What Eli Manning Told Arch Manning After Texas' Epic Comeback Over Ohio State

Eli Manning was a proud uncle after watching his nephew Arch lead the Texas Longhorns to a 24-23 win over then-No. 1 Ohio State.

The Longhorns were down by 20 in the second half. They turned the game around after Manning completed a pass to tight end Emaree Winston on fourth down, scrambling from the Buckeyes pass rush to convert a first down. They later scored their first touchdown, a Manning-to-Ryan Wingo pass, on the same drive.

That completion to Winston, with 2:21 left in the third quarter, set up a fourth quarter in which Manning completed 8 of 11 pass attempts for 83 yards and the Wingo touchdown connection. He engineered two other scoring drives that were capped off by a pair of Hollywood Smothers touchdown runs.

Texas Longhorns on SI spoke with Eli in promotion of his partnership with King's Hawaiian for the "Best Slider in Football" campaign.

Eli shared his postgame message to Arch, centered around how proud he was of his nephew's mental makeup during the miraculous comeback.

Eli Manning Proud of Arch's Patience Against Ohio State

Arch had a nearly flawless fourth quarter against Ohio State — Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs during the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"I sent a text after the game, just saying how proud I was of him, of how he stayed patient during that game," Eli Manning told Texas Longhorns on SI.

"It was a tough game. Things weren't going well early on and they got down, but he didn't force anything. He didn't try to make plays that weren't there. I've been there before, and you can do that and make things worse. You can start throwing interceptions and forcing things in there, but he stayed patient, kept the game close, and then finally things started opening up."

Eli even pointed to the fourth-down throw from Arch that helped spark the comeback.

"He scrambled around, started making some plays when he had to, like that 4th-down play. And so I'm just proud of how he handled the whole circumstance and getting that win. He's still a young player, a young quarterback, and he's figuring out how to handle every circumstance in every game situation.

"He'll continue to learn. He'll continue to grow and just get better from every game that he plays in."

Eli Manning on Arch's Next Biggest Test

Every SEC game is the next biggest game for Arch Manning and Texas — Sep 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before a game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When asked what Arch and the Longhorns' biggest test moving forward is, Eli claimed it was whatever was next on the schedule.

This Saturday afternoon, Texas battles Tennessee on Rocky Top.

"I think as you enter the SEC and get into the SEC play, you'll learn quickly: the most important opponent is the next one," Eli said.

"And if you're not totally focused and bought in and understand the game plan and bring the energy, it's easy to get beaten and embarrassed in the SEC. So it's got to be Tennessee. That's the one this week, going on the road to 102,000 in a crazy atmosphere.

"So they got to be prepared, be ready, and I know that's what they're doing. That's the mindset. It's great to be No. 1, but your goal is to keep being No. 1, and that's by winning games and playing well."

While Heisman ambitions and national championship dreams are natural, tunnel vision is what Arch and Texas need to stay at the top.

We'll see if Arch can take his uncle Eli's advice before heading to Knoxville this Saturday to play his other uncle Peyton's alma mater.

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