Arch Manning Takes Blame for Ugly Loss to Florida, But Remains Confident

The Texas Longhorns did not start SEC play the way they had hoped.

Not even close.

After suffering an ugly 29-21 loss to a Florida Gators team that was 1-3 coming into the contest, the Longhorns are now back to the drawing board and searching for answers.

Of course, much of the blame - as it always does - will fall on Texas quarterback Arch Manning. How much of that is deserved is up for debate.

But if you ask manning, it starts with him. In fact, he accepted full responsibility for the loss.

Arch Manning Vows Improvement

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning throws the ball in the pocket against the Florida Gators. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

“We have to play better as an offense and as a team," Manning said after the game. "It starts with me being a better leader, and we’re going to have to do that starting tomorrow.”

To be far, Manning did his part on the field as best he good vs. a vicious Gators defense, finishing the game completing 16 of 29 for 263 yards and two touchdowns. He was also the team's leader rusher with carrying the rock 15 times for 37 yards.

However, he also added two costly interceptions to his stat line.

But that, is far from the whole story.

Manning Under Fire

Texas quarterback Arch Manning evades Florida defensive back Bryce Thornton | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Manning also dealt with an immense amount of pressure throughout the football game, and was battered and bruised throughout the evening due to the pressure Florida was able to generate, resulting in six sacks for the Gators.

He also got very little help from the running game, with the Texas backfield combining for 15 yards on 11 carries outside of Manning's production.

The stats alone prove that's far more of an offensive line problem than a Manning problem. That, beyond all else, resulted in both a slow start and poor offensive output throughout the rest of the game.

And Manning knows that the offense simply has to get better and start faster, if they're going to have any shot against a defense that is as aggressive and physical as the Oklahoma Sooners next week.

“We’ve got to start faster," Manning said postgame. "As an offense, we’ve got to play better if we want to win these SEC games. Florida came out and played their A-game. We’ve got to get better this week. Everyone knows we’ve got a big one this week.”

Its Not Over

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian stands with his team after a game against the Florida Gators | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

All that being said, the Longhorns are still very much alive in both playoff contention and the SEC Championship chase.

Their margin for error is as slim as a razor blade, and they cannot afford another setback. But they are still there, and their goals are still very much ahead of them.

Still, this one stings, and Manning vows that the Longhorns will bounce back and learn from their mistakes.

“As much as losses sting your heart, this one’s going to hurt," Manning said. "It’s always something to learn from. You win some, then you learn more. We’ll learn from this and get better.”