How Texas, led by Colin Simmons' record five sacks, survived wild finish at Tennessee

How Texas, led by Colin Simmons' record five sacks, survived wild finish at Tennessee

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How Texas, led by Colin Simmons' record five sacks, survived wild finish at Tennessee

How Texas, led by Colin Simmons' record five sacks, survived wild finish at Tennessee originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Colin Simmons learned from his mistake. 

The question is what No. 1 Texas learns from its miscues after a wild finish against No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on Saturday. 

Simmons supplied the pressure on a desperation Hail Mary by Faizon Brandon, and safety Jelani McDonald batted away the final pass in the end zone to preserve a 20-17 victory for the Longhorns. Simmons wisely held up on the hit to avoid a personal foul. 

Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC) had 10 sacks and survived against the Volunteers (3-1, 0-1 SEC) in the process. 

Simmons finished with a school-record five sacks – and one of those sacks got significantly more attention than the rest. 

Simmons sacked Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon for the second time at the 5:11 mark in the second quarter. Simmons, however, was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct by "simulating using the restroom." But we'll remember the performance more than the performative act. 

The Longhorns proved their defense is tough enough to carry the day in a SEC road environment, even if the finish was less than desirable. 

Texas defense, Colin Simmons dominates against Vols 

Simmons staked his claim as the top defensive player in the country with the masterful performance against the Volunteers. Simmons tormented Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, who finished 17 of 29 for 145 yards and a TD. 

Brandon exited for a possession after a hard tackle by Texas linebackers Justin Cryer and Rasheem Biles in the second quarter. 

He returned and faced pressure throughout the second half from Simmons, who had back-to-back sacks in the third quarter. On the first sack, Simmons pushed his hands down – perhaps acknowledgement of that first-half penalty. He added a fifth sack in the fourth quarter. It was a highlight reel that will come in handy for teams with a top-five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

Texas defensive coordinator Will Mushcamp deserves credit for the masterful effort. Tennessee entered the game with 298.7 rushing yards per game – which ranked fourth in the FBS. The Vols managed 70 rushing yards on 1.6 yards per carry behind Brandon, and that defensive effort helped offset an uneven offensive performance. 

Arch Manning hangs tough for Longhorns 

Manning – who was playing in front of his uncle Peyton's alma mater against an atmosphere charged up by ESPN's "College GameDay" hit 3 of 3 passes for 56 yards on the opening drive, which resulted in a 9-yard TD from Raleek Brown. Manning hit Emmett Mosley V on a 43-yard pass on the drive – which turned out to be the longest completion of the game. 

In between, Manning took his hits. Tennessee had six sacks, and Manning threw an interception to Vols defensive back Kayin Lee on a deep pass attempt in the second quarter. 

Manning did lead an eight-play, 60-yard drive in the fourth quarter for the game-sealing TD by Brown with 5:41 remaining. Manning finished 14 of 19 for 201 yards and an interception, but he also scored a road victory against a ranked opponent behind a rushing attack that was without Hollywood Smothers and managed 61 yards on 1.7 yards per carry. 

The Longhorns have a week to prepare for the Red River Rivalry on Oct. 10 against Oklahoma. 

Impact of Texas victory against Tennessee

Simmons' penalty was symbolic of a penalty-riddled performance by the Longhorns. Texas had 11 penalties for 115 yards. 

Texas had special teams miscues. Tennessee's Qua Moss had a 57-punt return for a TD with 11:14 remaining in the third quarter for the Vols' first TD, and Arion Carter recovered an onside kick with 1:22 remaining. 

Brandon threw a 30-yard TD pass to Mike Matthews on the previous drive to cut the Texas lead to 20-17. That was the first touchdown against Texas' defense since the first half of the 24-23 victory against 24-23 victory against then-ranked No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12. 

Still, the pass rush helped close the game. Biles had a sack on the final drive, and the Vols had to scramble to get a final Hail Mary off in the final seconds. The throw made the end zone, but McDonald broke up the pass intended for 6-foot-3 receiver Travis Smith, Jr. 

For Texas, it's about survival. The Longhorns still have six ranked opponents on the schedule, and Oklahoma is not one of them. Texas has a defense that travels – that's for sure – but is this team better than No. 2 Georgia?

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