No. 11 Texas leaned on Arch Manning’s arm and a defense that refused to bend Saturday night in Starkville, beating Mississippi State 31-3. Manning threw three touchdown passes, while linebacker Rasheem Biles turned in one of the best games of his career with eight tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. The play that broke it open came just before halftime, when defensive tackle Maraad Watson returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown.

Watson’s postgame quote is already a favorite. “By the 15, I was getting tired,” he said. “I said to myself, ‘I have to make it.'” For Mississippi State, the night was costly on two fronts. The Bulldogs lost their fourth straight after a 4-0 start, and quarterback AJ Swann left the game with his arm in a sling after being injured on the fumble play.

Texas now sits at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, with three of its final four games on the road. The Longhorns visit Missouri on Nov. 7. For Waxahachie-area fans who grew up with burnt orange in the family, the question is simple: is this defense good enough to carry Texas through a road-heavy finish? What do you think?