Texas Stuns Aggies as Manning Leads Late Surge to End Perfect Run

Texas ended Texas A&M’s perfect season on Friday night with a 27-17 win powered by two late scores from Arch Manning. The matchup, tight for most of the night, turned sharply when Manning connected on a 29-yard touchdown to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter. His 35-yard run in the fourth sealed the game and sent the home crowd into chaos.

Texas improved to 9-3 and kept alive faint hopes of a playoff spot. The team opened the year ranked first, dipped out of the rankings midseason, but now holds three wins over top-10 opponents. Coach Steve Sarkisian argued that tough scheduling, including a season opener against Ohio State, should work in Texas’ favor.

Texas A&M entered the game undefeated at 11-0, needing a win to secure a spot in the SEC championship game for the first time since joining the league in 2012. Instead, the Aggies stalled in the second half and struggled to recover from back-to-back interceptions thrown by quarterback Marcel Reed, who had been rising in Heisman discussions.

The Aggies led 10-3 at halftime before Texas erupted for 17 straight points. A&M closed the gap to 20-17, but Manning’s long third-down run erased hopes of another late rally. Manning finished strong, completing nine of his final twelve passes for 151 yards, spreading the ball to six receivers.

Texas also found a long-missing run game, with Quintrevion Wiser posting a season-best 155 rushing yards. A&M’s offense never regained rhythm after Reed briefly left the game early with a twisted ankle.

Both teams now wait for the College Football Playoff rankings on December 7. Texas looks toward its bowl placement but insists it belongs among the top twelve. A&M is still expected to make the playoff, but the loss will linger as one of the most painful in the rivalry.