Texas beats Missouri 34-20 at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri, on Saturday November 7, 2026. No. 7 Texas trailed No. 18 Missouri 20-13 late in the third quarter, then scored 21 unanswered points to take control and close out a road win with big College Football Playoff stakes. Quarterback Arch Manning threw the tying touchdown and the go-ahead touchdown in the second half, and the Texas defense shut Missouri down after the Tigers took their last lead. Both teams entered the game at 6-2, and the result leaves Texas at 7-2 and Missouri at 6-3.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Final score | Texas 34, Missouri 20 |
| Date | Saturday, November 7, 2026 |
| Location | Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri |
| Rankings | No. 7 Texas, No. 18 Missouri |
| Records before the game | Texas 6-2, Missouri 6-2 |
| Records after the game | Texas 7-2, Missouri 6-3 |
| Halftime score | Texas 10, Missouri 10 |
| Missouri lead late in third quarter | Missouri 20, Texas 13 |
| Unanswered points by Texas | 21 |
| Texas quarterback | Arch Manning |
| Missouri quarterback | Austin Simmons |
| Texas next game | At LSU next week |
| Missouri next game | Home against Georgia on November 14 |
How Texas Turned the Game Around
For much of the afternoon, this looked like a game Missouri could win. The Tigers scored first, they answered every Texas push in the first half, and they went back in front late in the third quarter. Texas changed the flow with timely offense, a key special teams play, and a defense that stopped giving up the big play when it mattered most.
Missouri opened the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Austin Simmons to Brett Norfleet, and the early 7-0 lead gave the home crowd a loud start. Texas worked its way back, and the teams reached halftime tied at 10-10. A blocked punt by Texas in the second quarter turned into a game-tying field goal.
Missouri then went ahead 20-13 late in the third quarter on a 72-yard touchdown from Simmons to Naeshaun Montgomery with 4 minutes 52 seconds left in the quarter. Texas answered, tied the game, and took the lead for the first time all day in the fourth quarter. The final run of 21 unanswered points covered the end of the third quarter and the whole of the fourth.
Manning Finds His Rhythm in the Second Half
Arch Manning was at the center of the Texas comeback. Through three quarters, he had completed 21 of 29 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, and his best work came when Texas needed it most. Manning threw the touchdown that tied the game, and he threw the touchdown that gave Texas its first lead.
The tying score came on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Jermaine Bishop Jr. in the third quarter, a strong response to the Missouri touchdown that had just put the Tigers ahead 20-13. Manning also threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Derrek Cooper in the third quarter on a catch and run. The go-ahead score came with 5 minutes 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, when Manning hit Releek Brown on a 23-yard touchdown pass to make it 27-20. Manning stayed patient in a loud road setting, kept throwing with confidence, and made his biggest throws after Missouri had just scored.
The Controversial Calls That Shaped the Night
No recap of this game would be complete without the two controversial calls that drew so much attention. Both involved replay, both went against Missouri in the eyes of many fans, and both came at moments when the score was close. The calls did not decide the game on their own, because Texas still had to score 21 unanswered points to win, but they shaped the field position and the flow of the game.
The first moment came with 38 seconds left in the first half. Texas safety Jelani McDonald stripped Missouri receiver Cayden Lee and recovered the ball inside the Missouri 20-yard line. Officials ruled that Lee was down by contact, and replay upheld the call. The teams went to halftime tied at 10-10, and Missouri kept the ball instead of handing Texas a scoring chance deep in its own territory.
The second moment came in the third quarter, on the drive that ended with the tying touchdown. On third and 10, Manning was hit as his arm came forward, and the ball fluttered downfield. Receiver Emmett Mosley V scooped it up, and officials ruled the play a fumble. Replay confirmed the ruling, Texas kept the ball, and three plays later Manning found Bishop for the 25-yard touchdown that tied the game at 20-20.
Missouri’s Fast Start and Missed Chances
Missouri did a lot of things right in this game, and that is what makes the loss hurt for the Tigers. The home team scored first, it played Texas even through the first half, and it retook the lead in the third quarter with a long touchdown that should have given it control. Simmons threw touchdown passes to Norfleet and to Montgomery, and the 72-yard score to Montgomery was the longest play of the day for the home side.
The missed chances tell the other half of the story. Missouri missed two field goals, and in a game that finished 34-20, those points matter. A made kick would have changed the pressure on Texas in the second half, but Missouri never stretched its lead past seven points, and Texas answered quickly. After the 20-13 lead, Missouri did not score again, and Texas scored 21 straight points. The schedule does not get easier, with Georgia coming to Columbia on November 14, followed by Kentucky and Oklahoma.
Texas Beats Missouri: What the Win Means for the Playoff Race
The stakes were clear before kickoff. Texas was No. 7 and Missouri was No. 18 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season, and both teams entered the game at 6-2. A third loss would have put Texas’s playoff path in serious danger, and a win on the road against a ranked team was the kind of result that keeps a season alive. Texas got that win, and the Longhorns now sit at 7-2 with a strong case to stay in the playoff picture.
Road wins against ranked teams carry weight, and this one carries extra weight because of how it happened. Texas did not win by holding a lead from the start. Texas won by coming back, by scoring 21 unanswered points, and by making the biggest plays in the fourth quarter. For Missouri, the loss drops the Tigers to 6-3, and the path forward is harder. Texas faces a tough road test next week, when the Longhorns travel to LSU. A win at LSU would strengthen the playoff case even more, while a loss would bring back the same questions that were hanging over the team before the Missouri game.
Sports fans had plenty to follow on the same weekend. Readers can catch up on Carson Wentz starting for the Vikings against the Bills, and on Luka Doncic scoring 53 points as the Lakers beat the Trail Blazers. Tennis fans can also follow Ben Shelton winning the Paris Masters final. Each result added to a busy weekend of sport, and the Texas win in Columbia was one of the biggest stories of all.
FAQs
What was the final score of Texas vs Missouri?
Texas beats Missouri 34-20 at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri, on Saturday November 7, 2026. Texas scored 21 unanswered points after trailing 20-13 late in the third quarter.
Who scored the game-tying and go-ahead touchdowns for Texas?
Arch Manning threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Bishop Jr. to tie the game at 20-20 in the third quarter. Manning then threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Releek Brown with 5 minutes 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Texas a 27-20 lead, its first lead of the day.
What were the controversial calls in the Texas vs Missouri game?
With 38 seconds left in the first half, Jelani McDonald stripped Cayden Lee and recovered inside the Missouri 20, but officials ruled Lee down by contact and replay upheld the call. In the third quarter, Manning was hit as his arm came forward on third and 10, the ball fluttered downfield, Emmett Mosley V scooped it up, officials ruled it a fumble, replay confirmed the ruling, Texas kept the ball, and three plays later Manning found Bishop for the tying touchdown.
What is next for Texas and Missouri?
Texas travels to LSU next week. Missouri hosts Georgia on November 14, then plays Kentucky and Oklahoma. Texas is now 7-2 and Missouri is 6-3 after the game.
Sources
- Burnt Orange Nation – Texas Longhorns vs Missouri Tigers final score and highlights
- Sports Illustrated – SEC referees under fire for controversial calls in Texas vs Missouri game
- Saturday Down South – Naeshaun Montgomery 72-yard touchdown vs Texas
Final Thoughts
Texas beats Missouri 34-20 because the Longhorns played their best football when the game was on the line. Missouri scored first, Missouri retook the lead in the third quarter, and Missouri had the crowd behind it. Texas answered each time, and the final run of 21 unanswered points showed a team that refused to let a tough road game slip away. Arch Manning made the throws that mattered, the defense held Missouri scoreless after the Tigers went ahead 20-13, and the Longhorns left Columbia with a win that keeps their playoff hopes alive.
Missouri will leave this game with regrets, from the missed field goals to the two replay rulings that went against the Tigers. Those moments mattered, but they do not change the fact that Texas finished stronger. The Tigers still have a chance to bounce back, and the home game against Georgia on November 14 will test how quickly they can move on. Texas, meanwhile, will carry this win into a road trip to LSU, where another strong finish would say even more about where this team stands.
Image: AI-generated editorial illustration.
