Arch Manning stepped into Ohio Stadium today bearing the weight of the most highly anticipated debut to a season in recent memory. Maybe ever.

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The newest heir to football royalty was entering his third year, leading the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns into the home of the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. 

With the whole nation watching, Manning came up short. Extremely short.

Whether you want to use old adages like the lights being too bright or the pressure being too much for the young man, the facts remain the same. Manning’s performance was not up to par with what the Longhorns needed to win the football game, falling to the Buckeyes 14-7.

Texas’ first half was one of its worst under head coach Steve Sarkisian, who will receive his own share of the blame for the loss. 79 total yards, three yards per play and no points. The Heisman favorite had just 25 passing yards on five completions. Just one of those went into the hands of a receiver. 

Bad turned worse as the Longhorns’ first drive of the second half got the hopes of the burnt orange faithful up, just to crush them before they could blink. Manning’s legs and a strong rushing tandem of CJ Baxter and Quintrevion Wisner brought Texas to the OSU goal line, their first red zone appearance of the year.

On 3rd and 3, Texas gained two yards to the OSU 1. Quickly, the Horns set up in sneak position. Manning snapped it and didn’t move an inch. Goal line stand, still 7-0 Ohio State.

With the poor field position, the OSU offense was forced to punt it back to the Longhorns, setting them up with a chance to score their first points starting at midfield. But soon came a holding penalty, then a two-yard rush, and suddenly Texas was in second and long.

Manning stepped back to throw, looking for No. 1 receiver Ryan Wingo, and threw the ball short. Right into the hands of OSU’s Jermaine Matthews, gift-wrapped with a note on top. By that point, the momentum was lost for Texas, and Ohio State’s crowd had taken over the game. Despite a one-score lead, it felt like the game was all but over. It didn’t help that OSU tacked on another touchdown on a deep throw to WR Carnell Tate.

Texas fought back, and Manning did make a nice throw to find Parker Livingstone for the team’s first and only score of the game, but execution and accuracy were hard to come by for Manning.

Happy first career TD, @ParkerL06pic.twitter.com/0asYvNeiLB

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) August 30, 2025

On the final drive of the game, Manning missed two easy short passes to tight end Jack Endries and Wingo, ones that would’ve moved the chains and kept the Longhorns alive. On fourth down, a desperation drag route to Endries was caught, but short of the line. Game over.

This loss doesn’t solely fall on Manning’s shoulders, but it’s hard not to look towards his 17/30, 170 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT statline and not want more from one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory, a player that many believed should’ve been starting the year prior. Manning’s inaccuracies were glaring, and despite phenomenal usage of his legs and an obvious ability to make passes downfield, he did not execute at the level necessary to beat a reigning national champion.

Whether it was from discomfort in a rowdy environment or purely a poor game from QB1, Texas is 0-1 to begin the season. The Longhorns will host San Jose State next week with hopes of returning Manning to his form in relief of Quinn Ewers in 2024.