Watch: Texas football's Jelani McDonald pulls off historic feat with interceptions vs LSU

· Yahoo Sports

Texas defensive back Jelani McDonald (4) celebrates an interception during the game against LSU at Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)

One Texas football defender made recent Longhorns history Saturday night. 

Defensive back Jelani McDonald recorded not one, not two, but three interceptions in the first three quarters of No. 6 Texas' road matchup at No. 21 LSU. McDonald is the first Texas player this century with three interceptions in a game, and he is the first Texas player with three interceptions in one game since linebacker Aaron Humphrey picked off a trio of passes in a win over Rutgers in 1997, per Texas Athletics.

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McDonald, a senior from Waco, is the first SEC player with three interceptions since 2020. He is one interception shy of the Texas single-game record, a four-interception day for multipositional standout Bill Bradley in 1968,

Watch: Jelani McDonald picks off Sam Leavitt

The first interception for McDonald came on a deep shot from LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt in the first quarter, in which McDonald picked the ball off at the Longhorns 30-yard line. His subsequent two interceptions came with greater stakes, each secured in the end zone on a potential touchdown pass from Leavitt.

McDonald received something of a freebie on his first end-zone interception, as he caught a floating pass from Leavitt after a crunching hit from Texas linebacker Rasheem Biles. McDonald then double-covered LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris in the end zone late in the third quarter, and leaped over Harris to secure the interception.

McDonald's success Saturday kept the Longhorns alive in Death Valley despite a poor first half from Texas' offense. The Longhorns entered halftime trailing 14-10, failing to score a touchdown after the game's opening possession. Texas quarterback Arch Manning threw for 82 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in the first half, then added another interception in the third quarter.

Texas trailed LSU 21-13 after three quarters. The Longhorns entered the contest at 7–2, 4–2 SEC.

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