Caldwell’s pass caps incredible Texas comeback, OT road win over Mississippi St.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After Arch Manning took a big hit and was helped off the field after a 13-yard scramble in overtime, backup Matthew Caldwell came in and needed just one pass to make an impact.

Caldwell hit Emmett Mosley V with a 10-yard pass for the go-ahead score. Then the Texas defense sacked Blake Shapen on fourth-and-20 to secure a wild 45-38 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi.

“What a moment for that guy,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “He has a sense of maturity about him. He takes advantage of the opportunities that he gets, and he goes and plays.”

Mosley’s catch was initially ruled out of bounds, but after the replay review showed he got his toe down inside the white line when he caught Caldwell’s pass, the call was reversed. That silenced the cowbells that Bulldogs fans rang maniacally throughout the game.

It’s the second consecutive overtime road win in Southeastern Conference play for the Longhorns after last week’s 16-13 win over Kentucky. For the Bulldogs, it’s their 16th consecutive home loss in SEC play.

The No. 22 Longhorns outscored the Bulldogs 31-7 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, turning the game on its head after a 31-14 deficit at the end of three quarters.

Sarkisian said he’s not sure that he’s ever been more proud of a team than he was after the game.

“The toughness they displayed, not only physically but mentally, showed,” Sarkisian said. “To come out of here with a win scoring 24 unanswered points, it speaks to our culture. Culture wins. We have talented people, but we have a tremendous culture, and it was on full display tonight.”

Longhorns punt returner Ryan Niblett is proving to be one of the most explosive special teams players in the country. He helped tie the game with a 79-yard punt return touchdown with 1:47 left in regulation, his second punt return score in three weeks.

Arch Manning threw for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, a 6-yard dart to Parker Livingstone at the 13:15 mark, and then a 21-yard pass to Mosley with 9:34 left.

Texas trailed 38-21 after Davon Booth caught a shovel pass and raced 62 yards for a touchdown with 12:29 left, but then the Longhorns’ defense bowed up and forced the Bulldogs into two three-and-out drives.

Manning finished the game 29 of 46 for 346 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Ryan Wingo hauled in five catches for 184 yards, and could have had a lot more if it weren’t for his three dropped passes.

Texas sacked Shapen seven times, with six in the second half. The Longhorns held the Bulldogs to 164 total yards in the second half, including minus-31 rushing yards with the sack yardage. Ethan Burke made a huge play to stuff the Bulldogs’ Kamario Taylor on a third-and-1 with 2:44 remaining, which led to the punt that Niblett made the house call on. Burke also blocked a field goal earlier in the game.

Anthony Hill Jr. notched 10 tackles, including 3.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks with four quarterback hurries. Jelani McDonald led the Longhorns with 14 tackles. Texas was playing without All-American safety Michael Taaffe, who had thumb surgery earlier in the week to repair an injury he suffered against Kentucky.

Shapen finished 26 of 44 for 381 yards with four touchdowns, and Booth rushed for 99 yards on 24 carries, adding 85 receiving yards on three catches, for the Bulldogs.

After four consecutive games away from home, Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC) hosts No. 10 Vanderbilt at 11 a.m. Nov. 1.