AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Longhorns made a statement to the College Football Playoff committee in the 27-17 win over the previously undefeated Texas A&M Aggies. Texas has now won four of the last five and are 10-3 against Texas A&M since the start of the century. The Horns are 13-5 in the Lone Star Showdown over the last 30 years.

Texas outscored their rivals, 24-7, during the second half as Arch Manning and Tre Wisner ran past the Wrecking Crew to secure the program’s third straight win over the Aggies dating back to 2010. Wisner finished the game with 155 rushing yards on 19 carries. Manning was only 14-of-29 through the air, but he amassed 223 total yards and two scores in the win. Tight end Jack Endries caught four passes for 93 yards. Ryan Wingo recorded the lone receiving touchdown in the game. 

Steve Sarkisian’s team now holds wins over Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt and have a real case to reach the CFP as a three-loss team. The Aggies won’t reach the SEC Championship game but are a lock to reach the CFP with an 11-1 record. They’ll likely host a first-round game in Kyle Field in the second year of the Mike Elko era. 

THREE THOUGHTS 

Horns dominate second half: The Longhorns took immediate control of the contest in the second half and never relinquished the lead after Wingo’s touchdown catch with 7:12 left in the third quarter. Texas outgained Texas A&M, 285-160, in the second half and by a staggering 189-35 in the third quarter alone. Texas rushed for 61 yards in the first half before adding 157 in the second. The Longhorns yards per play improved from 3.1 in the first half to 9.5 in the second as they avoided the third-and-longs that halted drives throughout the first two quarters. 

Texas pulled a similar trick against Oklahoma in the win over the Sooners at the Cotton Bowl earlier this season. In both signature wins of 2025, the Horns proved their toughness and outworked their rivals in must-win games. Manning was 8-of-23 in the first half before settling down and completing 6-of-8 passes in the second as the run game took pressure off his right arm and allowed the offensive line to settle into the game. 

Wisner runs past rivals: The junior running back from DeSoto saves his best games for Texas’ biggest rivals. He ran for 186 yards on 33 carries in the 2024 win over Texas A&M and backed it up with a 155-yard performance on Friday night against the Aggies, He ran for 94 yards against the Sooners in 2025 and 118 against them in 2024. That means Wisner has 553 yards and a touchdown on 87 carries in the last four games against Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The Horns are 4-0 in those games. 

The run game was lacking for Texas during much of the season. The team ranks 14th in the SEC in rushing yards per game at 121.64. The only two teams behind them entering Week 14 were South Carolina and LSU, two teams with a combined 4-11 record in SEC play so far this season. In the three losses, Texas was held to an average of 80.33 yards per game on the ground. That number rose to 137.13 in the eight wins. The Longhorns ran for 218 yards as a team in the win over Texas A&M, more than any game this year outside of UTEP and Sam Houston. 

Run defense continues to be a pressing issue for Elko’s Aggies. This was the fourth time that they’ve allowed over 200 yards rushing in a game this season. Texas A&M doesn’t have a ton of weaknesses heading into the postseason outside of run defense and field goal kicking. 

Aggies will host playoff game: Texas A&M entered the game 11-0 and ranked third in the CFP. The loss won’t drop the Aggies past No. 8 and that means Kyle Field will be home to a first-round playoff game. Conference championships don’t carry the same weight as they used to, but Texas A&M is one of the few programs left in the SEC or Big Ten that would’ve preferred to play in the conference championship rather than taking next week off in favor of a home game in the first round. Losing to your rival is never fun and Elko won’t admit that this loss was a blessing in disguise, but if we’re only talking about the Aggies’ chances to make a run in the CFP, this result gives them the best shot. 

All four teams with a bye into the quarterfinals lost last season in the first edition of the 12-team playoff. That included Oregon, who won the Big Ten in its first year in the conference but no one cared because the Ducks were blown out by Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Whether Texas A&M won or lost against Texas, Elko’s squad was playing a game before the quarterfinals. Why waste those 60 minutes on a mostly meaningless conference championship game? I’d much rather get the break on Dec. 6 and focus completely on the playoff. Maybe that stinks and is a sign of the erosion of what matters in college football, but the 12-team playoff has become the only real measuring stick.