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Texas receiver DeAndre Moore catches a long touchdown pass as Mississippi State's Kobi Albert (15) defends during Saturday's game. Texas beat the Bulldogs 35-13. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren (0) takes a snap Saturday against Texas. The freshman ran for a touchdown and passed for 144 yards in his first college start, but No. 1 Texas defeated the Bulldogs 35-13. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

Texas' longhorn mascot Bevo hangs out near the field during Saturday's game against Mississippi State at Darrell K. Royal Stadium in Austin. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi State kicker Kyle Ferrie boots a field goal during Saturday's 35-13 loss to No. 1 Texas. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) hands the ball off to running back Quintrevion Wisner during Saturday's 35-13 victory over Mississippi State. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi State running back Johnnie Daniels carries the football Saturday against Texas. Daniels rushed for a team-high 75 yards, but the Bulldogs lost 35-13 to the top-ranked Longhorns. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) walks on the sideline during Saturday's 35-13 victory over Mississippi State. Manning passed for 324 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another TD. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post)

AUSTIN, Texas — Mississippi State did a lot of things right and threw a scare into Texas. In the end, though, the No. 1 team in the country was just too much for the Bulldogs to handle.

Arch Manning completed 26 of 31 passes for 324 yards and one touchdown, ran for 33 yards and another TD, and No. 1 Texas pulled away from stubborn Mississippi State in the second half for a 35-13 victory Saturday.

“I’m glad we had adversity today. The first four games were smooth sailing. We needed rough waters,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Our guys showed composure. They found a way to fight back and pull away in a tough game and that’s what the SEC is all about.”

Mississippi State (1-4, 0-2 Southeastern Conference), a 37-point underdog, executed its game plan well. It controlled the ball for nearly 35 minutes and rushed for 150 yards to grind the clock and keep Texas’ potent offense off the field, while also getting defensive stops and a couple of key special teams plays. It forced two fumbles and partially blocked a punt.

Texas (5-0, 1-0) only led 7-6 until Manning hit DeAndre Moore on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds left in the second quarter. Manning took a big hit on the play but still hit Moore in stride down the left sideline.

“We needed a big play and he hung that ball up,” Moore said. “We saw the play on the sideline. He got railed on that play.”

The long touchdown pass started a run of 21 straight points for the Longhorns that finally put the game out of reach.

Manning scored on a 1-yard run on the final play of the third quarter, and then he hooked up with Moore again for a 27-yard TD pass with 9:30 left in the fourth to give the Longhorns a 28-6 lead.

Moore finished with four receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

True freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren made his first college start for Mississippi State. He was 12-of-23 passing for 144 yards and no interceptions, and ran for a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“Really tough,” Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said of Van Buren. “Proud of his effort.”

Van Buren was sacked six times, though, as Texas’ defense kept the Bulldogs from getting close to the end zone for most of the afternoon. Kyle Ferrie kicked two field goals of 45 and 32 yards in the first half for their only points until Van Buren’s touchdown with 6:12 left in the game.

Texas’ Isaiah Bond finished the scoring with a 26-yard TD run with 3:03 remaining.

“I thought we won at the line of scrimmage both sides of the football early in the game,” Lebby said. “We needed to finish drives and score touchdowns.”

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