No. 1 Texas Vs. No. 14 Tennessee Live Updates: Horns Regain Lead, 13-10, With 44-yard Fg

The first on-campus meeting between two college football blue bloods is happening in Knoxville as the No. 1 Texas Longhorns take on the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

It’s a big test for Texas senior quarterback Arch Manning, who was not able to win a true road game in regulation in 2025, his first season as the starter, and for a Longhorns team trying to maintain its hold on the top ranking as it embarks on a nine-game SEC schedule full of ranked opponents.

Pregame warmups

Texas senior running back Hollywood Smothers went through warmups for the Horns after his removal from the injury report, but came up gimpy at the end in the wake of suffering a lower-body injury. Also available is junior edge Colin Simmons, who suffered a toe injury last week before going through warmups with a large brace on his elbow.

First quarter

After winning the toss and deferring to the second half, Tennessee kicked off to Texas, which started with an eight-yard completion to junior wide receiver Ryan Wingo on a comeback before runs by fifth-year Raleek Brown and freshman Derrek Cooper secured the first down after the spot on Cooper’s effort was overturned in favor of the Longhorns.

Looking for a shot play to junior wide receiver Emmet Mosley, Manning didn’t deliver a pretty pass, but it was effective for a 43-yard gain.

A tackle for loss on Brown initially put Texas behind the chains before a penalty for 12 men on the field gave the Longhorns a 1st and 5 inside the red zone. Manning took a big hit delivering a check down to freshman wide receiver Jermaine Bishop that was good for another first down. Trying to secure tough yardage, a tough run by Brown picked up three yards before Brown scored on a nine-yard touchdown run behind a good insert block by Wingo.

A missed tackle by senior safety Jelani McDonald allowed a short pass by Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon to turn into a first down with 15 yards added on for a roughing the passer penalty on sophomore defensive end Lance Jackson. The Volunteers took a shot play on the next snap and senior cornerback Bo Mascoe was called for pass interference on an underthrown ball by Brandon.

Tennessee picked up two yards on a run by DeSean Bishop, a quarterback run by Brandon, and a toss to Bishop picked up a big first down into the Texas red zone before the run defense of the Longhorns limited Bishop to a one-yard gain and a short scramble by Brandon set up 3rd and 7. With time in the pocket, Brandon missed an open receiver, but was able to avoid a sack, throwing the ball away to preserve a 33-yard field goal that split the uprights.

In 10 personnel to start the next drive, Texas senior right tackle Melvin Siani was beat for a sack to put the Longhorns well behind the chains, leading to a six-yard completion to Cooper and an illegal forward pass on Manning when he got caught between scrambling and tossing the ball out to Brown, whose first down was negated by penalty.

The fourth penalty on Texas, an illegal formation on the punt, moved the ball from the Tennessee 37-yard line to the 42-yard line to start the second drive for the Volunteers.

Once again, Brandon was able to avoid a sack, but took a loss flipping the ball out to the perimeter, where senior linebacker Rasheem Biles made the tackle for a loss. On 3rd and 12, Texas finally got Brandon to the ground after the freshman quarterback didn’t rip a throw and Simmons came up with the sack to force a punt that senior Ryan Niblett returned for 10 yards to the 33-yard line.

Back to a heavier package, the 12 personnel look only produced a two-yard gain by Brown, setting up a play-action pass that Manning completed to Wingo, who sat down in an open spot in the zone coverage for a 15-yard gain. A better run by Brown netted five yards before Wingo broke multiple tackles on a screen pass to pick up 14 yards on one of the best post-catch efforts by Wingo in his Longhorns career.

When sophomore left guard Dylan Sikorski was beat on a slant, Cooper was dropped for a three-yard loss to put Texas off schedule, but Manning responded with a beautiful throw to Bishop on a corner route that was misplayed by the Tennessee secondary for a 29-yard gain to the 5-yard line.

Under pressure, Manning couldn’t hit junior wide receiver Cam Coleman on a jump ball and more pressure resulted in a sack of the Texas quarterback to end the first quarter.

Second quarter

Trying to work the perimeter with Brown wasn’t effective against the speed of the Tennessee defense, and Texas had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by senior Gianni Spetic for a 10-3 lead.

A two-yard completion prior to a designed run for no gain left Brandon down on the grass banged up and favoring his left shoulder when he was finally escorted off the field and into the injury tent.

With the backup quarterback in an 3rd and 8, Tennessee couldn’t create separation and Georgia MacIntyre had to scramble for a short gain as the Volunteers had to punt. On another good punt return by Niblett that went for 20 yards, it was Tennessee flagged for an illegal formation to allow Texas to start its drive on its 43-yard line.

On second down, Manning tried to hit a shot play to Coleman, but threw into double coverage and the ball was intercepted at the Tennessee 4-yard line.

Trying to create space off the goal line, Bishop ran for three yards on first down and MacIntyre completed a pass for a fresh set of downs. Patience working off the left side of the Tennessee line, Bishop picked up four yards and MacIntyre threw it away after standing in a clean pocket for a lengthy period of time. On 3rd and 6, MacIntyre came under quick pressure from fifth-year defensive tackle Hero Kanu and had to throw it away again.

Niblett continued to look dangerous on a 14-yard return negated by a block in the back penalty on junior Jordon Johnson-rubell that moved the ball back to the Texas 39-yard line.

A bad snap by fifth-year center Connor Robertson resulted in a 12-yard loss instead of a turnover when Manning was able to rip the ball away at the bottom of the pile. When Brown picked up four yards on a run and the Texas quarterback took a big hit on an 11-yard scramble for a three and out. Tennessee took over at its 8-yard line after a 51-yard punt by Mac Chiumento.

Brandon returned to the field after spending 15 minutes in the injury tent and ran for seven yards on first down, then completed a two-yard pass. On 3rd and 1, Tennessee ran for a first down behind two tight ends side by side in the backfield. When senior Brad Spence lost contain on the edge, Brandon was able to scramble for a first down before getting sacked by junior defensive tackle Maraad Watson. A one-yard gain set up 3rd and 13 after a timeout by Texas because too many players were on the field as head coach Steve Sarkisian avoided a penalty.

Simmons sacked Brandon on third down and the Volunteers were ready to punt, but Simmons was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for a vulgar celebration after the play that gave Tennessee a first down and enough momentum to pick up chunk gains of 10 yards, eight yards, 10 yards, and 13 yards before the Texas defense recovered enough to get a run stuff and force an incompletion by Brandon, who didn’t gain much on a quarterback draw on third down prior to the two-minute timeout.

Just outside of field-goal range, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel went for it on 4th and 7 and Brandon took a shot, but physical play and good positioning from sophomore nickel back Graceson Littleton resulted in a turnover on downs.

The Longhorns opened the drive by giving up a big loss against a run blitz and Manning was flagged again for an illegal forward pass. Decisive enough to actually scramble instead of getting caught in between, Manning picked up 13 yards, but was seven yards short of the first down for a second straight three and out.

Tennessee took over at its own 22-yard line with 51 seconds and two timeouts remaining. Brandon settled for a short throw that bled the clock then checked down for a loss, at which point Heupel was ready to head to halftime down 10-3.

Third quarter

Texas initially won the field-position battle when Tennessee’s kickoff return only went 17 yards from the goal line, but a second pass-interference penalty on Mascoe gave the Vols a first down, but the defense responded and got off the field, but not before the Horns got pinned deep in their own territory on the punt.

Brown opened the drive with a four-yard run, a positive result after the struggles during the first half. A second run was less successful, forcing Texas to convert a 3rd and 5, a sack of Manning when he tried to climb the pocket and was cut down by the Tennessee spy.

Poor hang time on the punt by Chiumento gave the Vols a good return opportunity taken advantage of with a 57-yard touchdown to tie the game, the first punt return touchdown allowed by the Horns since 2013.

Needing something, anything, the Texas offense got a boost from Manning delivered a strike down the sideline to Coleman, who made an incredible catch for a 30-yard gain with an extra 15 yards added for a roughing the passer penalty. The catch came at a cost, though — Coleman went into the injury tent after the reception.

As Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles kept bringing pressure, Manning hit Brown for a six-yard gain to set up 3rd and 2, but then took a delay of game penalty and wasn’t able to connect with Bishop down the sideline near the goal line on a ball thrown too wide. On for the field goal, Spetic connected from 44 yards to break the tie.

A run stuff and an incompletion by Brandon forced Tennessee into 3rd and 9, but Brandon was able to scramble for 15 yards. Then Simmons made his presence felt on second and third down with back-to-back sacks, even managing to avoid any celebration penalties after both sacks.

Review negated an unusual 22-yard return by Bishop, who peeled off the Tennessee gunner, because Niblett simulated a fair catch, leading to another three and out by the Texas offense after a tackle for loss on a run by Cooper, a short completion to sophomore tight end Emaree Winston, and an incomple pass intended for Winston.