Arch Manning finds rhythm late for Texas after early struggles against Ohio State

The New Orleans native opened 2025 as the undisputed QB1 for Longhorns

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) tries to read the Ohio State Buckeyes defense in the second quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Aug 30, 2025. / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Depending on where you look for information on the Texas vs. Ohio State game, you are met with a few noticeable headlines.

They all revolve around Arch Manning and how bad or how terrible his debut as a full-time starter was for the No. 1-ranked Longhorns in a 14-7 loss to Ohio State.

He is either the worst quarterback in Division I this year or the worst quarterback ever in Division I, depending on how far down that rabbit hole you want to follow.

He’s now 2-0 as a starter, filling in for current Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers last year and 0-1 as the undisputed QB1 in the Forty Acres.

Related: Beyond the Name: High School Coaches Explain Why Arch Manning is College Football's Next Big Thing

The rematch of last year’s national semifinal was again dominated by the Buckeyes. There were times on Saturday, nothing was going right for the Longhorns.

Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

A ballyhooed Heisman Trophy favorite — AND the favorite if you follow the odds in Las Vegas —struggled.

His interception came with 3:01 left in the third, when Jermaine Mathews Jr. stepped in front of a pass toward the sideline intended for Ryan Wingo.

The third quarter ended with the Buckeyes leading 7-0.

Manning’s numbers after 3: 9 of 15 passing for 38 yards and 1 interception.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum was critical of the numbers early on by Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli. 

Paul Finebaum delivers blunt Arch Manning verdict amid backlash

The redshirt sophomore from Isidore Newman in New Orleans was 8-for-15 passing for 132 yards and a touchdown in the fourth.

On passes of 5 yards or longer, he was 4-for-7 in the 4th quarter. In the first three quarters, he was a combined 0-for-5 with a pick under the same scenario.

The adage, ‘You’re never as bad as you are on your worst days and you are never as good as you are on your best days,’ could apply here.

He added 38 yards on 10 carries with a long of 15 yards. That came in the third quarter, down 7-0. 

It kept the drive alive, but it ultimately ended with Manning rushing for no gain at the 1-yard line that could’ve tied the game.

Manning had another pick in the fourth, but a review overturned it. The Longhorns drove to the Ohio State 9 before the drive fizzled on an incomplete pass on fourth down. 

On the lone scoring drive, Manning hit Wingo, a former standout at SLUH, for a 28-yard gain and then connected with Parker Livingstone, a Lucas Lovejoy product, for a 32-yard touchdown with 3:28 to play.

ARCH MANNING DART pic.twitter.com/G91p8B5hc1

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) August 30, 2025

On the Longhorns’ final drive, Manning threw a 30-yard pass to Jack Endries to get the ball to midfield with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

Texas gained only 5 yards after that. A run followed by three incomplete passes.

His play in the fourth quarter even provoked a post on X by famed sports writer Pat Forde.

If Texas gets a stop and a tying TD drive, the deleting of Hot Arch Takes here could break records. (That is a significant if.)

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) August 30, 2025

The next three games, in order, are San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston State. Could a few games of 300 yards passing and 3 or 4 TDs get him back in the Heisman talk? 

He went 2-0 last year with wins against Louisiana-Monroe and the Mississippi State team that was 2-10 overall and finished last in the SEC.

Manning will be tested Oct. 4, playing at Florida and then on Oct. 11, playing in Dallas vs. Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl.