Arch Manning and the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns has a rough start to the college football season, losing at the Shoe to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 14-7. Manning's much-anticipated debut as starter for this Texas team wasn't well-received by fans and pundits for good reason – he played poorly. The stats backed that up, as Manning finished the game 17-of-30 for 170 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Per ESPN, Manning was 0-for-5 with an interception on throws that went longer than five yards through three quarters.
The presumed No. 1 quarterback off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft (should he declare) had a brutal performance in front of a national audience and NFL scouts from QB-needy teams like the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, just to name a few. While Manning's on-field play didn't give scouts any reason to rank him atop next April's quarterback class, his off-field accountability was impressive postgame.
"It took us too long to get the ball down the field," Manning said. "That starts with me. ... They're a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot. That starts with me, and I've got to play better for us to win."
Why did Arch Manning struggle against Ohio State?
The Buckeyes defense, coached by former NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, put on a masterful display against the 21-year-old Heisman hopeful. As Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian noted, the Buckeyes defense is one of the best in the country, headlined by likely first-round picks in their own right. Caleb Downs is projected as a top-5 selection, while LB Sonny Styles is another first-round talent.
"They've got a good scheme," Sarkisian said. "They've got a very smart secondary, and they made Arch work. I thought at halftime, Arch having a chance to really sit and look at the tape and understand some of the coverages they were playing, I think that helped him into the second half."
Manning looked rattled at times when the pocket was collapsing. His usual surefire footwork couldn't help Arch because, most the time, he didn't have time to set his feet and step into throws, hence the struggles on throws beyond five yards for much of the game.
Arch Manning has plenty of chances to redeem himself
While the Longhorns schedule started with a dud, their next three weeks should provide Manning with plenty of opportunities to reset. Texas faces UTEP, Sam Houston State and San Jose State before starting their SEC gauntlet. By then, Manning should be playing with far more confidence before he faces another defense with this amount of NFL hopefuls.
The Longhorns still have four games remaining against preseason ranked opponents. All of that occurs in SEC play, and doesn't count a potential SEC Championship opponent or the College Football Playoff. It is there that Manning should be judged against his peers, not solely in a Week 1 clunker vs Ohio State.
Texas ranked games remaining | Date |
|---|---|
at Florida | Oct. 4 |
vs Oklahoma | Oct 11 |
at Georgia | Nov. 15 |
vs Texas A&M | Nov. 28 |
Most importantly for Texas, the loss against Ohio State won't be judged harshly by the College Football Playoff committee. The CFP committee takes strength of schedule into account, and given the Longhorns' SEC ties, they can afford a couple defeats along the way if they hope to make the Playoff.
Is Arch Manning still QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft class?
Manning's namesake can only take him so far. At some point, the production must back up the hype. If Arch performs well in the Longhorns' SEC gauntlet and beyond, he will be the first quarterback off the board should he go pro following the 2026 season. However, if the draft were tomorrow, there'd be a serious discussion on who the top quarterback in this class really is.
QBs such as South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State's Drew Allar, Clemson's Cade Klubnik and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza could make the conversation interesting come season's end. Manning's struggles are also another example of why preseason mock drafts are relatively useless long term. Yes, they're often great pieces of content and fun reads to track during the college football season – but they do not mean jack until watching said signal-callers on the game's grandest stage.
Manning will have his chance at redemption in time.