Texas vs. Mississippi State: Longhorns Win 31-3
Quick answer
Texas beat Mississippi State 31-3 on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Austin. The Longhorns led 17-0 at halftime, helped by a 61-yard fumble-return touchdown after a sack, and finished with seven sacks while gaining just 280 yards.
Key facts
- Final score: Texas 31, Mississippi State 3. The game was played in Austin, according to the SEC schedule.
- Points by quarter: Texas 7-10-7-7; Mississippi State 0-0-3-0.
- Texas sacked Mississippi State seven times for 46 yards and had seven tackles for loss.
- In the second quarter, R. Biles sacked A. Swann and forced a fumble that M. Watson recovered and returned 61 yards for a touchdown (1:27 left in the half).
- A. Manning threw three touchdown passes: 14 yards to C. Coleman, 4 yards to R. Brown and 42 yards to E. Mosley.
- Total yards: Texas 280, Mississippi State 187. Mississippi State averaged 2.8 yards per play.
- Mississippi State fumbled three times and lost one. Texas lost one fumble.
- By our count of the results feed, Texas is 6-2 and Mississippi State is 4-4.
How the game unfolded
Texas scored first when A. Manning threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to C. Coleman, and G. Spetic's extra point made it 7-0. Spetic added a 45-yard field goal late in the second quarter, and then came the play that broke the game open: with 1:27 left in the half, Biles sacked Swann at the Texas 39-yard line, forced a fumble and Watson scooped it up and ran 61 yards to make it 17-0.
Mississippi State got on the board in the third quarter with a 30-yard field goal by K. Ferrie, which made it 17-3. Texas replied with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Manning to R. Brown, and Manning's 42-yard touchdown to E. Mosley in the fourth quarter made the final 31-3.
Why Texas won with 280 yards
This was a defensive and field-position win more than an offensive one. Texas rushed for only 60 yards on 32 carries (1.9 per carry) and was sacked five times, yet it won by 28 points. The difference was the defense: seven sacks, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a touchdown. Mississippi State had 68 rushing yards on 41 carries and completed 15 of 25 passes for 119 net yards. It went 1-for-2 on field goals and was flagged six times for 50 yards. Texas had been through a rough October before this, losing to Oklahoma 27-24 on Oct. 10 and to Florida 27-24 on Oct. 17, then beating Ole Miss 34-27 on Oct. 24, according to the results feed.
Scoring plays
| Quarter and clock | Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 13:05 | Texas | A. Manning 14-yard pass to C. Coleman (kick good) | Texas 7, MSU 0 |
| Q2 5:46 | Texas | G. Spetic 45-yard field goal | Texas 10, MSU 0 |
| Q2 1:27 | Texas | M. Watson 61-yard fumble return after R. Biles sack and forced fumble (kick good) | Texas 17, MSU 0 |
| Q3 9:06 | Mississippi State | K. Ferrie 30-yard field goal | Texas 17, MSU 3 |
| Q3 5:39 | Texas | Manning 4-yard pass to R. Brown (kick good) | Texas 24, MSU 3 |
| Q4 8:04 | Texas | Manning 42-yard pass to E. Mosley (kick good) | Texas 31, MSU 3 |
Team stats
| Stat | Texas | Mississippi State |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 280 | 187 |
| Rushing | 60 yards on 32 carries | 68 yards on 41 carries |
| Passing | 17-of-21, 220 net yards | 15-of-25, 119 net yards |
| Passing touchdowns | 3 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 5 (33 yards) | 7 (46 yards) |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| First downs | 13 | 12 |
| Field goals | 1-of-1 | 1-of-2 |
| Punts | 6 | 7 |
| Penalties | 5 for 42 yards | 6 for 50 yards |
| Time of possession | 27:32 | 32:28 |
What's next
Texas is scheduled to play at Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon ET (11 a.m. CT), then at LSU on Nov. 14 (time to be announced).
Mississippi State is scheduled to host Vanderbilt on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 4:15 p.m. ET, then host Auburn on Nov. 14 (time to be announced).
What we could not confirm
- National rankings for either team after this weekend.
- Individual passing and rushing totals for each player. The data we pulled gave team totals and scoring plays, so we only credit players for scoring plays. A. Manning is the Texas quarterback named in the scoring plays, and we did not confirm his full stat line.
- Full names and positions for players listed by initial in the data feed.
- Season records are our own tally from the game results feed, not an official source.
Frequently asked questions
What was the final score of Texas vs. Mississippi State?
Texas won 31-3 on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026.
How did Texas score on defense?
With 1:27 left in the second quarter, R. Biles sacked A. Swann and forced a fumble. M. Watson recovered it and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown.
How many sacks did Texas have?
Texas had seven sacks for 46 yards. Mississippi State had five sacks of Texas for 33 yards.
When does Texas play next?
Texas is scheduled to play at Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at noon ET.
Sources
- Sportradar college football data feed: final score, team stats and play-by-play, retrieved Nov. 1, 2026
- Sports Illustrated: SEC reveals Texas Longhorns schedule for 2026 season