Paul Finebaum says the quiet part out loud with the mistake that Steve Sarkisian may have made with Arch Manning against Ohio State
When Texas travels to Columbus in Week 1 of the college football season, it’s expected to be a slugfest between two of the sport’s premier programs—maybe even a preview of a future rematch down the line. The opening-week showdown between the Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes is a rematch of last season’s Cotton Bowl, where […]
When Texas travels to Columbus in Week 1 of the college football season, it’s expected to be a slugfest between two of the sport’s premier programs—maybe even a preview of a future rematch down the line.
The opening-week showdown between the Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes is a rematch of last season’s Cotton Bowl, where Ohio State defeated Texas en route to a national championship victory over Notre Dame.
But that’s all in the past—both teams are focused on the future, and that future includes two new starting quarterbacks. The Arch Manning era has officially begun at Texas, and ESPN’s Paul Finebaum believes it may have started too late.
“There is nothing finer than Arch Manning starting at Texas. It’s long overdue,” Finebaum said earlier this week, via On3. “Arch Manning should have come in during the Cotton Bowl loss to Ohio State, and I think there’s a chance that game could have gone differently. But he is going to bring Texas within a whisker of perhaps another run at a national championship.”
Finebaum believes that had Manning replaced Quinn Ewers during the College Football Playoff matchup, Texas might have been the team facing Notre Dame for the title. Whether that’s true or not is impossible to say—but Manning will have the chance to prove it on the field starting this fall.
Ohio State won that game 28–14, but it was a one-possession contest late in the fourth quarter. Texas had a chance to tie or take the lead, but Ewers was sacked by Jack Sawyer, who returned the fumble over 70 yards for a game-sealing touchdown. That moment surely remains fresh in the minds of returning Longhorns players. Using that loss as motivation heading into Week 1 would be wise.
Manning is an undeniably talented quarterback, but his debut won’t be easy. He’ll face a daunting challenge in his first start of the 2025 season, going up against a Caleb Downs-led Ohio State defense.
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