Arch Manning thrust into most pressure-packed spot imaginable for Texas

Texas Longhorns fans weren't expecting to see much of Arch Manning in the 2024 season. However, the redshirt freshman and former No. 1 overall recruit was forced into action when Quinn Ewers went down with an oblique injury. Manning shined, keeping the Longhorns unbeaten, showing flashes of true brilliance, and making the future even brighter in Austin.

But when Ewers was healthy coming off of Texas' bye, head coach Steve Sarkisian turned back to the veteran to start against Oklahoma in Red River. Then, of course, it was Ewers who led the offense onto the field in the massive showdown against Georgia in Week 8.

Plans change, though, and with the Bulldogs taking a 20-0 lead in the first half, Sarkisian couldn't let any more time go to waste. So he did the seemingly unthinkable, thrusting Arch Manning into arguably the biggest game of the season in hopes of preserving an undefeated season.

Arch Manning takes over for Texas after Quinn Ewers benched vs. Georgia

The decision to bench the veteran Ewers for Manning is, without question, as bold as it could get for Sarkisian. Despite how impressive Arch looked in his action, he did not get a true taste of this level of SEC football, though he did notch a win over Mississippi State. Georgia is a different animal, though, so to make a quarterback change in this moment is putting him in a spotlight he's truly never seen before.

Beyond that, the long-term ramifications of such a decision are fascinating. While Manning didn't make an immediate impact on the game — he and the Texas offense were forced to punt on his first drive out there — if he were to orchestrate a comeback, there's no way Sarkisian could turn back to Ewers as QB1, right? So what would then happen to Ewers, a viable NFL Draft prospect with elite tools? And what would you then make of Texas with a vastly more inexperienced quarterback now leading the charge?

What's important to remember, however, is that Sarkisian is well aware of all of the turmoil such a decision could cause in Austin. It speaks to his desperation against Georgia in the first half that he would consider all of that and still make the move to Arch.

A loss in Week 8 to Georgia would be far from an eliminator for the College Football Playoff with the Longhorns. At the same time, though, their path would then become far less clear as well with Texas dropping from No. 1 in the rankings.

Desperate times, apparently, call for Arch Manning. So Sark answered the call — now we'll see if Manning does the same.