Steve Sarkisian Tips Hat To 'Even-Keeled' Arch Manning Following Red River Victory

In what some may have dubbed as a shocking turn of events, the Texas Longhorns were able to shock the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, defeating their rivals 23-6 in a game that not only saw the Longhorns brush off Oklahoma's rough defense in the second half of play, but also spoil the return of quarterback John Mateer, who had returned after a one-game absence thanks to a fractured throwing hand.

The Texas defense made Mateer's first game back under center an absolute nightmare, only allowing the Heisman Trophy candidate to complete a little over half of his pass attempts, with three of those tries landing in the hands of the Burnt Orange in the form of interceptions.

The real eye-opener for the team, however, was the play of quarterback Arch Manning, especially in the second half, completing 21 of 27 passes throughout the contest with a passing touchdown and, for just the second time this season, no interceptions.

Sark Praised Manning's Consistency Following the Win

The play of the sophomore was definitely a high point of Saturday's victory, and it obviously caught the attention of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, who applauded his young star on his stabile, yet unpredictable way of play, especially on third down conversions.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws as Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Eli Bowen (23) defends. — Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws as Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Eli Bowen (23) defends during the first half at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"I think one thing that Arch has done is he's been very even-keeled. He's continued to work at his craft," Sarkisian said Monday in his media availability. "Last week, he had a ton of 3rd down conversions. Used his legs on one, had seven other completions on 3rd downs to a variety of people. Some of them were off schedule, and that's a strength of his."

Sark also highlighted the improvement in Manning's vision across the field, which could've likely been the catalyst for the no-turnover performance in Dallas Saturday afternoon.

"I thought what he's doing better is keeping his eyes up and keeping his vision up."

If trends continue as they have been, the meeting between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies in Austin at the conclusion of the regular season in late November will be quite the matchup to tune into, with Arch's unpredictability on third downs getting the test of a lifetime against A&M's stingy third and fourth-down pressure.

But there is still plenty more game to be played until then, and the Longhorns are likely more concerned with raising their AP ranking after returning to the list at No. 21 following their defeat of then-No. 6 Oklahoma.

The Longhorns continue their ride with a road trip to Lexington to combat the Kentucky Wildcats, who will be looking to upset the Burnt Orange for their first conference win of the year.