What Did Arch Manning Learn During the Texas Longhorns’ Eventful October?

On Saturday, the No. 10 Texas Longhorns will face off against the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, for the highly anticipated week 12 matchup.

Holding a four-game winning streak with their last recorded loss being in week 6, the Longhorns (7-2) are coming off their final bye week of the regular season.

Regarding their upcoming game, not only will it serve as a top-10 matchup, but it will also be the first time quarterback Arch Manning meets Georgia as Texas’ full-time starter.

“I think I'm a way different player from last year,” Manning said in a press conference on Monday. “But (I’ve) definitely been watching the tape, (I) continue to watch it, and just try to get a better feel for these guys.”

Texas Fight Is Alive

Texas Longhorns wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (0) celebrates with quarterback Arch Manning (16) and other teammates on Oct. 11, 2025 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

With a four-game road trip in October, the Longhorns opened it up with a 29-21 upset loss against the unranked Florida Gators, which knocked the preseason favorites out of playoff contention altogether.

Since then, Texas defeated the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners in a blowout win, as well as the Kentucky Wildcats and Mississippi State Bulldogs in overtime, one of which stemmed from a 17-point Texas comeback in the fourth quarter. Returning home before their bye week, the Longhorns opened up November with a scrapping 34-31 victory against the No. 14 Vanderbilt Commodores.

During this trying time for Texas, Manning said he learned about his team’s strength and perseverance, and how they always continue to strive and be better.

“We're going to fight to the end,” Manning added. “(We) just got to continue to get better, and stay connected.”

Heading into their big matchup, one major stronghold the Bulldogs will bring is their shutdown defensive unit. This season, despite only recording 11 sacks, Georgia has held its opponents to an average of 19.8 points and 310.8 yards per game.

“They've had a lot of success the past few years,” Manning said. “They're a good team (and) they're well coached.”

For the Longhorns, this aspect of the Bulldogs’ game could potentially pose an issue due to the inconsistencies from the offensive line this season. As they have progressed and proven to make adjustments, Manning said he remains assured in his offensive protection.

“I'm confident in my guys, I’m ten toes down with them the whole way,” Manning said. “We're trying to get better every week, stay connected and keep stacking.”

Manning added that coming off a bye week has really motivated the team as a whole.

“I think everyone has a little sense of urgency, you know, watching games from home, you feel like you're missing out,” Manning said. “(But) we got to have a good week of practice, and (we’re ready to) go play well (against Georgia).”

The Texas-Georgia matchup will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 15 on ABC.