Arch Manning’s shaky start during Texas Longhorns vs Ohio state gets blasted by former Broncos Super Bowl champ

Former NFL guard/center Mark Schlereth had no mercy on Arch Manning during the quarterback’s debut as a full-time Texas Longhorns starter. After Quinn Ewers left for the NFL, Manning was promoted to QB1, which created high expectations around him.

His first test came against the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes, who held Manning and the Longhorns off to secure a 14-7 win at home. Schlereth took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize Manning’s performance in the first half.

"Arch Manning has more commercials in this game that he has completions," Schlereth tweeted.

Mark Schlereth

@markschlereth

Arch Manning has more commercials in this game that he has completions.

Manning went 17-of-30 for 170 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also had 38 rushing yards on 10 carries. It took nearly 45 minutes for Manning to find the end zone.

With 3:28 left in the fourth quarter, he connected with Parker Livingstone for a 32-yard touchdown to cut Ohio State’s lead to 14-7 after Mason Shipley converted the extra point.

While this was his first game as a starter, Manning looked nervous and inaccurate on the field. The opponent wasn’t easy, but it’s clear fans expected more from him.

The Longhorns return home next week for a game against San Jose State. It will be a solid opportunity for Manning to bounce back and boost his confidence, as expectations remain high for the junior quarterback.

Analyst notes differences between Arch Manning and his uncles Peyton, Eli

Ahead of his tumultuous debut in the 2025 college football season, Arch Manning drew high praise from On3 analyst Andy Staples. The analyst believes that Arch has a different vibe than his grandpa, Archie, and his uncles, Peyton and Eli.

“For those thinking that this is Peyton or Eli, arch Manning is six foot three, six foot four, 225 230, pounds. He's fast. He has a huge arm. We know he's a better athlete," Staples said on College Football Enquirer on Friday.

"He's more like Archie and more like his dad, Cooper, who was gonna go play wide receiver at Ole Miss, but had spinal stenosis and couldn't play anymore. He's got cookout credibility. He blends in with pretty much everybody everywhere."

Those vibes didn’t translate into a win on Saturday, but the season is still young, and Manning has room to improve. He must move fast, though, as a No. 1-ranked team is expected to play better than it did against Ohio State.