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No one has ever doubted Arch Manning's toughness. The Texas quarterback embraces contact, and his alpha-dog mentality has earned him the respect of teammates and coaches alike. On Saturday night against No. 7 Ole Miss, Manning absorbed hit after hit without flinching, and more importantly, he guided the Longhorns to a crucial victory.
"He's a fighter," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "I like the edgy, kind of borderline, arrogant, full of swagger Arch, and I feel like that's when he's at his best. Our team feeds off that energy, too."
Next up, No. 11 Texas hosts Mississippi State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN and broadcast on 1300 AM, 98.1 FM, and 105.3 FM (Spanish).
The central issue for the face of the Texas program is that Manning has become an all-or-nothing quarterback—a style that isn't conducive to sustained success. He deserved praise for his gutsy display in the 34-27 nail-biter, but several of his decisions were troubling. While credit is due for his three touchdowns (one passing, two rushing), the lost fumble and two interceptions—pushing his season total to seven—cannot be ignored. Six turnovers in his last three games are far from the clean football Manning played down the stretch last season. A serious cleanup is needed in that department.
Strong Start, Struggles Later
Let's give Manning his flowers first. He was outstanding in the first half. In the first quarter, he delivered a perfect deep ball to Cam Coleman that should have been a 59-yard touchdown, but the $3 million receiver dropped it. Later, Manning found Ryan Wingo for another perfectly placed 50-yard strike that put the Horns up 17-3. Manning celebrated with a swaggering strut reminiscent of WWE's Oba Femi.
Manning's first-half stats were stellar: 13 of 19 for 171 yards, one touchdown (should have been two), and an interception. But the second half told a different story: 5 of 11 for 10 yards and another interception. Fortunately, Texas' rushing attack came alive to secure the win.
It was satisfying for Manning to get a win after a rough week that began with him seeking comfort from his family after Sarkisian informed him that backup KJ Lacey would receive additional first-team reps following two subpar performances against unranked Oklahoma and Florida. Manning couldn't wait to see his parents after Saturday's victory. "I went over to their place and damn near bawled and cried to them," he said of a visit last Sunday. "So just being able to see them after the game, it felt good."
If the Horns are to pull off the near-unthinkable and win their final five games to reach the College Football Playoff after missing out last season, they'll need more consistency from QB1. His seven interceptions through seven games match the number he threw in 13 starts last year. Remember, this is the same player who entered the season with a streak of 119 consecutive passes without an interception. In 2025, he averaged one interception for every 58 passes; this season, it's one for every 28 attempts.
Manning's second interception on Saturday—a deep pass to tight end Emaree Winston early in the fourth quarter—was a poor decision given Winston was triple-covered. But Manning's response when asked about that throw and an earlier misfire that landed in the arms of a Rebels defender was concerning: "I didn't see those guys," he said. The Horns won't survive with that kind of uncertainty. Manning is either a five-star gourmet meal or a microwaved bowl of Ramen. Consistency lies somewhere in the middle, but he's nowhere near that threshold at this point. It's in there somewhere.
Manning has embraced what Sarkisian calls an "edgy" demeanor of late, and he's relished the underdog role after an offseason filled with Heisman Trophy hype and talk of getting the Horns back to a national championship for the first time since 2009. "I need to continue to get better," Manning said. "I've kind of been hyped up all my life. Everyone tried in the preseason with all this stuff. I kind of like being disregarded and counted out."
His teammates have noticed. "He had great energy for us today playing with that edge," Texas defensive tackle Hero Kanu said. "It's the line between chaos and control. He did that."
Riding the Emotional Rollercoaster
Manning has experienced a mix of frustrations—not playing up to last year's exceptional level when he joined UT legends Vince Young and Colt McCoy as the only Longhorns quarterbacks to eclipse 3,000 passing yards, 25 touchdown passes, 500 rushing yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns in a single season—and anger over bad fourth-quarter plays that contributed to two unexpected losses. Currently, he has thrown for 1,507 yards with 12 touchdowns and the aforementioned interceptions. His completion rate sits at 63.3%, a number that needs to be five points higher if the Horns are to reach the postseason.
Mississippi State has hit tough times with three straight losses, the most recent against Oklahoma in which star quarterback Kamario Taylor left in the first half with a lower-body injury. But the Horns can't assume anything. They must return to a higher standard on offense, and it starts with the most visible player. Edge or no edge, Manning has to be more consistent. Roast beef beats Ramen all day long.
Originally reported by yahoo.