BATON ROUGE, La. – Texas again saved its best for last by overcoming an 11-point deficit in the second half to defeat No. 21 LSU 22-21 on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.
The winning score came on Arch Manning’s 4-yard pass to Raleek Brown with just three seconds remaining in the contest, according to reporting from “Yahoo Sports”.
Brown took the pass in stride and beat the defense to the front pylon of the end zone, silencing the crowd at Death Valley.
The thrilling finish marked the fifth top-25 win of the year for the “No. 6 Longhorns”, as noted by “ESPN”.
With the victory, the Longhorns improved to 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the SEC, winning their fourth consecutive game.
Conversely, the defeat all but ended the College Football Playoff hopes for the Tigers, who dropped to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in conference play.
Texas orchestrated a crucial 58-yard drive spanning 12 plays after forcing an LSU punt with a little more than two minutes left on the game clock.
The matchup represented the first time the Longhorns had played a game in Baton Rouge since 1953.
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt threw two touchdown passes to Jackson Harris, while Dilin Jones added a 44-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
That sequence seemingly placed the Tigers firmly in control of the contest before the late-game collapse.
Manning finished the night by rushing for a touchdown and throwing for 174 yards, securing his ninth career victory over a ranked opponent in 11 tries.
After scoring on their opening possession of the night, the Longhorns were limited to three field goals by kicker Gianni Spetic for the remainder of the game.
Spetic converted a 50-yard field goal with 11:37 remaining to bring Texas within five points of their hosts.
LSU squandered a chance to extend its lead before halftime when coach Lane Kiffin opted for a conservative approach rather than attempting a deep throw.
Following three safe plays at the line of scrimmage, Scott Starzyk missed a 38-yard field-goal attempt wide right.
The visiting team ultimately capitalized on the missed opportunities to complete the dramatic late-game comeback.
The victory virtually assures Texas of securing a coveted spot in the upcoming College Football Playoff field.