Arch Manning puts nightmares behind him as Texas beats Ohio State

Texas entered the matchup under immense pressure following a turbulent opening stretch to the previous season and a high-profile roster investment totaling around $40 million. For three quarters, that investment looked misdirected as the Longhorns generated just 97 yards of offense in the first half and fell behind 23-3.

Arch Manning Overcomes First-Half Struggles Against Ohio State

The night began inauspiciously when Texas fumbled away its very first offensive play of the game. A subsequent deep pass turned into a fluke interception that set up an early Ohio State touchdown, propelling the Buckeyes to a 10-0 lead. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith repeatedly exploited the Texas secondary during the first half, hauling in a 48-yard catch near the Longhorns bench in the third quarter.

Manning struggled with accuracy and timing early on, missing open receivers and dealing with dropped passes. Yet the turning point arrived late in the third quarter when Texas was pinned near its own end zone. Manning absorbed a heavy hit on the sideline while scrambling, a collision that seemed to galvanize the dormant Longhorns offense.

“It wasn’t very pretty, but we found a way to win. That’s what good teams do,”

Arch Manning, Texas quarterback

Manning completed 11 of his final 15 passes down the stretch, finishing the game 23-of-37 passing for 195 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Using his legs to keep drives going and his right arm to start the rally with a touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo, Manning delivered the kind of primetime performance that could redefine his career and propel the program’s national championship hopes.

A Historic Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Austin

Facing a 23-3 deficit with a quarter remaining, Texas orchestrated three consecutive long scoring drives of 12 plays or longer. Hollywood Smothers punched in two short rushing touchdowns, the final one coming with just 25 seconds remaining on the game clock to seal the 24-23 victory. According to Sportradar data, the 20-point fourth-quarter rally stands as the largest comeback to defeat an AP No. 1 team.

The win erased the lingering pain of last season’s loss to the Buckeyes, which derailed Texas after they opened that year ranked No. 1. Manning acknowledged the emotional weight of the matchup immediately after the final whistle and during the postgame press conference.

“I couldn’t lose to them again. I had nightmares about that game last year. So, we’re glad to win tonight,”

Arch Manning, Texas quarterback

“I did not want to come in here after a loss at home, to Ohio State again, and have y’all tell me we’re not good, all that stuff. I could not let that happen,”

Arch Manning, Texas quarterback

Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns Look Ahead to Future Adversity

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian pointed to last season’s hardships as the foundational crucible that enabled his quarterback and team to navigate Saturday’s crisis. Last September tested Manning amid heavy criticism of his erratic play during his first year as the full-time starter.

“Last September was a hard month for him. I think him getting through the adversity of last year helped him get through the adversity of tonight. When he comes back, everybody else comes back. That’s a guy who has some grit, some resilience,”

Steve Sarkisian, Texas head coach

Sarkisian emphasized that the program must harness the experience to prepare for upcoming challenges.

“What it can do is this team can understand that we can overcome adversity, and we’re going to get faced with more adversity. Hopefully, this serves as a lesson that we can come back from a lot,”

Steve Sarkisian, Texas head coach

It was a weird start, Manning said of the game. I’m really proud of the way we responded. We could have let that thing go. It’s a testament to our coaches and our culture.