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Arch Manning, Texas continue to struggle after loss to Florida
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arch Manning, Texas continue to struggle after home loss to unranked Florida

By Andrew Wright  |  Last updated Oct 17, 2026 4:42 PM ET
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The No. 7 Texas Longhorns have fallen to an unranked opponent again.

The culprit in Saturday's 27-24 loss to the Florida Gators was the same as in last week's 27-24 loss to Oklahoma: quarterback Arch Manning.

Arch Manning had another troublesome performance

While the numbers won't look bad on the surface, Manning once again struggled significantly on Saturday. He completed 14-of-20 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, but that wasn't nearly enough against what has been a poor Florida defense.

Many may look at that stat line and think it is one of a quarterback who was careful with the ball and did his job. What it doesn't reveal is that the Florida defense had given up 250-plus passing yards to every team other than Campbell this season. Manning was held well below that number, too.

Much like the week before, it was a late turnover that cost Manning and Texas the game. With the Longhorns trailing by three points and under two minutes left, Manning was sacked and lost the ball in the process, ultimately ending the game and giving Texas its second straight loss.

The carelessness with the football and lack of big-play production are major reasons that Manning has continued to slide down draft boards in recent weeks and why he has been encouraged to return to college in 2027.

The upcoming schedule for Texas is a brutal one

What was supposed to be a dream season for the Longhorns with a loaded roster has quickly gone in the wrong direction, and it's not getting easier anytime soon. A home game against a reeling Gators team was supposed to be a bounce-back spot before a brutal four-game stretch.

The next four games for Texas will be against ranked opponents in Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri and LSU. With the recent struggles for the Longhorns, there is certainly an argument to be made that all of those games are extremely losable.

At what point could Steve Sarkisian find himself on the hot seat?

There is a real possibility that Texas falls at home to one of the two Mississippi teams and is at three losses before Nov. 1. A world where that happens would cause a major uproar in the Longhorn fan base and would immediately put head coach Steve Sarkisian on the hot seat.

What a turn of events it would be for Texas to go from a win over the No. 1 team in the country in Week 2 to conversations about its head coach potentially being fired after the season.

For that not to become reality, the Longhorns will need Manning, their prized possession at quarterback, to step up and prove why he is still a top quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan. 

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