AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 24: Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns reacts after rushing for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Tim Warner/Getty Images
AUSTIN — The college experience is all about finding yourself, right?
And maybe Arch Manning, in his senior season, learned a little about himself this past week that might just go a long way.
“I think I kinda like being disregarded and counted out,” he said late Saturday after Texas’ 34-27 win over No. 7 Ole Miss.
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Then he flashed maybe the first big smile he’s had in six weeks since, oh, that win over Ohio State.
Since then, it’s been a long, increasingly painful slog. Got a social media whipping after responding to a question about an unfortunate Holly Rowe meme. Threw a pair of picks, including one that was returned for a touchdown, in losing to unranked Oklahoma. Stumbled all through the second half of another loss to Florida, another unranked team. Found himself the center of a quarterback controversy to start the week and had to deal with backup KJ Lacey getting some of his reps during it.
Shoot, by Saturday there were rumors he’d be at Ole Miss next year, where surely only being the third Manning to play quarterback there wouldn’t carry nearly the pressure of being the guy at Texas.
It all may have finally pushed Manning to unleash his edgier side. He entered the stadium with a strut, and through a dominant first half, he preened and pointed and let his linemen lift him to the sky after a touchdown run.
It was the response Steve Sarkisian wanted. Needed, really. The Longhorns’ faint playoff hopes — and maybe his long-term job security — rested on Manning discovering something that had been absent the last couple of weeks.
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AUSTIN, TX – OCTOBER 24: Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning #16 runs for a touchdown during the SEC football game between the Texas Longhorns and Ole Miss on October 24, 2026, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The numbers weren’t terribly sexy, but he had an edge, and he made plays. Threw for only 212 yards. Had more interceptions (two) than passing touchdowns (one). But he also gave Texas real life with a 19-yard second-quarter scramble on third-and-17 and followed it up with a 50-yard play-action touchdown.
“I’m proud of Arch,” Sarkisian said. “He used his legs at opportune times, which is something he wanted to do and something we were hopeful he would do. But I think more than anything, it was his resolve, his grit and his mentality. That was important for the team, because I think that edginess carried over to our team, and I think our team played that way because of him.
“He’s the quarterback, and when he responds that way, I think the team responds to that.”
Texas needed it in the fourth quarter. A 21-point halftime lead melted under the heat of turnovers and penalties. Manning, without injured left tackle Trevor Goosby, had played a role in what was starting to look like another Texas collapse. He was sacked and fumbled the ball and Ole Miss’ Kam Franklin fell on it in the end zone to start a comeback.
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But in the fourth quarter, with the game tied, Manning pulled off a family-style bootleg for a 1-yard touchdown run to give Texas the lead and its swagger back.
“Some people can sit around and sulk and get the ‘poor me’s,’ and some people get up and fight,” Sarkisian said. “And the one thing I know about Arch Manning is he’s a fighter. I like the edgy, kind of borderline arrogant, full of swagger Arch. I feel like that’s when he’s at his best.”
The important thing from Saturday is that maybe Manning finally felt the same.