Arch Manning made sure his latest conversation with Holly Rowe ended on a better note than the last one.
On Saturday night, the Texas quarterback met with the ESPN sideline reporter after the Longhorns’ win over Ole Miss, and this time the exchange stayed smooth from start to finish. Manning even left Rowe with a parting message, telling her he wants her around for more Texas games.
“You need to start doing our games more,” Manning said. “We’re 3-0 with you this year.”
Fans on social media quickly pointed to Rowe’s “cringe” facial expression as she walked away, apparently thinking she was already out of view.
Manning wasn’t wrong. Texas has won all three of its games this year with ABC’s top broadcast crew on the call: Ohio State, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. As long as Texas keeps winning, it will continue to get ABC’s No. 1 team for select games.
Manning also delivered another mixed-but-productive night on the field. He went 18 of 30 for 212 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, while adding two rushing touchdowns. One of those came on the go-ahead score with the game tied at 24.
The scene marked a sharp contrast from last month, when Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian cut short a postgame interview with Rowe after first greeting Ohio State coach Ryan Day. Sarkisian then walked away to celebrate with his team instead of waiting for the scheduled on-field interview, leaving Rowe frustrated.
Manning also drew attention at the time for laughing about an AI video of Rowe being smacked by the head coach. Both Sarkisian and Manning later apologized.
In Other News...
Texas Escaped Ole Miss But A Bigger Arch Manning Concern Remains
Texas kept finding trouble early and resilience late, turning another shaky outing into a 34-27 win over Ole Miss after once again coughing up a double-digit lead. For the third straight game, the Longhorns watched an advantage slip away, only to answer in the fourth quarter with a touchdown drive that steadied things just enough to leave Austin with a victory.
Arch Manning did enough to keep Texas in front, throwing for 171 yards and scoring twice on the ground, including the go-ahead run. Even with the win, the broader concern lingers for Texas: the offense still has to prove it can sustain control for four quarters, and Ole Miss nearly forced the issue at the end before an interception in the end zone preserved the result. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Coach Is Still Explaining The Choices Texas Made Hurt
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding spent the aftermath of the Texas game doing what coaches often have to do after a close loss: explaining the calls that looked bold in the moment and costly in hindsight. A late 58-yard field goal attempt was his choice because he believed the game was still within reach, even with the risk attached, and the kick was blocked before Texas answered with a field goal of its own to widen the gap.
Golding also revisited an earlier fourth-down decision late in the second quarter, saying he regretted passing up a short field goal there instead of chasing the conversion. For Texas, those two moments helped shape a win that never really let Ole Miss off the hook, while Golding is left weighing whether the aggressive approach helped his team or handed the Longhorns extra breathing room. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Kept Its CFP Hopes Alive But Exposed A Bigger Problem
Texas kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 34-27 win over Ole Miss, but the game also laid bare how much cleaning up remains. The Longhorns had to fight through turnovers, penalties and injuries to key players Cam Coleman and Trevor Goosby, then lean on a defense that picked off Trinidad Chambliss three times to survive a volatile night.
Raleek Brown gave Texas the kind of ground production it needed with 157 rushing yards, and Arch Manning helped steady things by accounting for both a passing touchdown and a rushing score. Even with the win in hand, the bigger picture lingers for Texas: this was the sort of performance that can keep a postseason path open while also reminding everyone how fragile it still looks. [Read more 🡒]