Have you ever witnessed a punt returner carry a team on his back like Ryan Niblett has over the last three weeks?

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Spare me your Devin Hesters and Josh Cribbs—Niblett just gave Texas yet another electric charge to help win a football game.

Deep in the fourth quarter, with Texas praying for a comeback down a touchdown against Mississippi State, the Longhorn defense forced a punt.

Out trotted an on-fire Niblett, having scored a touchdown on a return against Oklahoma two weeks prior and returning one for over 40 yards to set Texas up for its only touchdown against Kentucky last week. With Texas needing another spark to come back in this game, Niblett went wild.

The returner fielded the punt on the 21, stumbled, then worked upfield, breaking past a tackle and sprinting down the sideline. Quickly, Texas fans saw déjà vu, thinking about the way Niblett broke free and iced a win against the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry. This time, it was with under two minutes left in a game Texas probably shouldn’t have won.

When Niblett finally reached the end zone, Texas was no longer down. It was a tie ball game.

The Longhorns would end up hitting the PAT and holding the Bulldogs for the remainder of regulation, pushing the game to OT.

Arch Manning would then use his legs to gain a first down but looked to be concussed after the play. In stepped Matthew Caldwell, having not thrown a pass since the end of the Florida loss, to take Texas across the finish line.

Caldwell did just that, finding Emmett Mosley in the back of the end zone for a beautiful score on a tremendous catch from the transfer receiver.

Texas’ defense would hold strong, strip-sacking Blake Shapen to end the game in overtime. Texas 45, Mississippi State 38.

While Manning showed heroics in the fourth quarter to will 17 points for the offense, and the Texas defense eventually made its stands, it’s hard to imagine Texas winning this football game without Niblett’s return.

Niblett now has two touchdowns in three games, and Texas moves to 4-0 when he has a return of 40 or more yards.

The Longhorns officially hit bowl eligibility. It’s not much, but it’s something, given the tone of the fan base earlier today. Texas is 6-2 on the year, with a date against Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores coming to DKR next Saturday.