Texas football quarterback Arch Manning faded fast from Heisman Trophy contention amid a slow start. But Manning showed his rare athleticism on one play against Mississippi State.

One that saw him call his own number.

Manning tucked the ball in on a fake handoff, briefly stopped his footing in allowing the block to develop, then pounded inside for the red zone touchdown as seen here.

Texas struck first on the Manning QB keeper down in Starksville. Both teams entered the Southeastern Conference (SEC) showdown needing a win to keep any bowl hopes alive.

But Manning sparked a he's got wheels response from Inside Texas on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.

How Arch Manning has fared in Texas vs. Mississippi State

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; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) passes the ball during warm ups prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Manning endured a rough passing outing against Kentucky one week ago. One which Steve Sarkisian called out the Texas offensive line performance.

The Longhorns haven't fared much better so far — struggling early against the Bulldogs.

Manning got bottled to 83 passing yards before the nine minute mark of the second quarter. He completed 6-of-10 passes with one touchdown but took one sack.

He managed to complete a 10-play, 37-yard drive, though, during the second. Manning connected with Parker Livingstone for a short one-yard touchdown to put Texas up 14-7.

Texas so far has averaged 6.5 yards per passing completion before halftime, but is struggling with the ground game (2.9 yard average so far). A loss severely damages the Longhorns' chances of staying in the SEC title race. Mississippi State, meanwhile, would match its first five-win season since 2023.