Arch Manning, the highly-touted Texas quarterback, nearly got his season derailed before it even officially began, disappearing into a pregame tunnel fog thanks to a bizarre collision. Moments before he was set to take the field for the Longhorns’ season opener against Texas State, a fan reached out from the sidelines and grabbed Manning’s throwing arm, sending him faceplanting in the smoke-filled entrance. Seriously, the dude just vanished!
Tunnel Mayhem and Manning’s Ice-Cold Reaction
Talk about a heart-stopping moment for Texas fans! Picture it: Manning is jogging through the dramatic pregame smoke, pumped to kick off Week 1, with a cameraman right behind him. Out of nowhere, a fan’s hand shoots out, snags his arm, and BAM, down he goes. It looked rough, like a quarterback’s worst nightmare, but luckily, Manning popped up without a scratch. He even laughed it off during his media availability on Monday, saying the hit actually helped him get “locked in” for kickoff. “It was definitely a little bit of a shock,” Manning admitted. “I was definitely thrown off. It’s hard to see in that smoke. It’s a little deceiving. It was good to get my first hit before the game started and get ready to roll.” You gotta love that attitude. Most QBs would be fuming, but Manning’s out here treating a pregame faceplant like a warm-up drill.
From Tunnel Tumble to Buckeye Showdown
Maybe Manning wasn’t joking about getting locked in, because after that wild tunnel moment, he absolutely lit up the Texas State Bobcats. He threw for a ridiculous 305 yards, tossed four touchdowns, and only had one interception in a dominant 59-7 victory. That’s a serious statement after a weird pregame mishap, showing he’s got that mental toughness you need from a signal-caller. But the real test, the one that everyone in college football is watching, is coming this Saturday. The No. 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are rolling into Austin, and this isn’t the Bobcats. Manning faced the Buckeyes in Columbus last year, and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. He’s not shying away from it either. “It was rough film to watch,” Manning confessed about that previous Ohio State game. “I don’t like watching it that much.” You can bet he’s fired up to turn the page.
So, while the tunnel collision was a wild, unexpected “first hit,” Manning’s about to face a barrage of them from the Buckeyes’ defense. Texas needs to keep him upright on Saturday, because the hits he’ll take in the pocket will be a whole different beast. This is the game everyone’s been waiting for, a chance for Manning to show exactly what he’s made of against the best. Get ready for a huge one, college football fans.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply