Even though Steve Sarkisian revealed how to better help Arch Manning after the loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry, the Texas Longhorns‘ head coach stood by his quarterback as the weight of the defeat fell heavily on his shoulders.
Some weeks ago, Manning was dubbed the best thing since sliced bread. Now, the media and the public are calling him a “nepo baby.” That’s the way today’s sports landscape is, for better or worse. And just as Texas‘ No. 1 ranking in the NCAA is gone, so is Manning’s “future franchise quarterback” label, at least until his next great game.
Sarkisian is having none of the current discourse around college football, and he made that clear with a bold statement about Manning and how the narrative would be different if the name on the back of his jersey weren’t Manning.
“If you took the name off the back of his jersey and you said here’s Joe Smith playing quarterback at the University of Texas, we’d be praising the guy,” Sarkisian admitted, via Tyler Horka of Inside Texas.
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns reacts after the Red River Rivalry loss.
Arch Manning vies to bounce back
The 2026 Red River Rivalry was a tale of a thousand stories. Momentum shifted constantly as both sides made great and horrible plays. In the end, Oklahoma won it with a field goal, but the coin could just as easily have landed on the side of the school south of the frontier river.
Coming off his first bump in the road of the 2026 college football season, Manning didn’t make much of the defeat in Dallas, Texas, though he did promise to bounce back.
“All losses hurt. But it’s about how you respond. You’re not going to win every game in life or in football. I don’t think anyone’s ever won every game. But you can respond well. And that’s what we’re going to do,” Manning said during a press conference on Monday, per Horka.
Manning’s stats in Red River Rivalry
Making his second—and likely last—career appearance in the Red River Rivalry, Manning couldn’t keep his perfect record at Cotton Bowl. Last season, Manning finished with 21 completions for 166 yards and a touchdown against the Sooners. He also put up 34 yards on the ground in Texas’ 23-6 victory over Oklahoma.
In 2026, Manning registered 19 completions for 260 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions, including the costly one with 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Key takeaways
- Steve Sarkisian defended Arch Manning, stating criticism stems from his famous last name.
- Arch Manning promised Texas will respond well after losing to the Oklahoma Sooners.
- Arch Manning threw for 260 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in the loss.
