KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For most of Saturday afternoon, No. 1 Texas had an answer for everything Neyland Stadium could throw at it.
Then came the final 90 seconds.
A Tennessee touchdown. An onside kick. A Texas fumble. Another eruption from more than 100,000 fans who suddenly believed the Volunteers were about to steal a game that had seemingly slipped away.
And one final stand from the Texas defense.
When Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon’s last pass fell incomplete, the Longhorns could finally walk off the field with what they came to Knoxville to get.
A win.
Texas survived Tennessee 20-17 Saturday, escaping one of the SEC’s most intimidating road environments with its undefeated record intact and a victory that was considerably more difficult than it needed to be.
The top-ranked Longhorns improved to 4-0, but Saturday wasn't a showcase for a team sitting atop the national rankings. It was messy. Texas committed 11 penalties for 115 yards, turned the ball over twice and allowed Tennessee to score on a punt return.
Yet every time the afternoon appeared ready to turn against Texas, the Longhorns found a response.
For much of the game, that response came from the defense.
Tennessee ran 76 plays and held the football longer than Texas, but the Volunteers managed only 221 yards of offense and averaged 2.9 yards per play.
Brandon completed 17 of 29 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, but Texas prevented Tennessee from establishing much rhythm offensively. The Longhorns repeatedly forced the Volunteers into difficult situations and carried a 10-3 lead into halftime.
Texas running back Raleek Brown provided the Longhorns' first breakthrough, scoring from nine yards out in the opening quarter.
Quarterback Arch Manning wasn't spectacular, but he didn't need to be.
Manning completed 14 of 19 passes for 201 yards with one interception, working through an afternoon in which the Texas offense had to contend with both Tennessee's defense and the noise pouring down from the Neyland Stadium stands.
Ryan Wingo became Manning's most consistent target, catching six passes for 74 yards. Emmett Mosley V added a 43-yard reception that supplied one of Texas' biggest offensive plays of the afternoon.
The Volunteers erased Texas' seven-point halftime advantage without their offense ever reaching the end zone. Quaylan Moss returned a punt for a touchdown early in the third quarter, and suddenly the stadium that Texas had largely kept under control was alive again.
Mason Shipetic connected on a 44-yard field goal to put the Longhorns back in front, 13-10, setting up a fourth quarter that would become considerably more dramatic than Texas wanted.
With 5:52 remaining, Brown delivered again.
His four-yard touchdown run extended the Texas advantage to 20-10, giving Brown both of the Longhorns' touchdowns and seemingly giving Texas enough breathing room to finish the afternoon comfortably.
There would be nothing comfortable about the finish.
Brandon found Mike Matthews for a 30-yard touchdown with 1:27 remaining, cutting the Texas lead to three.
Then Tennessee attempted an onside kick and Texas got to the football, but couldn't keep it. The Longhorns fumbled during the return, and Tennessee recovered at its own 49-yard line with 1:22 remaining.
A game Texas had controlled for long stretches had suddenly been reduced to one defensive possession. Tennessee needed only a field goal to force overtime. Texas' defense made sure it never got the opportunity.
For Texas, there will be plenty to correct when the film is reviewed. Eleven penalties for 115 yards will get attention. So will two turnovers. So will the special-teams touchdown that allowed Tennessee back into the game and the botched onside-kick recovery that nearly gave the Volunteers an opportunity to complete the comeback.
Those aren't small mistakes, particularly once the Longhorns get deeper into an SEC schedule that will offer little forgiveness.
Texas was playing a ranked opponent on the road, inside a stadium that grew louder with every Longhorn mistake. Tennessee won the turnover battle. The Volunteers generated a special-teams touchdown. Texas repeatedly hurt itself with penalties.
There will be afternoons when Manning throws more touchdowns. There will be games when the offense looks more explosive and Texas plays considerably cleaner football.
Saturday wasn't one of them.
This one required Texas to withstand the noise, overcome its own mistakes and make one final stop with the game hanging in the balance.
When the Longhorns finally disappeared through the tunnel at Neyland Stadium, they weren't leaving behind their prettiest victory.
They were leaving with something that mattered more.
Their undefeated season.
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