Arch Manning didn’t waste time easing into 2025. He walked out of Texas’ season opener with the kind of performance that can reset a quarterback’s mood in a hurry, and it came just in time for what’s waiting next.
Against Texas State, the No. 5 Longhorns got a clean showcase from their starter.
Manning threw for 305 yards, completed 20 of 27 passes and found eight different receivers. He also matched a career high with four passing touchdowns, the same number he reached twice last year.
It wasn’t flawless. Manning did force a late first-half interception into triple coverage in the Texas State end zone. But that miscue was the exception in a game where he looked far more settled than he did a year ago in Texas’ 14-7 loss to Ohio State.
That loss opened Manning’s first full season as the Longhorns’ starter and came after he entered the year with Heisman buzz. He finished that game 17 of 30 passing, and Texas’ preseason No. 1 ranking slipped away for good. The Longhorns still finished 10-3, and Manning was named MVP of the Citrus Bowl after Texas beat Michigan 41-27.
This time, he’ll carry a little more momentum into the matchup that matters most on the schedule right now. Texas and top-ranked Ohio State meet again on Sept. 12 in Austin, and both teams were impressive in their openers Saturday. Manning left the Texas State game with a 42-7 lead midway through the third quarter, and the Longhorns will try to make it two straight wins over Big Ten opponents when the Buckeyes come to town.
In Other News...
Ohio State Faces A More Dangerous Texas Test Than Last Year
The rematch on the schedule already carries enough weight, but this one comes with a different feel for Ohio State. The Buckeyes and Texas are meeting for the third straight year, only this time it is in Austin at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, with ESPNs College GameDay on hand and the Longhorns carrying a 1.5-point edge. After the last two seasons gave both programs a fresh look at each other, the matchup now arrives with even more attention and a bigger stage.
For Ohio State, the challenge is not just the venue or the buildup, but the version of Texas waiting on the other side. Arch Manning gives the Longhorns a new layer at quarterback, while new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp adds a familiar edge to that side of the ball. For a Buckeye team used to measuring itself against the nations best, this one feels less like another early heavyweight game and more like a true test of how much has changed since the last time these teams lined up. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Kienholz Just Sparked An Ohio State QB Debate
Lincoln Kienholz spent enough time around Ohio State to know how unforgiving the quarterback conversation can be there, and his latest outing at Louisville gave the discussion a fresh jolt. In his debut against Ole Miss, the former Buckeye showed the kind of production that turns heads quickly, topping 300 yards and throwing three touchdowns while looking comfortable as both a passer and a runner.
For Ohio State fans, the appeal is obvious because it feeds into the never-ending question of what might have been and what the Buckeyes missed when Kienholz moved on. His path also says something about the fit in college football: sometimes a player needs a different setup, a cleaner runway and a coach like Jeff Brohm to let the full skill set show up on game day, even as the foundation built in Columbus still shapes how he leads and handles the position. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's QB Uncertainty Just Added Intrigue To The Game
Ohio State opened its season with a comfortable win over Ball State, while Michigan had a far less reassuring afternoon in a narrow escape against Western Michigan. That alone would have been enough to keep Buckeyes fans watching closely, but the storyline got more interesting when Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham left the door open on Bryce Underwoods status at quarterback, a notable twist for a position that usually settles the tone for the rest of the rivalry week chatter.
Underwoods uneven play has only deepened the questions around Michigans offense, and it carries extra weight because of what this game means beyond one Saturday in September. For Ohio State, any uncertainty on the other sideline only adds to the intrigue heading into a meeting where the Buckeyes will be paying attention to whether Michigan can steady itself, or whether the Wolverines are heading toward a bigger change than anyone expected. [Read more 🡒]