Number one ranked Texas just got absolutely punched in the mouth, falling to Oklahoma 27-24 in the Red River Rivalry after Arch Manning threw two absolutely brutal fourth-quarter interceptions. Yeah, you heard that right, the top team in the nation got taken down, and Manning was handing the Sooners points on a silver platter.
The Arch Manning Meltdown That Cost Everything
Seriously, what in the world happened in that fourth quarter? Manning, the quarterback with the most famous last name in college football, completely unraveled. With Oklahoma’s offense only mustering 238 yards all game, Texas had to practically give them the win, and Manning went ahead and did it. His first interception? A wild YOLO pass, after he rolled out of the pocket trying to escape pressure. Instead of throwing it away like any sane person would, he just chucked it towards a whole cloud of Oklahoma defenders. Peyton Bowen snagged it and took it to the house for a pick-six. That’s just gifting points to the other team. Texas actually rallied to tie the game after a sweet 42-yard pass from Manning to Cam Coleman, and he even threw three touchdowns earlier. But then, with the Longhorns getting the ball back, two timeouts, and 54 seconds left, what does he do? He throws a back-footed meatball sub while under pressure. Seriously, it was that bad. Courtland Guillory on the sideline picked it off. You gotta be kidding me. That’s what happens when your quarterback is one of the SEC’s least-efficient.
Oklahoma’s Grind vs. Texas’s Mistakes
Credit where credit is due, Oklahoma hung in there. Coach Brent Venables said, “Everybody contributed,” and he’s not wrong. Even though their offense looked broken in September, and they only put up 238 yards, they capitalized on every single mistake Texas made. They got a pick-six, a game-winning field goal off another pick, and they even scored off a blocked punt. Oklahoma looked their best with their backs against the wall, just like last season when they used an undefeated November to make the playoff. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian gave them props, saying, “It was a nice win for them. They battled. They competed. They hung around and made the plays they needed to make in some critical moments to get the victory.” But let’s be real, Texas made it easy. This loss was coming for Texas because they only truly looked like the nation’s No. 1 team for just one quarter of one game.
So, what’s next after the nation’s top team falls like this? Texas has got to figure out their quarterback situation and how to close out games, because letting the Red River Rivalry slip away like that is going to sting for a long, long time. Meanwhile, Oklahoma is riding high after a massive upset, proving that even with a struggling offense, they can still hang tough and make plays when it counts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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