Just a week ago, Texas quarterback Arch Manning was at the center of attention, for both his dominance on the field and his fiery celebration that drew mixed reactions.
After scoring in the team’s 55-0 win over Sam Houston State, the sophomore QB stood over a defender in a moment that nearly resulted in a taunting penalty. Fans loved the swagger, but not everyone approved, including his mother.
“Probably a little much there,” Manning admitted. “My mom was pretty mad about it. I think it was some built-up frustration for the past few weeks.”
But the confidence that defined that performance faded fast in Gainesville. Manning and the Longhorns fell 20-13 to Florida in what became a frustrating night for the star quarterback and the entire Texas football team offense.
His final two-minute drive, intended to deliver a comeback, instead unraveled in chaos.
Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel broke down the disastrous sequence on X:
“Arch Manning 2-Min Drive to win the game… sack, backup QB comes in and throws big play downfield, deep throw that was almost picked, sack, clock runs out.”
Adding to the frustration, Eric Henry of CBS Sports reported postgame that Manning suffered a stinger, while receiver Parker Livingstone underwent X-rays that came back negative. “Quick injury updates out of Steve Sarkisian’s presser,” Henry wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The setback capped a performance that was far from Manning’s best. He completed just 16 of 29 passes for 181 yards, no touchdowns, and absorbed three sacks behind a shaky offensive line. Despite flashes of composure, Texas’s offense never found its rhythm.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged that many of his young stars, Manning included, have been pressing under pressure. And Saturday’s collapse in the Swamp proved how fragile momentum can be.
Texas’s football team defense struggled to contain Florida’s ground game, and by the time Manning got the ball back, his protection had completely broken down.
The loss drops Texas to 3-2, a far cry from their No. 1 preseason ranking, and raises concerns about how Sarkisian’s team responds against Oklahoma next week.
Manning’s stinger doesn’t appear serious, but it adds to the tension surrounding the program. For Texas, what was once a season of promise now teeters on frustration, and how quickly Manning recovers, both physically and mentally, could define their season.
