The college football world had its eyes glued to Ohio Stadium in Columbus on August 30, 2025, as Arch Manning, the latest scion of the Manning football dynasty, finally took the reins as the Texas Longhorns’ starting quarterback. The anticipation was palpable—after all, how often does a quarterback with a last name synonymous with gridiron greatness step into the national spotlight, carrying the weight of sky-high expectations and the hopes of an entire program?
But what unfolded on that sunny, 70-degree Saturday was far from the storybook debut many had envisioned. Instead, it was a gritty, bruising affair that saw the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes edge out Texas 14-7, and left Manning with more questions than answers after his first start as QB1.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Manning’s performance was a mixed bag. He finished the day completing 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The stat line, while not disastrous, didn’t quite live up to the billing of a former five-star recruit who entered the game as the preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy at +650 odds (according to ESPN BET) and, before kickoff, the consensus No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
Early on, the nerves were evident. Manning missed open receivers, threw short and long, and struggled to make plays downfield. In fact, he didn’t complete a pass longer than 10 yards until the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes’ defense, orchestrated by first-year defensive coordinator and former NFL head coach Matt Patricia, kept the Longhorns off-balance and off the scoreboard for three full quarters—a feat no team had managed against Texas in a decade. It was a “Manning mess in the first half,” as one report aptly described it, with Texas managing just 79 total yards by halftime.
“Ultimately, not good enough,” Manning admitted after the game. “Obviously, you don't want to start off the season going 0-1. They're a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot. That starts with me. I’ve got to play better for us to win.”
Despite the rocky start, there were glimmers of hope. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian saw progress as the game wore on. “The growth throughout the game for Arch was really encouraging. We are going to be fine,” Sarkisian said. “For Arch, the expectations were out of control on the outside. I’d say let’s finish the book before we judge him. That’s one chapter.”
The numbers tell a tale of two halves. Manning was 0-for-5 with an interception on throws of more than five yards in the first three quarters. But after a halftime film session with Sarkisian, he completed four of seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown on longer throws in the fourth quarter. Still, it was too little, too late. The Longhorns were denied twice in the red zone, including a fourth-and-goal sneak from the one-yard line that ended a promising 15-play, 70-yard drive. “I felt like hey, we don't give them a chance to sub to real big people,” Sarkisian explained. “We went with the sneak. I think they got under us pretty good and kind of took Arch's legs out from him. Hindsight's 20/20.”
Manning’s off-target percentage for the game was 37%—the worst by a Texas quarterback in a decade, according to ESPN Research. Yet, his mobility flashed potential, as he added 38 yards on 10 carries, including a 15-yard scamper. “I think when that happened, I felt like he started really playing,” Sarkisian noted. “And we saw some real flashes and glimpses of the type of player that he's going to become here.”
The stakes were high not just for Texas, but for Manning’s professional prospects. More than a dozen NFL scouts, including representatives from the nearby Cleveland Browns, were in the stands, evaluating every snap. Manning’s underwhelming debut sent shockwaves through the draft community. According to DraftKings, his odds to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft plummeted to fifth-best (+700), overtaken by Penn State’s Drew Allar and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, both of whom dazzled in their own season openers. Allar went 22-for-26 for 217 yards and a touchdown in Penn State’s 46-11 rout of Nevada, while Nussmeier threw for 230 yards and a touchdown as LSU toppled No. 4 Clemson 17-10.
Back in Columbus, the off-field atmosphere was just as charged. The day marked the first college football season opener in which players were directly compensated by their schools, a historic shift in the sport’s landscape. Meanwhile, ESPN’s “College GameDay” bid an emotional farewell to legendary analyst Lee Corso, who made his final headgear pick—fittingly, choosing the Buckeyes to win—before watching the game from the press box.
Amid the spectacle, Texas’ offensive struggles were plain to see. The Longhorns outgained Ohio State 166-89 on the ground, with Manning’s running ability providing a spark, but four drives ended in turnovers on downs—the most since 2017. The rebuilt offensive line, featuring four new starters, held up well, giving Manning time to throw, but the explosive plays that define Sarkisian’s offense were largely absent until late.
“We had opportunities to score points, and we didn't,” Sarkisian lamented. “We've got to make a couple of throws. We've got to make a couple catches. We've got to make a couple better calls, but those are things that are fixable for us and I feel confident in that.”
Manning’s lone touchdown came in the fourth quarter—a 32-yard strike to Parker Livingstone—finally breaking the shutout and giving Texas a glimmer of hope. But the Buckeyes’ defense stiffened, and the Longhorns couldn’t muster a late comeback. The loss, while disappointing, is unlikely to derail Texas’ season entirely. The team won’t face another Power 4 opponent until October 4 at Florida, giving them time to regroup and iron out offensive wrinkles before the demanding SEC slate begins.
As the final whistle sounded and Manning left the field, escorted by Texas state troopers and serenaded by a sea of “Horns Down” gestures from jubilant Ohio State fans, the message was clear: college football’s brightest lights can be blinding, but they’re never the end of the story. For Arch Manning and the Longhorns, the season is just getting started, and the next chapter awaits.
