-38 when Ryan Niblett returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown with 1:47 to go.

Mississippi State got across midfield with plenty of time to get in position for a game-winning field goal attempt, but the Bulldogs’ offense stalled out before getting into field goal range and ended up having to punt it to the Longhorns before regulation ended.

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Before leaving the game, Manning was 29-of-46 for a career-high 346 passing yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Manning threw for just 99 yards in the first half, but carved up the Mississippi State defense when it looked like the game could be out of reach.

Niblett returned a punt for a touchdown and the exclamation point in Texas’ win over Oklahoma in their rivalry game. And a week ago against Kentucky, he also played a pivotal role.

Niblett returned a punt 43 yards with 2:36 to position the Longhorns for a go-ahead field goal with 57 seconds to go. Kentucky ended up getting a field goal of its own to tie the game, but Texas came out on top 16-13 in overtime after the Wildcats went for the win near the goal line and failed.

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Saturday’s extra possession was less dramatic. After a wide-open pass fell incomplete on first down, Mississippi State self-destructed. The Bulldogs officially lost 41 yards on their overtime drive and carried 20 yards on their three drives in the fourth quarter after taking that 17-point lead.

The loss is the 16th straight conference defeat for MSU dating back to the 2023 season. Texas, meanwhile, now hosts No. 10 Vanderbilt in Week 10 for its first home game in over a month. The Longhorns last played a home game on Sept. 20 against Sam Houston.

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