Texas vs Mississippi State Final Score: Longhorns Win 31-3 as Manning Throws Three Touchdown Passes
No. 11 Texas scored on its first possession and never trailed, beating Mississippi State 31-3 in Austin behind three Arch Manning touchdown passes, a defensive fumble-return score, and a Bulldogs offense that lost its starting quarterback before halftime.
AUSTIN - Texas finished what its first drive started. The No. 11 Longhorns beat Mississippi State 31-3 on Saturday night at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, scoring in every quarter and holding the Bulldogs without a touchdown.
The scoring ran the way the halftime file said it might. Arch Manning hit Cam Coleman for a 14-yard touchdown in the first quarter, Gianni Spetic added a 45-yard field goal, and Maraad Watson returned a fumble for a touchdown late in the second quarter after AJ Swann was strip-sacked - the play that knocked the Mississippi State starter out of the game shortly before halftime. Billy Puckett played the remainder of the game for the Bulldogs, the Clarion Ledger reported.
Mississippi State's only points came on Kyle Ferrie's 30-yard field goal early in the third quarter. Manning answered with a 4-yard touchdown pass to R. Brown, then closed the night with a 42-yard touchdown strike to Emmett Mosley V with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter for the 31-3 final.
The Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4 SEC) lost their fourth straight game, and running back Fluff Bothwell exited in the fourth quarter after 17 carries for 49 yards. Texas improves to 6-2 and 4-2 in the SEC, with the kind of complete, low-drama win its playoff case needed on Halloween night.
