Texas football's 34-27 win over Ole Miss on Saturday night had it all: a lopsided first half that was all Longhorns, another third-quarter malaise, another costly Arch Manning turnover, a blown three-touchdown lead, a rare fourth-quarter turnaround and even a dramatic finish that went down to a final throw into the end zone.
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Along the way there was Manning's first - and second - rushing touchdown of the season, Texas' first, second and third defensive turnovers against an SEC opponent, and a couple of really big injuries: star left tackle Trevor Goosby and star wide receiver Cam Coleman. Oh, and the Longhorns stopped their two-game skid, improved to 5-2 and salvaged their College Football Playoff hopes as well. They would have been all but out of the conversation had they lost.
Here's what we saw from Saturday's win:
Defense finally gets takeways when Texas needed them most
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian recently said that when his defense eventually gets a turnover, the takeaways will come in waves. That proved prophetic against one of the nation's most careful quarterbacks in Ole Miss's Trinidad Chambliss.
The Longhorns didn't create a turnover in their first three SEC games but had three against Ole Miss. A Heisman Trophy candidate entering the game, Chambliss threw three interceptions, including one by safety Jelani McDonald in the end zone on the final play. Linebackers Justin Cryer and Rasheem Biles had the other two picks. Chambliss had just one interception through the first six games of the season.
Raleek Brown picked a great week to break out
Leading running back Hollywood Smothers missed Saturday's contest due to injury. In his stead stepped in not a committee, but rather, a new feature back.
Raleek Brown, the fifth-year senior transfer from Arizona State, led all players with 157 rushing yards on 23 carries. He showed his shiftiness in the open field with three runs of 20-plus yards, and he earned the love of head coach Steve Sarkisian with a heady play to go down in bounds on a handoff in the final three minutes of regulation.
Smothers may return next week vs. Mississippi State. Expect a split backfield if he does, in which Brown has now earned a sizable load of carries in Texas' next contest.
Special teams remain a near fatal flaw
The Longhorns' special teams made another big play when Justus Terry blocked a field goal in the second half, but miscues almost cost the team the win. For the second time this season, Texas couldn't recover an onside kick late in the game. And like it did against Tennessee, the Texas defense had to bail the team out. Special teams didn't cost Texas the win like it did against Oklahoma, but it came close. Those issues have to be fixed if the Longhorns want to make a serious run at the CFP.
Texas' highs, lows from Saturday's game
The Longhorns saved their College Football Playoff hopes Saturday night. But will two injuries soon sink their season?
Texas lost both starting left tackle Trevor Goosby and Cam Coleman to injuries that ended their evenings in the win. Goosby exited with an apparent leg injury in the second quarter, and Coleman exited with a shoulder injury one quarter later.
Goosby is Texas' most talented offensive lineman. His replacement, senior Andre Cojoe, allowed a sack fumble on Texas' first series after halftime. Coleman is Texas' most talented wide receiver, a future first-round NFL draft pick with six touchdowns this season.
The pair of absences didn't slow Texas on Saturday. That could change in the coming weeks if the Longhorns receive bad news regarding their pair of injured offensive standouts.
Up next for Texas: Mississippi State
6:30 p.m. next Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium. It'll be either an ABC or ESPN game.
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This article originally published at Texas football survives more special teams struggles in top-10 win over Ole Miss.