Arch Manning had a chance to grab the spotlight in a hurry after Dante Moore stumbled in Week 2.
Before Saturday’s games fully got rolling, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Moore had become the clear favorite among NFL executives and scouts to be the first quarterback selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. According to his report, 14 NFL franchise representatives put Moore at the top of the board, while Manning trailed with seven votes.
The rest of the vote breakdown was far behind that top two. LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina drew two votes, and Sam Leavitt, LSU, and CJ Carr of Notre Dame each received one.
NFL scouts and execs vote on first QB off the board - Week 2
Dante Moore, Oregon -- 14 votes
Arch Manning, Texas -- 7
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina -- 2
Sam Leavitt, LSU, and CJ Carr, Notre Dame -- 1
Then Moore took the field against Oklahoma State, and the case for him as QB1 started to crack almost immediately. Oregon’s loss to the unranked Cowboys, who were 0-1 at the time, was enough to raise real doubts about whether Moore could hold onto that lead on draft boards.
In that game, Moore finished 14-of-29 for 191 passing yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked four times and lost nine yards rushing.
That opened the door for Manning, even if the stage in front of him was much tougher. Texas was set to face No. 1 Ohio State, a far more intimidating test than the one Moore just failed, with the Longhorns trying to break through against a Buckeyes team that had beaten them twice in a row.
Still, Manning didn’t need a perfect setup to change the conversation. After the way he closed his first season as Texas’s starter and opened his second as the Longhorns’ QB1, the opportunity was there for him to make a stronger case.
There were still plenty of games left on the calendar for both quarterbacks, including 10 regular-season contests, possible conference championship games, and the chance for deep College Football Playoff runs. But after Moore’s shaky showing, it would not be a shock if more of the attention shifted to Manning.
No. 1 Ohio State and No.
4 Texas were scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the matchup airing on ABC.
In Other News...
Texas-Ohio State Is Already Creating An Austin Frenzy
The buzz around Texas trip to Ohio State is already spilling far beyond the field, with ticket prices turning the matchup into a hot topic in Austin before kickoff even arrives. Seats in the upper deck are starting around $480, and the cost climbs into the thousands closer to the action, putting this one out of reach for plenty of Longhorns students who had hoped to be in the building.
Still, the game is shaping up to be a major moment for the city as much as for the team. Local business owners and economic experts are expecting a wave of visitors to bring a noticeable boost to Austin, adding another layer to a matchup that is already carrying plenty of weight for Texas fans trying to take it all in, even if they have to do so from afar. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Sees Ohio State Texas Coming Down To One Big Play
Urban Meyer is treating the Ohio State-Texas showdown like the kind of early-season heavyweight fight that can swing on a single moment. After both teams rolled through their openers against overmatched opponents, the former Buckeyes coach pointed to the quarterbacks as the obvious center of gravity, with Julian Sayin and Arch Manning carrying most of the pressure in a game that figures to be tight for a long stretch.
Texas does get the home-field edge, and Meyer acknowledged that as part of what makes this such a tricky road test for Ohio State. Still, he called for the Buckeyes to pull it out, which only adds another layer to a matchup already loaded with intrigue. For a Longhorns team trying to measure itself against one of the sports standard-bearers, the margin for error may be as slim as Meyer suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces One Real Backfield Concern Before Ohio State
Texas has spent much of the buildup to Ohio State sorting through the usual early-season questions, but the one backfield wrinkle worth watching is the status of freshman running back Derrek Cooper. He was hurt in the season opener, and while the Longhorns have not issued an official injury report, head coach Steve Sarkisian said Cooper was in a boot as the team moved into the week.
Cooper is now a game-time decision, which leaves a little uncertainty in an area where Texas otherwise expects to lean on its top options. If he cannot go, the Longhorns should have enough depth to cover the workload, with Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown likely carrying most of the load. Still, against a national-stage opponent like Ohio State, every available back matters, and Texas would prefer to know exactly what it has before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]