The College Football season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride for the Texas Longhorns. From dominant wins to painful losses, the team has seen wildly inconsistent play — especially from Arch Manning in his first year as the starting quarterback. Steve Sarkisian’s squad is coming off a tough loss to the Florida Gators, and they’ll need to bounce back quickly if they still hope to stay in the playoff conversation.
While the quarterback has been one of the main targets of criticism, his head coach knows he has more than enough talent to turn things around — along with an elite work ethic and a strong commitment to improvement.
In recent comments shared by Inside Texas through their official X account (formerly Twitter), Sarkisian strongly defended Manning, highlighting the key traits and attitude of his QB.
“I found out he’s a tough dude. He fought his (expletive) off Saturday. Those were not ideal conditions for a quarterback to perform under. Is there a couple of throws he’d love to have back? Of course, but he stood in there and he showed a lot of contact courage taking hits, delivering the ball.
“There were some really impressive throws in there and he battled until the very end. I think he learned about himself as much as we learned about him. This guy’s got a lot of courage, he’s got a lot of toughness. I think he gained a lot of respect from his teammates, which is a great thing.”
A tough test to bounce back
The Texas Longhorns desperately need a victory to salvage their season, but their path to a bounce-back win runs right through their bitter, undefeated rival, the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners.
After a shocking upset loss sent them tumbling out of the AP Top 25, the Longhorns enter the Cotton Bowl with their backs against the wall in the high-stakes Red River Rivalry.
With quarterback Arch Manning facing intense scrutiny and the offense struggling to find consistency, a stellar Oklahoma defense awaits, looking to expose Texas’s vulnerabilities and add another painful chapter to the Longhorns’ disappointing start to the 2025 campaign. The pressure to win the Golden Hat has never been higher for Steve Sarkisian’s squad.
Another challenge for Manning
After a shaky outing against Florida where he was pressured on nearly 60% of his drop backs, Texas quarterback Arch Manning will once again be under a blinding spotlight, this time in the unforgiving atmosphere of the Red River Rivalry.
The struggling Longhorn offensive line must find a way to protect the sophomore signal-caller against an undefeated No. 6 Oklahoma team whose defense ranks among the nation’s best in sacks and tackles for loss.
With the Longhorns’ season and their College Football Playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Manning’s ability to handle the relentless pressure—both physical and psychological—from a ferocious Sooners pass rush will determine if the Longhorns can leave Dallas with a vital bounce-back victory.