AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian wouldn't mind seeing the edgy Arch Manning every week.
The quarterback helped take the edge off what would have been a visceral reaction from Texas fans if the Longhorns had blown yet another double-digit lead.
While Manning had two interceptions and lost a fumble that No. 7 Mississippi recovered for a touchdown in 19th-ranked Texas' 34-27 victory on Saturday night, he did lead — and finish off — the drive to the touchdown that put the Longhorns ahead for good in the fourth quarter.
The edginess came from a two-game losing streak that sent the Longhorns sliding out of the top spot in the poll. Rough performances from Manning contributed to lost leads of 10 points against Red River rival Oklahoma and 14 points against Florida. Both were unranked at the time.
“When he shows that fire in his belly that he had tonight, I think the team responds to that,” Sarkisian said. “I’m just very proud of him because this isn’t easy. His world, his life is different than anybody else I’ve ever been around that’s been part of this sport. But the guy keeps coming back, and so we’re lucky to have him as our guy.”
Manning had a 50-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo, and should have had a 59-yarder to Cam Coleman, who dropped an easy catch on a deep throw in the first quarter before exiting with what appeared to be a shoulder injury on the first play of the second half.
The second of Manning's first two rushing touchdowns this season — he had 10 a year ago — was a solo high-stepper after his fake handoff fooled everyone.
Manning, facing the alma mater of granddad Archie and uncle Eli, also had a 19-yard scramble and was 18 of 30 for 212 yards.
His fumble that was recovered in the end zone was a blindside hit when backup left tackle Andre Cojoe was beaten around the end by Blake Purchase after starter Trevor Goosby was carted off with an injury.
“I was edgy? I don't know what that means,” Manning said with a chuckle when told of his coach's description this week. “But yeah, I think I had a chip on my shoulder all week. I've got to continue to play like that.”
The Rebels erased a 24-3 deficit with two touchdowns in the third quarter and another early in the fourth.
The Texas lead was back to 10 with less than two minutes to go when Ole Miss kicked a field goal and recovered an onside kick that receiver Emmett Mosley V couldn't corral.
The Longhorns haven't had any losing streaks since Sarkisian's first team in 2021 dropped six in a row. Had this skid reached three games, the discontent would have been palpable.
Had it happened with two blown leads in the same game, tuning out the noise, as Sarkisian says he and his team do, would have been that much more difficult.
“I’m not so consumed or concerned about what other people think about our game,” Sarkisian said. “I’m more concerned about how we feel about our game internally. And then how do we get better and improve from this game? Because that’s what’s going to be required moving forward in our conference.”
The Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 SEC) play a third consecutive home game against Mississippi State next weekend, then have road games at Missouri and LSU. A third loss will jeopardize their playoff hopes.
There were plenty of anxious moments for most of the 104,306 fans who might have let themselves believe the Longhorns were finally going to make it easy on them in the second half. Sarkisian says he can't worry about making them sweat again.
“The moment we feel like we need to respond to the opinions of others, that's a dangerous way to live life,” Sarkisian said. “When people tell you you’re bad, you’re poor, you're ugly, you're fat, whatever you’re supposed to be and then you feel like you have to respond to them, you live life like a roller coaster. And we just don’t do that around here.”
Even if the games keep turning into roller coasters.
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