Texas football snapped its first two-game losing streak in five seasons with a desperately needed 34-27 win over Ole Miss Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
But a wild ending that featured a late Ole Miss field goal, a successful onside kick and a final shot into the end zone testified to one undeniable fact: Nothing comes easy for the No. 19 Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 SEC), who continue to reveal their flaws even while gutting out a desperately needed win over No. 7 Ole Miss (5-2, 3-2). Texas raced out to a 24-3 halftime lead, allowed Ole Miss to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but showed enough grit to pull out the win.
Here's how the Longhorns graded out in a 34-27 win over Ole Miss.
Quarterback: B-
Marked as "edgy" by Texas coach Steve Sarkisian earlier in the week, Arch Manning certainly played with some verve against the Rebels. But he also played with some carelessness, which must just be part of the senior's quarterbacking DNA considering his experience. He threw for 212 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-30 passing and added two more scores on the ground - his first of the season - to go with 33 yards rushing without the sack yardage. But two interceptions are inexcusable, and a lost fumble on a sack has become a trend.
Season average: C+
Running backs: A-
Without the injured Hollywood Smothers and Derrek Cooper, Raleek Brown had the backfield almost all to himself and he responded in workhorse fashion. The senior transfer from Arizona State became the first Longhorn to top 100 yards rushing in a game this season by racking up 157 yards on 23 carries, his second-highest yardage total in a five-year career. Seldom-used Michael Terry III added some power with 41 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Season average: B
Wide receivers: B
Ryan Wingo topped 100 receiving yards for the second time this season with seven catches for 111 yards and his fourth touchdown, and tight end Michael Masunas had his best game as a Longhorn with three catches for 37 yards. But Cam Coleman continues to disappoint with a drop of a perfectly placed bomb by Manning, and he may have to deal with a serious shoulder or collar bone injury after leaving the game in the first half and not returning.
Season average: B-
Offensive line: B+
The loss of All-American left tackle Trevor Goosby to what looked like a knee injury cast a pall over this unit. His backup, Andre Cojoe, struggled early in pass protection and gave up a sack that resulted in a fumble and an Ole Miss touchdown. The unit struggled against the Rebel blitz but did power an offense that topped 200 yards both passing and rushing, which is always a coveted offensive benchmark for Sarkisian.
Season average: B-
Defensive line: B
Even with injured All-American edge Colin Simmons cheering on from the sideline, this unit managed to do enough to make Ole Miss star Trinidad Chambliss uncomfortable in the pocket. Chambliss didn't take a sack but completed only 25 of 52 passes, his lowest completion rate of the season. Lance Jackson (four tackles, one pass breakup) was particularly active after moving from his defensive end spot to the stand-up edge position usually occupied by Simmons.
Season average: B+
Linebackers: A
Justin Cryer (five tackles) and Rasheem Biles (four tackles) set the tone in the first half with a pair of interceptions, the first takeaways for the Longhorns in SEC play. The two also spent more time getting after the quarterback as defensive coordinator Will Muschamp dialed up some extra blitzes in the absence of Collins; Biles had a team-high four quarterback pressures.
Season average: A-
Defensive backs: B+
Texas safety Jelani McDonald made plays all over the field while racking up a team-high 12 tackles and grabbing an interception in the end zone on Ole Miss's final play from scrimmage. Overall, holding Chambliss to 250 yards on 54 pass attempts counts as a big matchup win. Two PI calls on McDonald hurt, and cornerback Kade Phillips keeps getting picked on in recent weeks.
Season average: B
Special teams: D
Aside from two field goals by kicker Gianni Spetic and a blocked field goal by Alex January, not much went right for the beleaguered special teams coordinated by Jeff Banks. Ole Miss converted a fake punt in the first half and recovered a desperate onside kick late in the game that gave them a chance at a stunning comeback. Oh, and a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct on Kosi Okpala on kickoff returns cost the Longhorns plenty of yardage.
Season average: C-
Coaching: B+
Sarkisian takes umbrage at any suggestions that his team listens to the unending chatter about his team's issues, and the Longhorns' effort against Ole Miss proves that point. Texas circled the wagons and showed plenty of heart while holding on in a must-win game. Now, Sarkisian has to coach out some troublesome trends like penalties (14, 121 yards), turnovers (three by Manning), third-down conversions (3 of 13) and those pesky special teams.
Season average: C+
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This article originally published at Texas vs Ole Miss report card: More errors from Arch Manning but defense, RBs shine in win.