Texas Escapes Missouri After Wild Officiating Controversy

No. 7 Texas defeated No. 19 Missouri 34-20 on Saturday, but the game at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri, will be remembered more for its officiating controversy than for the result.

Everything came to a head in the third quarter, as Arch Manning was hit from behind while trying to complete a pass. The Texas quarterback's arm was moving forward, even as a Missouri defender got his hand on the ball.

The ball lay on the ground 12 yards ahead of the line of scrimmage, and a Texas receiver picked up the football before a Missouri defender could fall on it. The SEC officiating crew ruled the play a fumble on the field, and the replay center at the SEC offices concurred, ruling that the call on the field would stand.

While the befuddled broadcast crew and fans reacting on social media complained, Arch Manning dropped a perfect pass just two plays later for the Texas touchdown that tied the game at 20-20.

Missouri fans were angered by several other calls as well. Multiple calls went against Missouri over the course of the game, leaving the home crowd stunned.

The game was expected to be a tough outing for the Longhorns against a Missouri squad led by quarterback Austin Simmons, and Simmons' team continued to cause problems for Texas throughout.

Texas, led by coach Steve Sarkisian, was again troubled by its own mistakes, with penalties a problem while trying to create a rushing attack without Hollywood Smothers.

But Texas scored at the key moments, including a touchdown from Derrek Cooper, and Manning's side is finding ways to win games at the most important time of the 2026 season.

The win over Missouri will sit well with the College Football Playoff rankings committee if Texas were to catch a loss that would put them at three on the season.

The Longhorns will gladly take this win and prepare for a showdown against LSU next week in Baton Rouge. But it is clear this Texas squad is still searching for a mistake-free football game.