Overview
- Texas needs a victory over No. 7 Ole Miss to stop a slide that would become the program’s first three-game losing streak since 2021.
- Head coach Steve Sarkisian told Manning he would make a change at quarterback unless Manning showed better play, and said Manning delivered an unusually strong week of practice.
- Coaches increased first‑team reps for redshirt freshman K.J. Lacey as a clear short-term backup plan to be used if Manning struggles early in the game.
- Manning’s late-game turnovers in recent losses have prompted growing draft concerns and media criticism that have intensified pressure on his on-field performance.
- Texas’s pregame availability shifted with an offensive lineman listed questionable, a running back moved to probable, and a safety added as a game‑time decision, creating short-term roster uncertainty.