Trump Attends Tense Texas Victory Over Tennessee
The former president watched as the No. 1 Longhorns narrowly defeated the Volunteers 20-17 in a game that came down to the final play.
No. 1 Texas escaped Knoxville with a 20-17 victory over No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday, with former President Donald Trump in attendance at Neyland Stadium. The game remained close throughout, with Texas securing the win after a defensive stand on the final play.
Texas held a 20-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, but Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon led a touchdown drive with less than two minutes remaining, narrowing the deficit to 20-17. The Volunteers then attempted an onside kick, which was mishandled by Texas receiver Ryan Wingo, giving Tennessee another chance.
With no timeouts, Tennessee recovered the onside kick and drove down the field. On the final play, Brandon attempted a Hail Mary pass into the end zone, but it was batted away by the Texas defense. Throughout the game, the Longhorns' defense applied significant pressure on Brandon, sacking him for the 10th time in the contest, with Colin Simmons credited with five sacks.
President Trump's presence added a notable element to the high-profile SEC matchup. Air Force One flew over the stadium prior to the game, and Trump was shown on the jumbotron during a break, eliciting a strong reaction from the crowd.
The scoring began early for Texas, with quarterback Arch Manning completing a 43-yard pass to Emmett Mosley V on the opening drive, setting up a nine-yard touchdown run by Raleek Brown. Tennessee responded with a field goal, and the score remained 10-3 at halftime as both defenses dominated.
In the second half, Tennessee tied the game at 10 when Qua Moss returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown. However, Brown scored his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, extending Texas' lead to 20-10 before Tennessee's late rally.
The victory for the top-ranked Longhorns marked a close call in a game that lived up to its billing, ultimately decided by a defensive effort on the final possession. The Texas defense forced 10 sacks against the Volunteers' offense, including crucial pressure in the game's closing moments.