Longhorns Hold Off Commodores 34–31 in Wild SEC Tilt

Photo from oregonlive.com

Nov 2, 2025, 5:34pm

Blog by Walker Johnson

AUSTIN — In a slugfest that came right down to the wire, the No. 20 Texas Longhorns escaped with a 34-31 victory over No. 9 Vanderbilt. With the win, Texas moves to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in SEC play, while Vanderbilt falls to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in conference action.

Texas struck early and emphatically. On the very first play from scrimmage, quarterback Arch Manning connected with receiver Ryan Wingo for a 75-yard touchdown, setting the tone and jumping ahead 7-0. Manning kept it rolling, finding the end zone again in the first half to give Texas a 24-10 cushion.

Vanderbilt, though, refused to fold. Quarterback Diego Pavia engineered a late second-quarter touchdown drive, finishing it with an 18-yard strike to Eli Stowers to bring the score to 24-10 at halftime. The Commodores attacked with urgency in the second half, staying within striking distance.

Texas regained control via a methodical drive capped by a touchdown before the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to 31-10. That lead seemed comfortable, but Vanderbilt mounted a furious rally in the fourth quarter. Pavia ran in a 25-yard touchdown, then followed it up with a 67-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the margin to 34-31 with under a minute left. Vanderbilt’s onside kick attempt bounced out of bounds, and Texas was able to kneel out the win.

Standout Performers & Key Moments

• Arch Manning delivered when it mattered: he threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns, including that opening 75-yard strike to Wingo.

• Ryan Wingo’s big play at the start ignited the Longhorn offense and forced Vanderbilt to play catch-up.

• Diego Pavia for Vanderbilt showed grit: he passed for significant yardage, scrambled when needed, and kept his team alive in the fourth quarter.

• Vanderbilt’s comeback effort was impressive… but the early deficit and Texas’ big plays made the difference.

• Texas’ defense locked down Vanderbilt when it mattered most, recovering just enough to preserve the win.

413’s Bottomline 

For Texas, this win is a major boost in the SEC and keeps their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Arch Manning’s performance answered a lot of questions, and the offense looked capable of explosive bursts. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, showed it belongs in the upper tier of the conference with a top 10 caliber performance, but now must find a way to finish. The comeback looked real, but timing and a few of the breakdowns cost them.