Texas football didn’t need an offensive masterpiece to dismantle Mississippi State on Saturday night. The Longhorns’ defense made sure of that.

No. 11 Texas overwhelmed the Bulldogs with seven sacks, surrendered just 184 total yards and scored a defensive touchdown in a convincing 31-3 victory at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

While quarterback Arch Manning delivered three touchdown passes, the Longhorns’ struggling rushing attack and inconsistent offensive line made this a night when the defense carried much of the load.

MORE: UNC Nearly Stuns No. 1 Miami Before Falling 38-35 in Thriller

And nobody made a bigger statement than linebacker Rasheem Biles.

The Texas defender recorded three sacks and forced two fumbles, repeatedly disrupting a Mississippi State offense that couldn’t establish any rhythm.

His biggest contribution came late in the second quarter.

With Texas leading just 10-0 and the Bulldogs threatening inside Longhorns territory, Biles sacked quarterback AJ Swann and knocked the football loose.

Defensive lineman Maraad Watson scooped up the fumble and raced 61 yards for a touchdown, stretching the Texas advantage to 17-0.

It was the kind of momentum-changing play that completely altered the complexion of the game.

Instead of potentially cutting into the Texas lead, Mississippi State suddenly faced a three-possession deficit heading toward halftime.

The Bulldogs never recovered.

Mississippi State managed just 119 passing yards and 65 rushing yards, averaging only 2.8 yards per offensive play.

Texas consistently pressured the quarterback, closed running lanes and forced the Bulldogs into obvious passing situations.

Even without injured star edge rusher Colin Simmons, the Longhorns’ defensive front dominated.

Biles was the headliner, but the pressure came from throughout the defensive line, including contributions from Justus Terry and Zina Umeozulu.

Mississippi State finished without an offensive touchdown and converted just six of 17 third-down opportunities.

That defensive dominance was particularly important because Texas’ offense never established consistent balance.

The Longhorns managed only 280 total yards, including an underwhelming 60 rushing yards on 32 attempts.

That’s an average of just 1.9 yards per carry.

Texas also surrendered five sacks, continuing a troubling pattern of inconsistent pass protection.

Manning was efficient when given time, finishing with 220 passing yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Cam Coleman for an early 14-yard score, found Raleek Brown for a third-quarter touchdown and delivered a 42-yard scoring strike to Emmett Mosley V in the fourth.

But the offensive line’s struggles prevented Texas from consistently controlling the game through sustained drives.

The Longhorns finished with just 13 first downs and punted six times against a Mississippi State team that entered Saturday with defensive vulnerabilities.

For Steve Sarkisian, those numbers should be concerning despite the lopsided final score.

Texas can’t expect to survive every SEC opponent while averaging fewer than two yards per rushing attempt.

And Manning can’t continually absorb pressure without consequences.

Fortunately, the defense has developed into a unit capable of changing games on its own.

The victory improved Texas to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, keeping the Longhorns in the conversation for a strong November finish.

MORE: Cowboys List Pickens And Clark Questionable As Injury Decisions Loom

Texas travels to Missouri next Saturday, where another physical SEC challenge awaits.

The Longhorns will need more from their offensive line and running backs if they hope to continue climbing toward College Football Playoff contention.

But Saturday offered one undeniable takeaway.

Texas’ offense still has serious problems to solve. Its defense looks capable of carrying the Longhorns while those answers are found.

And against Mississippi State, that was more than enough.