AUSTIN — Texas quarterback Arch Manning drew criticism after insensitive comments on Monday about an AI-altered video on social media that depicted a Steve Sarkisian lookalike slapping ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe after their brief interaction following the Longhorns’ 24-23 win over Ohio State.

Manning was asked whether he had seen any social media posts from the postgame celebration but was not asked directly about the Rowe-Sarkisian interview that was cut short.

Sarkisian had two bizarre interactions with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge and Rowe at halftime and again after the game amidst the wild celebration. On both occasions, the Texas head coach was left waiting for several minutes and eventually grew tiresome and left.

When Rowe tried to interview him without completing her question following the game, an exuberant Sarkisian yelled, “Let’s go. Texas fight. Let’s go. Texas fight.” He then walked off.

Manning added fuel to the fire with his comments to Monday’s question.

“I’ve seen a few AI edits, that’s about it. I saw an AI edit of Sark’s interview,” Manning said, drawing laughs from some in the room. “Y’all seen that one? That’s a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe. It’s hilarious.”

Many in the media at the press conference weren’t even aware of or had seen the fake video.

Manning and UT have not addressed the controversy. Rowe has not commented, and an ESPN spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday that the network is not commenting on the situation “for now.”

ESPN’s attempt at interviewing Sarkisian at halftime when Texas trailed 20-3 also never came off. He had waited patiently next to Rutledge near the tunnel leading to the Longhorn locker room while Rowe asked two or three questions to Ohio State’s Ryan Day.

Sarkisian decided to leave before Rutledge got her turn, and ESPN later explained there was a technology glitch on both interview situations. Rutledge later talked to Sarkisian after Texas came out of the locker room to start the second half and clarified what happened as the teams were heading to the locker room at the break.

“I do want to make sure we clear something up: (Sarkisian) did decline the interview at the half,” Rutledge said before the start of the third quarter. “He had waited a long time, been very patient with some technical issues that we had. He apologized to us. We should be apologizing to him, which we did.”

A Texas spokesperson said Saturday night that ESPN had reached out to UT and apologized for the awkward situations.