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Arch Manning is quickly becoming a fan favorite at Texas, if only because Longhorns fans weren’t too thrilled with Quinn Ewers during or after Saturday’s 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Yes, Ewers threw for 358 yards, which looks good on paper. But the junior also threw 2 interceptions, including 1 with 3:36 left and Texas trailing 16-13 that looked like it was going to end the Longhorns’ hopes. Fortunately for Texas, Gunner Stockton returned the favor on the next drive and threw an interception of his own, which kept Texas alive.
Even though Ewers led the Longhorns on a clutch, 11-play drive that culminated with a game-tying field goal with 18 seconds left that forced overtime, fans still weren’t pleased with Ewers’ performance as a whole on Saturday. Of course, had Texas found a way to win in overtime instead of losing, the whole narrative on Ewers and Manning might’ve been different as Saturday night came in Atlanta.
Manning got his usual little taste of the action. He even ran for 5 yards on the first play of overtime to get Texas started on the right track. But the Longhorns could only muster a field goal, and when Georgia scored a touchdown on its overtime possession, it was all over, and the angry Ewers-Manning tweets on social media were alive and well:
Arch Manning watching Quinn Ewers choke in another big game.
pic.twitter.com/3p4nqkaxVF— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) December 8, 2024
Arch Manning should’ve been part of the game plan today. End zone shots in OT is wild when you got 3 downs to come up with plays.
— DJ (@DJBelievez) December 8, 2024
Texas did this to themselves.. The HC needs to leave his feelings at home and should have put Arch Manning… Disappointing. @TexasFootball
— MÁRIO (@JrMmendez) December 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/iTylen/status/1865563564708102355
https://twitter.com/Suvyland/status/1865563556608958538
Quinn Ewers sucks. Texas will be better when Arch Manning takes over.
— Howard Lewis (@HowardLewi15148) December 8, 2024
Arch Manning should have played the majority of this game but we didn't wanna hurt Quinn Ewers feelings. #SECChampionship pic.twitter.com/3f9IJZ7Z5R
— kelly (@kananat) December 8, 2024
Texas should let Arch Manning finish out the postseason and that shouldn’t be a hot take. Ewers is 🗑️
— Zamboni (@ZamboniSSB) December 8, 2024
Texas should have started Arch Manning in the 2nd half when Georgia started their backup…that would’ve been the difference maker
— AyeDub33 🏴☠️ (@AWalker33) December 8, 2024
Arch Manning wins that game
— Vodwa (@TylerNeil7) December 8, 2024
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.
