Colin Simmons set the Texas single-game sack record with 5.5 sacks in the Longhorns’ 20-17 win over Tennessee. A stat correction changed his total from five to 5.5, lifting him past the previous program mark.
The correction followed a fourth-quarter sack initially credited to Hero Kanu. As detailed by Texas Longhorns On SI, the play was recorded as a shared sack, giving Simmons half a sack and the outright record.
Key Takeaways
- The corrected fourth-quarter sack gave Simmons 5.5 against Tennessee and made him Texas’s single-game record holder.
- His 7.5 season sacks put him ahead of LSU’s Princewill Umanmielen for the current FBS lead.
- Simmons apologized for a first-half celebration that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which Steve Sarkisian called a bad football play.
- Texas has a bye before facing the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry in Dallas.
How the Sack Correction Made Texas History
The record hinged on a shared play, not an additional solo sack. A fourth-quarter takedown initially credited to defensive lineman Hero Kanu was reclassified as a joint effort.
The split gave Simmons half a sack, changing his game total from five to 5.5. Five had tied the Texas single-game mark; the corrected total moved him past it.
The adjustment also recognizes Kanu’s contribution to the play. Simmons now holds the program record outright after the Longhorns’ 20-17 win over Tennessee.
Simmons’ Record Night Included a Costly Celebration Penalty
Simmons’ record-setting performance included a first-half celebration that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. He apologized afterward, and Sarkisian described the flag as a bad football play.
The penalty remains part of the game’s context alongside Simmons’ historic production. Texas will want its defensive playmaking without the avoidable yards that came with the celebration.
Simmons’ Sack Production Stands Out in FBS Context
| Context | Verified detail |
|---|---|
| Tennessee game | Simmons finished with 5.5 sacks after the shared fourth-quarter play was corrected. |
| Texas program mark | The corrected total made Simmons the outright holder of the Longhorns’ single-game sack record. |
| Season total | Simmons had 7.5 sacks, putting him ahead of LSU’s Princewill Umanmielen for the current FBS lead. |
| Shared credit | Hero Kanu received half a sack on the fourth-quarter play. |
The game record captures the scale of Simmons’ performance against Tennessee, while his 7.5 season sacks place it in the context of the current FBS race. That standing reflects the reported totals at this point in the season and may change.
Texas’ SEC Defense Gets a Test Against Oklahoma
Texas heads into its bye week before meeting Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry in Dallas. Simmons’ performance gives the defense a timely example of the disruption he can create, while the penalty underscores the importance of discipline.
The record is an individual achievement, but the next challenge is a rivalry game that will demand a complete defensive effort. Texas will look to carry the disruption from the Tennessee win into the matchup without repeating the costly celebration mistake.
