No. 1 Texas beats No. 14 Tennessee 20-17 in SEC showdown

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns defeated the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers, 20-17, in a SEC matchup that concluded with a blocked Hail Mary pass at Neyland Stadium. President Donald Trump attended the game, and Air Force One flew over the stadium shortly after the national anthem, prompting a PA announcement for spectators to look up.

Texas built a 20-10 lead with 5:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon led a touchdown drive with less than two minutes left to force a final onside kick attempt. The Vols needed an onside kick recovery to win outright or a field goal to tie the game and force overtime, as they had no timeouts remaining. Texas receiver Ryan Wingo botched the recovery of the spinning ball, giving Tennessee possession with a chance to score.

The Texas defense maintained pressure on Brandon throughout the game, resulting in ten sacks for the Tennessee quarterback. Colin Simmons recorded half of those sacks. On the final play, Brandon threw a Hail Mary pass to the end zone, but Texas defenders batted the ball away to secure the victory.

The game featured early offensive production from Texas before settling into a defensive contest. Arch Manning found Emmett Mosley V for a 43-yard pass on the opening drive, setting up Raleek Brown for a nine-yard touchdown run. Tennessee responded with a field goal, and the score stood at 10-3 at halftime as both defenses limited their respective quarterbacks. Brandon made his debut against an SEC opponent in this game.

Tennessee tied the score at 10 midway through the third quarter when Qua Moss returned a punt 57 yards from near midfield. The fourth quarter brought additional drama as Brown scored his second touchdown of the game with less than six minutes remaining. The crowd at the sold-out Neyland Stadium reacted loudly to Trump’s presence on the big screen during a break in play.