Arch Manning taken off injury report, set to start for Texas against Vanderbilt
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Arch Manning was no longer listed on the SEC’s availability report on Friday night, meaning the Texas star quarterback suddenly had a clear path to start for the 20th-ranked Longhorns on Saturday afternoon against No. 9 Vanderbilt.
The noon ET kickoff in Austin on ABC is a huge SEC matchup for both teams, with 6-2 Texas trying to avoid that dreaded 3rd loss and 7-1 Vanderbilt trying to keep its dream season alive. With Manning now looking like he’ll be able to play, the matchup would also pit 2 of the premier quarterbacks in the country, with Manning taking on Vandy star Diego Pavia.
Manning suffered a concussion in overtime of last week’s victory at Mississippi State, and he was forced to watch the end as the Longhorns escaped Starkville with a huge win. He was in concussion protocol all week and had been listed as questionable on the Texas injury report both Wednesday and Thursday nights.
But apparently the Longhorns felt comfortable enough with Manning’s condition on Friday night to not even list him on their injury report at all.
Manning has thrown for 1,795 yards this season with 15 touchdown passes and 6 interceptions. If Friday night’s indication is correct, he’ll be able to add to those totals on Saturday afternoon in front of a national TV audience.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
