Arch Manning, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and uncle, engineered a thrilling comeback victory for No. 8 Texas against No. 24 LSU, securing a 22-21 win with a last-second touchdown pass. The dramatic finish occurred in Baton Rouge, a place where Manning has childhood ties.
The victory significantly boosts Texas' (8-2, 5-2 SEC) prospects for a College Football Playoff berth, while it largely extinguishes LSU's (6-4, 3-4) chances.
Manning's performance included a 4-yard touchdown pass to Raleek Brown with just three seconds remaining. While his overall stats for the game were 19-of-35 passing for 174 yards and one touchdown, he also threw three interceptions. He added an early rushing touchdown to his stat line.
Manning was instrumental in orchestrating the final drive, which began at Texas' own 42-yard line with 2:19 left and the team trailing 21-16. He converted three third downs, two with his legs and one with a pass, to set up the decisive score.
LSU's offense, led by Sam Leavitt's 244 passing yards and two touchdowns to Jackson Harris, also struggled with turnovers, with Leavitt throwing three interceptions. The Tigers will also look back on a missed 38-yard field goal at the end of the first half, which left them with a 14-10 lead.
The game mirrored historical comebacks in Tiger Stadium by Manning's relatives: his grandfather Archie in 1968 with Ole Miss and his uncle Eli in 2001 with Ole Miss. This third-generation Manning achieved his own memorable moment after LSU running back Dilin Jones had given the Tigers a 21-10 lead in the third quarter.
Texas narrowed the gap earlier in the second half with field goals from Gianni Spetic from 41 and 50 yards, making the score 21-16 before the final drive.