The Texas Longhorns are 2-1 to begin the 2025 college football season. It's a fine record for one of the top teams in the country heading into the new year, and no one would fault Texas for losing to Ohio State - also a top-five team heading into the new season.
Texas fans are approaching the season with an optimistic lens, as they have yet to begin conference play in the SEC. The Longhorns bounced back from their loss to Ohio State with two consecutive wins, but fans are growing restless with the team's starting quarterback.
On Saturday, audible boos could be heard at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium as the Longhorns struggled through a 27-10 win against UTEP. After a particularly rough game, quarterback Arch Manning took accountability.
"I've got to play better," Manning said on Saturday after the game, per ESPN. "A lot of quarterbacks -- a lot of players -- want to be great. I know I'm better than this."
Manning was considered a preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy, but he hasn't lived up to the hype so far this season.
He completed only 11 of his 25 attempts against UTEP, gaining just 114 yards through the air with one touchdown. Manning struggled heavily in the first half, throwing an interception and ten consecutive incomplete passes in the second quarter.
"I felt like he pressed some. He knew he missed some throws," said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.
"I feel like we've done enough with him to have a pretty good understanding of who he is as a player and what he's capable of. I know there's a lot of football in him that's high-level football."
Arch Manning is the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, as well as the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning. He was considered the top prospect in football throughout much of his high school career, and chose to attend Texas after offers from nearly every major college program.
A ton of hype has surrounding Manning this season, as he was named the starter at Texas following Quinn Ewers' decision to declare for the NFL Draft. The young quarterback has starred in several television commercials, and is believed to be one of the sport's biggest NIL earners.
The good news for Texas is that it's still early. If there's ever a good time to struggle, it's in earlier games when the stakes are low. The games will get more difficult for the Longhorns over the next few weeks, however.
After next week's game against Sam Houston, they'll begin SEC play against a Florida team with a coach likely fighting to keep his job. Games against ranked opponents like Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas A&M will follow in-conference for the rest of the year.
We'll see how Manning adjusts to stronger competition, and if he can live up to the hype that surrounded him ahead of his first year as a full-time starter.