Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) tackles Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arch Manning Truth Texas Longhorns Fans Need to Hear

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI | By DJ Burton | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 2:29 PM ET

In what was one of the most anticipated starts to a season by any player ever made, Arch Manning left much to be desired for many Texas Longhorns fans.

Manning completed a disappointing 17 of his 30 pass attempts for 170 yards, 1 touchdown and an interception. While his stats are not overwhelmingly poor, he did not pass the eye test for an elite quarterback on Saturday.

On a recent episode of ESPN’s First Draft, Mel Kiper hinted that Manning was set up to fail by facing Ohio State in his first true start of his college football career, but it is not time to panic.

Mel Kiper’s Comments on Arch Manning

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ryan Day’s Ohio State program is legit. They are fresh off a National Championship, and in a favorable position to go out this season and do it again. Day has surrounded himself and his team with some of the top coaches in football, making it difficult for young quarterbacks to succeed against their squad, something the team relied on when the Buckeyes shut down Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the College Football Playoff last season.

“I think for Arch to come into this game with the expectations and the hype, and have to deal with Ohio State and Matt Patricia – who was with Bill [Belichick] with three Super Bowl rings, and they always say about rookie quarterbacks against Belichick and Patricia, it’s not working,” Kiper said. “Arch Manning is basically a rookie in the collegiate ranks. Two starts against cupcakes. Now, we said, if he struggles, so what? … You don’t have a scrimmage against another opponent. Now, you’re throwing guys together. This offensive line is an issue they’ve got to fix. They got to fix that offensive line problem, and that will certainly impact Arch moving forward.”

Texas does not have to hit the panic button yet. Considering the tall task Manning had, his performance was not too far from what should have happened against the impressive game plan at hand. There is still time for Manning to right the ship at Texas and live up to the Heisman-caliber quarterback he was touted as before the season.

“The first throws bounced, he had guys open, he missed some receivers,” Kiper said. “With all these struggles in the first half, second half, they got it going a little bit. At the end of the day, you look at the numbers, how did they lose the football game? They had 133 more total yards than Ohio State. Ohio State averaged nothing per carry – 2.3 yards a rush. Texas was able to run the football.”

After an intense litmus test against the reigning National Champions, the Longhorns have a chance to put it all together when they host San Jose State on Saturday.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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