No. 1 Texas barely escaped No. 14 Tennessee with a dramatic 20-17 SEC win on Saturday, settling the “real UT” debate for now in Neyland Stadium. It took a desperate pass breakup on a Hail Mary to deny the Volunteers and preserve the victory, showing just how thin the margin was. After the nail-biter, quarterback Arch Manning didn’t mince words during his postgame interview, admitting plainly, “I didn’t play very well.” That’s the cold, hard truth of it, even as the Longhorns moved to 4-0.
Arch Manning’s Heisman Hopes Are Wobbly
Coming into this season, the college football world had a strong feeling that Manning was about to hit that “next step” in his development. He wrapped up his first year as a starter looking sharp, setting expectations sky-high. He was even hyped as a Heisman Trophy candidate and one of the top prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. But four weeks in, has he really elevated his game enough? Nope. Outside of that epic comeback win against Ohio State two weeks ago, this junior quarterback has been inconsistent at best.
On Saturday, Manning completed 14 of 19 passes for 201 yards, but threw zero touchdowns and tossed an interception. He was sacked six times. He even took a delay-of-game penalty and got flagged twice for illegal forward passes. It looked like he struggled to recognize what was happening around him, slowing down his decision-making. Imagine trying to perform like that with your uncle Peyton, grandfather Archie, and your whole family watching from a box at Peyton’s alma mater. This was hardly the performance anyone envisioned.
So Many Flags, So Little Run Game For Texas
It definitely wasn’t all on Manning, but the team’s struggles run deeper. Texas racked up a whopping 11 penalties for 115 yards, and seven of those came in the first half alone. Manning was responsible for three of them! Defensive end Colin Simmons even got hit with a vulgar unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after his second sack of the game. Coach Sarkisian pulled him, addressed it, then put him back in. You just can’t have those kinds of mistakes, especially when you’re No. 1.
And the running game? Oof. The Longhorns managed just 61 yards on 1.7 yards per carry, behind an offensive line that looked shaky all afternoon. To top it off, receiver Cam Coleman, who only had one catch, left the game with an apparent injury.
Texas found a way to win, sure, but there’s a lot to clean up. The hope is Manning keeps growing before that SEC schedule gets even tougher. Their next big test is against Oklahoma on Oct. 10. Time to buckle down, Longhorns.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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