With 10:10 left in the fourth quarter, the Longhorns would be getting the ball back with a chance to go up two scores. That's a statement that might’ve made Texas fans faint if you had told them in the days leading up to the game that Grayson Miller would send a booming punt that’d drop right in the hands of Ryan Niblett on the 25-yard line.
And like horses on the track, he was off. Faster than you could say the name Ryan Niblett, he’d be on the 50-yard line with one man to miss. A little step to the side, and there’d be no doubt Niblett would be hitting pay dirt. And just like that, the Horns were up 20-6.
Coming out of Aldine Eisenhower High School in Houston, Texas, the All-American, all-state, two-time all-district, and district offensive MVP honoree was rated as a 4-star recruit with the ability to play on either side of the ball. In May of 2023, he’d enroll at the University of Texas.x
Other than a few stray runs and receptions from ‘23-’24, Niblett hadn’t quite established himself as a name to know for Texas fans. That was until he became Texas’s punt returner for the 2025 season. You could immediately see the impact he’d have on the field. Blazing speed with the ability to turn on a dime, it’s a special teams coordinator's dream.
While Niblett may not have always been in the hearts and minds of those in Burnt Orange, one man who never doubted his abilities was Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.
"It's been a long ride for me," said Niblett. "But one thing I can say is (Steve Sarkisian) believed in me from day one - just my work ethic, just everything. He just believed in me. He didn't want me to go [transfer]. And it's just been a journey."
There are a lot of people to thank for Texas’ must-needed monumental win this past Saturday. An all-elite defense playing like one, Arch failing to crumble under pressure, and Sark believing in his team's ability to execute the plays he called, even when it didn’t always look great. But when we tell the story of the 2025 Red River Rivalry, it fails to be complete without the name Ryan Niblett. Texas needed this win like its season depended on it, and everyone knew it, especially Ryan.
"This win was very much needed," Niblett said. "I was telling my whole team, like, 'We can't lose this. This is the Red River Rivalry. Like, we gotta win this.'"