After being publicly challenged by his head coach this week, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is off to a great start in a high-profile game against Ole Miss.
Manning has led the Longhorns to an early 17-3 lead over the Rebels. He rushed for Texas’s first touchdown of the game and threw for its second — an inch-perfect 50-yard pass to star receiver Ryan Wingo.
Here’s a clip of Wingo’s TD catch:
Earlier in the drive, Manning expertly picked up a 3rd-and-15 on the ground by scrambling through the middle of the Ole Miss defense.
Manning also could have had another big-play TD earlier in the game if Cam Coleman had been able to haul in this pass:
After last week’s loss, coach Steve Sarkisian made the decision to give more first-team reps to backup quarterback KJ Lacey. It appears that decision has lit a fire under Manning, who is having one of his best-ever games at the collegiate level.
Texas is starring down the possibility of missing the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive season. The Longhorns may need to run the table for the rest of the season in order to earn a spot in the 12-team field.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
