Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football QB Who 'Is What He Is'

One of the biggest games of the 2026 college football season was between the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 4 Texas Longhorns. This has been one of the most highly anticipated matchups since it was announced.

Texas Rallied to Knock Off Ohio State

However, early on it didn't look like it was going ot live up to the hype. The Buckeyes led 23-3 heading into the fourth quarter in Austin. It looked as if, again, Steve Sarkisian's team would fall in a big game. He was 0-5 in his career against the Georgia Bulldogs and the Buckeyes entering the game.

However, things changed in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns' offense, led by quarterback Arch Manning, caught fire. Manning finished the game completing 23-of-37 passes for 195 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but in the fourth, he converted several fourth downs, en route to outscoring the Buckeyes 21-0 in the fourth and winning 24-23.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks to throw over Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Payton Pierce (26). | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Says Arch Manning Finally Had His Statement Game

ESPN's Paul Finebaum said on "The Matt Barrie Show" that this game was a statement game by Manning.

"You have the Arch Manning conversation, which we've been waiting for, and it finally happened," Finebaum said. "... There's nothing left to say about Arch Manning. We don't need any more 'Hey, this is a redemption. It was a reclamation.' It was all of those things. I'm just thrilled to see it happen. It looked like, at the beginning of that game, that the demons were out to get him, and it turned out that he overcame them. That's why he is what he is."

Texas' Comeback Could Change the Conversation Around Manning

Manning entered the night carrying enormous expectations, particularly after last season's struggles and another early deficit against the same Ohio State program. This time, though, he responded when the game appeared to be slipping away. His fourth-quarter performance helped Texas complete the largest fourth-quarter comeback ever against an AP No. 1 team.

That makes the win bigger than simply another win for Texas. Manning now has the signature performance that had been missing from his résumé, while Sarkisian has a defining win over one of the nation's best teams.

After spending much of his career being judged against expectations few quarterbacks could reasonably meet, Manning finally has the kind of comeback that can reshape the national conversation around him and potentially change the trajectory of Texas' season.

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