Game Day Primer / Sat, Oct 24
AWAY TEAM
5–1
HOME TEAM
4–2
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01 / Why this game matters
No. 19 Texas has lost its last two games by identical 27-24 scores. No. 7 Ole Miss arrives after holding Missouri to three points, turning this ranked matchup into a test of whether Texas can finish better and whether the Rebels’ defensive improvement lasts.
02 / Know these people
Trinidad Chambliss / Ole Miss quarterback
Ole Miss · Quarterback (QB)
He has 1,676 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. Texas gives up only 166.2 passing yards per game, making his ability to sustain productive throws central to the matchup.
Arch Manning / Texas quarterback
Texas · Quarterback (QB)
He has 1,295 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against five interceptions. Texas has twice fallen three points short, so protecting scoring opportunities matters.
03 / Watch for this
Watch Texas quarterback ’s third-down completions relative to the first-down marker. A catch short of it that ends in an immediate tackle leaves another scoring chance dependent on a fourth-down decision.
04 / Sound smart
Texas has lost back-to-back games 27-24. Its Ohio State win was 24-23, so a small late-game swing has already shaped several parts of this season.
The central storyline
No. 19 Texas has lost its last two games by identical 27-24 scores. No. 7 Ole Miss arrives after holding Missouri to three points, turning this ranked matchup into a test of whether Texas can finish better and whether the Rebels’ defensive improvement lasts.
A read on both sides
Ole Miss
Team vibe
Ole Miss is 5-1 and averages 444.5 yards and 37.5 points per game. Its defense allows 390 yards, but the recent scoring trend is better: after conceding 52 to Florida, it gave up 17 to Vanderbilt and three to Missouri. The offense has scored at least 28 in every game.
Texas
Team vibe
Texas is 4-2 after opening with four wins, including 24-23 over Ohio State. Its defense allows 272.5 yards and 17.8 points per game, while the offense averages 30.2 points. Consecutive 27-24 losses to Oklahoma and Florida show how little room for error its recent games have allowed.
Current storylines
Teach Me What to Notice
On screen
Look for: Watch Ole Miss receiver Deuce Alexander immediately after a completion.
If you see it: If Texas tackles him where he catches it, the Longhorns have prevented extra yards.
Here's what it means: Those tackles can make Ole Miss need more successful plays to reach scoring range.
On screen
Look for: Watch Texas running back Hollywood Smothers after a handoff.
If you see it: If he crosses the line where the play began before a defender touches him, Texas has opened a path to a gain.
Here's what it means: That progress can keep Texas quarterback from facing long-yardage passing situations repeatedly.
The central storyline
No. 19 Texas has lost its last two games by identical 27-24 scores. No. 7 Ole Miss arrives after holding Missouri to three points, turning this ranked matchup into a test of whether Texas can finish better and whether the Rebels’ defensive improvement lasts.
A read on both sides
Ole Miss
Team vibe
Ole Miss is 5-1 and averages 444.5 yards and 37.5 points per game. Its defense allows 390 yards, but the recent scoring trend is better: after conceding 52 to Florida, it gave up 17 to Vanderbilt and three to Missouri. The offense has scored at least 28 in every game.
Texas
Team vibe
Texas is 4-2 after opening with four wins, including 24-23 over Ohio State. Its defense allows 272.5 yards and 17.8 points per game, while the offense averages 30.2 points. Consecutive 27-24 losses to Oklahoma and Florida show how little room for error its recent games have allowed.
Current storylines
Teach Me What to Notice
On screen
Look for: Watch Ole Miss receiver Deuce Alexander immediately after a completion.
If you see it: If Texas tackles him where he catches it, the Longhorns have prevented extra yards.
Here's what it means: Those tackles can make Ole Miss need more successful plays to reach scoring range.
On screen
Look for: Watch Texas running back Hollywood Smothers after a handoff.
If you see it: If he crosses the line where the play began before a defender touches him, Texas has opened a path to a gain.
Here's what it means: That progress can keep Texas quarterback from facing long-yardage passing situations repeatedly.
Players & Coaches
Players & Coaches
Ole Miss · Quarterback (QB)
He has 1,676 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. Texas gives up only 166.2 passing yards per game, making his ability to sustain productive throws central to the matchup.
Players & Coaches
Texas · Quarterback (QB)
He has 1,295 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against five interceptions. Texas has twice fallen three points short, so protecting scoring opportunities matters.
The Stakes
Texas can stop a run of narrow defeats; Ole Miss can show that its recent defensive recovery works against another ranked opponent.
Why it matters
Holding Missouri to three points was a sharp improvement. Repeating a strong result would make the Florida collapse look less representative of Ole Miss’s current defense.
Why it matters
Texas needs to turn another competitive performance into a result. Finishing drives is a more specific concern than simply matching Ole Miss in total yards.
History & Context
History & Context
Texas’s official schedule records the same 27-24 score against Oklahoma and Florida. Those consecutive narrow losses provide the immediate context for this home meeting.
Conversation Starters
Conversation Starters
“Texas has had a one-point win and two straight three-point losses. I’m not leaving this one early.”