Mississippi State vs Texas head-to-head: position-by-position star ratings, experience, and composite grades on CFB Matchup. They meet Week 9, Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The Breakdown
#4 Texas grades 73 to 63. Arch Manning's 5★ arm and a 4.7★ receiver room decide it.
When Mississippi State has the ball: A 3.0★ O-line faces Texas's 4.0★ D-line; first-year Kamario Taylor won't get clean pockets.
When Texas has the ball: Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, both 5★, attack a 3.0★ secondary starting three first-year transfers.
Swing factor: Arch Manning: 5★, three years. Kamario Taylor: 4★, one. One star and two years apart.
X-factor: Halloween Saturday in Austin, Week 9 — Mississippi State walks into a full-throated Texas crowd.