Texas Survives 34-31 Win Over No. 9 Vanderbilt

No. 20 Texas survived a wild 34-31 win over No. 9 Vanderbilt after building a 34-10 lead and then withstanding a 21-point fourth-quarter rally that ended when Vanderbilt’s onside kick rolled out of bounds. Arch Manning, cleared from concussion protocol Friday, completed 25 of 33 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, including a 75-yard scoring pass to Ryan Wingo on the game’s first play. Manning was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week and his performance pushed Texas to 7-2 (4-1 SEC) and prompted a rise in the national rankings. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia led the late surge with a career-high passing day (about 365 yards), but two controversial late rulings — an overturned Texas touchdown and an upheld Vanderbilt two-point conversion — nearly changed the outcome. Coach Steve Sarkisian said the team must “play 60 minutes,” and analysts noted Manning’s third 300-yard, three-touchdown game of the season put him in elite company among Texas quarterbacks. The Longhorns head into a bye before a pivotal trip to Georgia, carrying renewed momentum despite the narrow escape.