The Texas Longhorns pulled off a thrilling comeback against the LSU Tigers on Saturday night, and Emmanuel Acho believes the defense deserves just as much credit as the offense.
No. 6 Texas rallied from an 11-point deficit to stun No. 21 LSU 22-21 in Baton Rouge. While Arch Manning’s game-winning touchdown pass to Raleek Brown in the final seconds grabbed the headlines, Acho, a former Longhorns linebacker, shined a light on the other side of the ball.
“This Texas Defense has made the pivotal stop EVERY SINGLE TIME this season!! Just absolutely astounding the level of consistency and determination the defense has when it matters most!” Acho wrote on X.
The numbers back up Acho’s take. After Dilin Jones broke free for a 44-yard touchdown run to put LSU up 21-10 in the third quarter, the Texas defense slammed the door shut. The Tigers did not score again for the rest of the night.
That stretch included a crucial stand in the fourth quarter. Manning threw an interception in the final frame, but the Longhorns’ defense held firm and kept LSU from turning the takeaway into points.
Texas also picked off LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt three times and added three sacks. The Tigers also came up empty when they missed a 38-yard field goal to close out the first half.
The defensive effort gave Manning and the offense enough time to climb back. Texas chipped away with a pair of field goals, including a 50-yarder early in the fourth quarter, before Manning found Brown for the go-ahead score.
Article Continues BelowManning threw three interceptions and finished 19-of-35 for 174 yards, but his defense made sure those mistakes did not prove costly.
With the win, Texas improved to 8-2 on the season and 5-2 in SEC play, keeping its playoff hopes alive. LSU, meanwhile, fell to 6-4.
The Longhorns will return home to host the Arkansas Razorbacks next Saturday.