Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns are coming off one of the more dominant performances in college football — a 59-7 thrashing of Texas State. They may have been nearly 30-point favorites going in, but they took care of business and made a statement while doing it. Manning finished 20 of 27 for 305 yards and four touchdowns, with one interception.
Now comes the real test: a date with Ohio State on Saturday in Austin. On Thursday's episode of "First Take," longtime college football analyst Paul Finebaum made a bold prediction for Manning and the Longhorns ahead of the highly anticipated clash between two of the sport's powerhouse programs. "I've never been around a young quarterback who has handled himself better than Arch Manning.
And what he has to do is take that charisma off the field and use it on the field, because last year in this spot, he was unprepared," Finebaum said. "But at the end of the season, he looked like the quarterback we all thought he was going to be. And I think he's going to do that." "He just can't let the noise bother him.
And that's why I'm extremely confident that Arch Manning is going to lead his team to a victory Saturday evening," Finebaum added. More news: LSU Sends Clear Message to SEC, Calls Ex-NFL Player Controversy ‘Moot’ Ohio State is the No. 1-ranked team in the country after its own commanding 56-3 victory over Ball State in Week 1. Quarterback Julian Sayin was a Heisman finalist last year, and Jeremiah Smith is by all accounts the best wide receiver in the country.
But this is a Longhorns team that's prepared precisely for this moment. Knowing last season's 10-3 finish wasn't good enough, head coach Steve Sarkisian brought in a fresh wave of transfers, including top-rated receiver Cam Coleman, along with four-star transfers Hollywood Smothers, Ian Geffrard, Melvin Siani, Rasheem Biles and Raleek Brown, among others. That haul was good enough to give Texas the No. 3-ranked transfer class in the country.
More news: NCAA Issues Major Rule Change After Michigan-Western Michigan Controversy More news: Dabo Swinney Sends Defiant Message Amid Clemson Buyout Rumors Coleman, in particular, may have been exactly what Manning was missing, hauling in three catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener. In last year's season opener against the Buckeyes — in Columbus, mind you — Manning struggled to move the ball down the field. This year, things already look different, giving Texas a good chance at another win at home over one of the best teams in the country.
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