The No. 13 Texas Longhorns close out the 2025 season with a roster depleted by opt outs for Wednesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines in Orlando at Camping World Stadium.
First quarter
Texas was able to extend the opening drive after getting into third and long when redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning connected with sophomore wide receiver Ryan Wingo for a 22-yard gain. Two plays later, redshirt freshman running back Christian Clark ripped off a 22-yard run with the Longhorns
settling for a 43-yard field goal from graduate kicker Mason Shipley after Manning completed a nine-yard pass to junior tight end Jack Endries.
Two completions by Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood went for 27 combined yards to reach near midfield, but a false start penalty killed the momentum for the Wolverines and a fumbled snap by Underwood resulted in a sack by Longhorns sophomore edge Colin Simmons.
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Niblett returned the ensuing punt for a 12-yard gain, but Texas couldn’t get anything going on its second offensive drive when a nine-yard reception by Wingo gave way to a two-yard loss for freshman tight end Nick Townsend on a 3rd and 1 carry.
After the punt, the Horns struggled with their run fits to open the drive, allowing gains of eight and 11 yards on the ground. A run stuff on the fourth straight run by the Wolverines forced a third-down conversion secured when freshman nickel back Graceson Littleton was flagged for grabbing Underwood’s face mask on a scramble that ended well short of the first-down marker.
Texas was able to successfully defend a double pass by Michigan and inflict a negative play when freshman linebacker Bo Barnes flashed his closing speed on a sack. Gaining nine yards on 3rd and 18 did move the Wolverines back into field-goal range, allowing Dominic Zvada to hit from 53 yards to tie the game at 3-3.
The first game-changing play was made by Michigan, forcing a fumble on Niblett’s kickoff return out of the end zone and recovering it at the 23-yard line. The Wolverines turned the turnover into a touchdown when Underwood connected with Kendrick Bell in the end zone on a play that was initially ruled incomplete but overturned on review despite what appeared to be a lack of indisputable evidence that Bell’s foot hit before his knee touchdown down out of bounds.
The Longhorns moved the ball steadily to open their drive, highlighted by two positive runs by Clark, but Manning missed a big-play opportunity when he took a big hit while trying to target redshirt freshman wide receiver Parker Livingstone down the field on a ball that hit the pass catcher’s fingertips but fell incomplete.
The opening quarter ended with Texas facing a 3rd and 6 following a short scramble by Manning.
Second quarter
An offside penalty on Michigan made it 3rd and 1, but the offensive line wasn’t able to get any push on Clark’s run. Going for it on fourth down, Texas faked a snap to Endries to set up Manning on the edge, who made a sharp cut and finished the run strong for a 19-yard gain.
Then Clark finished the drive with the second rushing touchdown of his career from three yards out to tie the game at 10-10.
Underwood picked up 11 yards on a designed run to start the Michigan drive before the Wolverines missed an opportunity for a chunk play up the seam when tight end Marlin Klein jumped too early on a catchable throw from his young quarterback. Underwood went back to Klein for a first down, then scrambled for nine yards and ran for 33 yards, making Texas cornerback Kade Phillips whiff in the open field. Michigan regained the lead on a four-yard touchdown pass from Underwood to Andrew Marsh.
After a short completion by Manning and a nine-yard run by Clark, a 20-yard scramble by the Texas quarterback was negated by a holding penalty on senior right guard DJ Campbell. An impressive hands catch by sophomore wide receiver Emmett Mosley set up 3rd and 5, but a delay of game penalty pushed the Horns back five yards. Standing in the pocket, Manning hit Wingo over the middle for a 26-yard gain.
Manning’s next pass, a well-layered throw to the sideline on a fake screen, went incomplete when it was dropped by freshman wide receiver Daylan McCutcheon, but Manning bounced back by climbing the pocket and hitting Endries over the middle for a 17-yard touchdown to tie the game at 17-17.
The Texas defense forced its first three and out of the game with help from a dropped pass, a tackle for loss from sophomore linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith that showcased his range, and pressure on Underwood to force an incompletion on 3rd and 13.
On the punt by the Wolverines, Niblett found some room, but sophomore cornerback Kobe Black was flagged for an illegal blindside block. Manning started the drive with a 12-yard completion to Mosley before getting away with a pass into traffic that fell incomplete. A three-yard gain by Clark was negated by a holding penalty on redshirt junior center Connor Robertson with offsetting personal fouls on Wingo and a Michigan cornerback. Manning picked up some of the yardage on a designed run to set up 3rd and 12, an incomplete pass intended for McCutcheon that Manning couldn’t layer in between two defenders.
The punt by graduate Jack Bouwmeester pinned Michigan deep in its own territory. Texas gave up a seven-yard completion on 3rd and 8, enough to get off the field thanks to a tackle for loss by Simmons, ultimately forcing a second straight three and out.
With the ball near midfield, Clark picked up 10 yards on the ground, then 13 more after the two-minute timeout, but after Manning scrambled for 10 yards, Livingstone dropped a pass, Wingo dropped a would-be touchdown in the end zone on a good hit by the closing Michigan defensive back, and the ball was snapped when Manning wasn’t ready, leading to a 22-yard loss that pushed Texas out of field-goal range and forced a punt with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
The Wolverines were able to move the ball quickly, getting to the edge of field-goal range with nine seconds remaining. A big hit by Smith on a run sent a message, but it came at the end of a nine-yard gain to ease Zvada’s attempt, missed wide right from 45 yards to send the game into halftime.
Third quarter
Missed tackles on the Michigan kickoff return allowed Andrew Marsh to rip off a 43-yard return out near midfield, strong opening field position for the Wolverines. A nine-yard run on first down allowed an opportunity for a drop-back pass on second and short, but went incomplete to force a short-yardage conversion, which came up short on a big hit by Texas sophomore defensive tackle Alex January. Into plus territory, however, Michigan went for it and converted.
The Longhorns were able to force a holding penalty that put the Wolverines behind the chains, but an 11-yard run on 2nd and 17 made the third-down manageable with a completion setting up another fourth and short that Michigan converted. The Texas defense ultimately got a stop when a pass intended for Klein went incomplete in the end zone, forcing a short field goal by Zvada for a 20-17 lead.
A screen pass to Wingo picked up seven yards on first down, but the Longhorns were backed up by a holding penalty on sophomore right tackle Brandon Baker. Manning hit Endries over the middle for seven yards to set up 3rd and 6. Recognizing man coverage from Michigan, Manning scrambled for a big gain that was limited by a holding penalty on freshman wide receiver Kaliq Lockett, securing a fresh set of downs with a five-yard completion to the youngster.
After an incomplete shot play intended for Lockett, Michigan was flagged for roughing the passer, Manning hit Livingstone on a screen pass for nine yards, Clark found a seam for seven yards, and McCutcheon drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone. Once again, Manning punished the Wolverines for playing man coverage, scrambling for a 23-yard touchdown by making the safety miss in the open field.
More poor kickoff coverage by Texas led to a 51-yard return by Marsh and consecutive runs went for 20 yards, forcing a red-zone stop by the Longhorns made possible by a blindside block on second down when Underwood ran for a first down. The Texas defense came up with its first turnover of the game when redshirt freshman cornerback Wardell Mack got good depth on his zone drop and came up with an interception.
Clark ran for nine yards on 2nd and 10, but on 3rd and 1, Michigan brought on unblocked player off the edge and Clark was hit in the backfield for a loss.
Another good return by Marsh went for 10 yards and allowed the Wolverines to start their drive in Longhorns territory. A run stuff by sophomore defensive tackle Lavon Johnson and a pass broken up by freshman nickel back Graceson Littleton put Michigan in 3rd and 13, but gained 11 yards to secure an easy decision to go for it to start the fourth quarter.
Fourth quarter
A play-action pass into the flat marked the third successful fourth-down attempt for Michigan and some inconsistency from Texas freshman cornerback Kade Phillips was evident in making an impressive tackle working through a block on a screen pass and then affording too much cushion on 3rd and 17, giving up at 16-yard completion that led to the fourth fourth-down conversion by the Wolverines. Underwood ended the drive with a completion and a run called a touchdown on the field that went under review because he lost control of the football as he approached the plane of the goal line, but video evidence wasn’t conclusive enough to overturn the call and the touchdown stood.
Livingstone made a hands catch on second down to move the chains on an important drive for Texas, but the next target went incomplete off his hands and a screen intended for McCutcheon resulted in a big hit and a dropped that saved some yardage. On 3rd and 10, Manning stood strong against a blitz and stepped through an arm tackle to scramble for 15 yards.
Clark followed with a 12-yard run and with Manning hobbled by the hit on the scramble, he identified one-on-one coverage for Lockett on the outside and dropped a dime on the fade route for a 30-yard touchdown.
The poor kickoff coverage by Texas continued as Marsh picked up 31 yards on the return. On 3rd and 8, offsetting penalties negated a drive-ending, two-yard scramble by Underwood, a situation that went in favor of the Longhorns when Smith came up with an interception slightly diminished by a personal foul penalty on redshirt junior defensive tackle Hero Kanu.
It didn’t matter, as Manning kept a zone read and hit a seam up the middle for a 60-yard touchdown run to create the biggest separation of the game, a 38-27 lead.
Smith continued the complementary football played by Texas with his second interception.
The offense wasn’t able to take advantage with two runs by Clark and a screen pass to McCutcheon leading to 4th and 5. Trying to draw Michigan offside, Campbell was called for a questionable false start pointing at a defender in the neutral zone, forcing Texas to settle for a 51-yard field goal by Shipley.
With the game effectively out of reach, the Longhorns forced the Wolverines to settle for a grinding drive as the clock ticked out. The Texas defense wasn’t done making plays, as redshirt freshman edge Zina Umeozulu sacked Underwood on a play that was initially ruled a fumble on the field, but overturned on replay.
Needing to convert 4th and 19, Underwood threw the ball out of bounds with 43 seconds remaining, allowing Texas to close the game in victory formation.
