AUSTIN, Texas — Mississippi State was exceeding even its most optimistic prognoses Saturday, with just a one-point deficit to No. 1 Texas inside of two minutes left in the first half.
At that point, the Bulldogs had run more than twice as many plays as the Longhorns and held the ball for more than 20 out of 28 minutes. That ball-control offense, a contrast to MSU’s typical up-tempo system, had helped them stay close and maintain a fighting chance of pulling off a stunning upset.
Even more improbably, the Bulldogs’ defense had kept Texas off the scoreboard for three straight drives, recovering a fumble and forcing two punts. MSU had a chance to get off the field again when the Longhorns faced a third-and-9 just across midfield. But when running back Jaydon Blue split out wide, leaving Texas with an empty backfield, the Bulldogs did not have a safety deep enough to cover all five receivers.
MSU brought pressure after quarterback Arch Manning, who took a shot from linebacker Stone Blanton as he released the ball, but he still launched a perfect deep ball for DeAndre Moore. Moore beat backup safety Kobi Albert in man coverage and hauled in the pass without breaking stride, taking it in for a backbreaking 49-yard touchdown. The Longhorns took an eight-point lead into the locker rooms and pulled away late for a 35-13 win.
“We definitely took a step with our tackling, but it can’t wear down,” linebacker Nic Mitchell said. “We have to stay consistent and keep doing it play after play. There were some critical missed tackles, some critical (coverage) busts that we can’t have to win a game like this.”
Bulldogs give the ball right back after takeaway
The game could have gotten away from MSU (1-4, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) right out of the half, with Texas (5-0, 1-0) getting the ball on the heels of that explosive play. But after the Longhorns’ longest running play of the day, a 21-yard pickup by Blue, Blanton knocked the ball loose and recovered it himself for the Bulldogs’ second takeaway of the game.
Still down one score, MSU took over in plus territory and started the drive with an eight-yard completion from Michael Van Buren to Kevin Coleman, followed by a Davon Booth run that picked up a first down. Texas rushed just four on the next play as Van Buren looked to his right, but Vernon Broughton jumped on Van Buren from his blind side and stripped the ball before jumping right on top of it for the turnover.
Broughton broke right through the gap between left guard Jacoby Jackson and center Ethan Miner, then had a clear path to the quarterback. It was one of six sacks the Bulldogs surrendered, and combined they cost MSU 45 yards.
“We tried to be in a little more gap pro today to help us to firm some things up, especially for Mike,” head coach Jeff Lebby said. “At times it was really good, and at times it wasn’t. We’ll have to continue to get that fixed.”
Van Buren finds daylight for first career touchdown
The Longhorns had put the game out of reach by the middle of the fourth quarter, but Van Buren kept hanging in there even with Texas continuing to bring pressure. The freshman had missed on a couple of deep shots earlier, but a pump fake bought Mario Craver time to get open downfield, and Van Buren hit him in stride between two defenders for a gain of 46 yards.
That set up the first collegiate touchdown for the former four-star recruit out of Bowie, Maryland. On a third-and-5 from the 12-yard line, Van Buren saw a big hole open up and scrambled straight through it, racing untouched to the end zone before giving a fan in the front row the “horns down” sign.
“I was working on all aspects of my game,” Van Buren said. “I was just out there trying to make plays, give my guys a chance.”
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