AUSTIN, Texas -- Steve Sarkisian said on Thursday that Arch Manning was "edgy" all week, after being challenged following Texas' back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Florida.
On Saturday night, after a 34-27 win over No. 7 Ole Miss that came down to the final play of the game, Sarkisian said he liked Manning's newfound mentality.
"One thing I know about Arch Manning, he's a fighter," Sarkisian said. "I like the edgy, kind of borderline arrogant, full-of-swagger Arch. I just feel like that's when he's at his best."
Manning was 18 of 30 with 212 passing yards and three touchdowns, including two rushing. He also had three turnovers, with one fumble on a blindside hit and two interceptions that he lamented, and which Sarkisian chalked up to great plays by the Ole Miss defense.
Sarkisian said he was proud of Manning's resolve, his competitive streak and the way he used his legs when he needed to, including high-stepping into the endzone on a naked bootleg that looked suspiciously like one by his uncle Peyton that gave Texas a 31-24 lead with 8:04 remaining in the game.
That play capped off a six-play, 80-yard drive following Manning's second interception, an overthrown ball deep down the right side. Manning said he didn't see the cornerback who peeled off over the top.
After the pickoff, the Longhorns leaned on their running game, with 12 rushing plays and only one pass the rest of the game, a completion to Ryan Wingo three yards behind the line of scrimmage that he turned into a 3-yard gain. Manning threw for 41 yards in the second half after going 13 of 19 for 171 yards in the first half, which ended with a 24-3 Texas lead.
With Hollywood Smothers out with an injury, Raleek Brown shouldered the load with 23 carries for 157 yards, the most by a Longhorn since 2024 after just five and eight carries in losses to Oklahoma and Florida. The ability to pound the ball was huge for the Longhorns, who came into the game averaging 136 yards and 3.6 yards per carry. Texas rushed for 207 on Saturday, an average 4.9 per carry, which allowed them to prevent a third straight blown lead. Still, the final play ended with a throw into the endzone.
Trailing 34-27 after a field goal with 1:22 left, the Rebels recovered an onside kick, then drove from their own 37 to the Texas 24 with six seconds left. After an incomplete pass and a five-yard penalty for an illegal shift, Trinidad Chambliss lofted a Hail Mary attempt from the 29 that was intercepted with no time left by Texas' Jelani McDonald.
The Longhorns exhaled after a week in which Sarkisian said he needed a "better version" of his quarterback and that he had challenged him after the loss to the Gators. Manning said on Saturday night that he went to see his family on Sunday and "damn near bawled."
Sarkisian said there will always be opinions and overreactions about Texas, but that he tries to keep his team from riding the "emotional roller coaster of the opinions of others." He said even with the attention on his program, the noise around Manning is unique.
"His world, his life, is different than anybody else I've ever been around that's been part of this sport," Sarkisian said. "But the guy keeps coming back. And so we're lucky to have him as our guy."
And despite Sarkisian's message about shutting out the noise, Manning said he had a chip on his shoulder all week by embracing the idea that he could potentially be benched for backup KJ Lacey, who reportedly received more first-team reps in practice this week. "I've been hyped up all my life, like everyone tried to do in preseason and all this stuff," Manning said. "I think I kind of like being disregarded and counted out."
The Longhorns, already playing without star pass-rusher Collin Simmons, lost their best offensive lineman, Trevor Goosby, to an injury in the first quarter, while star wide receiver Cam Coleman left with what appeared to be a shoulder injury in the third quarter and did not return. Sarkisian did not have an update on either player after the game.
But Sarkisian said despite all the injuries, he was proud of the Longhorns for beating the No. 7 team in the country, calling it a team win. And he credited his quarterback for the inspiration.
"The edginess that I touched on, I think, carried over to our team," Sarkisian said. "I think our team played that way because of him. When he responds that way, when he plays that way, when he shows that fire in his belly that he had tonight, I think the team responds to that."
