Sports

‘I have been hyped up all my life’:Texas QB Arch Manning makes telling admission about doubters after Ole Miss win

Nairavoice · Oct 25, 2026 · 3 min read

Steve Sarkisian told reporters on Thursday that he would describe Arch Manning as edgy, and that he liked it. Manning had not heard about it by the time he led No. 19 Texas past No. 7 Ole Miss 34-27 on Saturday night in Austin.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and moved Texas to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the SEC.

“I was edgy? I don’t know what that means,” Manning said after the game.

“I’ve been hyped up all my life…I think I kind of like being disregarded and counted out,” Manning said during his postgame news conference.

Arch Manning didn’t know Sark described him as “edgy” this week but he did acknowledge he likes when people doubt him…

“I’ve been hyped up all my life…I think I kind of like being disregarded and counted out”
#HookEm | #Texas https://t.co/VmshmfQXLH

— Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) October 25, 2026

‘I have been hyped up all

How Manning earned the doubters he now says he likes

Texas entered the week off back-to-back losses to unranked Oklahoma and Florida, blowing a 10-point lead against the Sooners and a 14-point lead against the Gators. Manning threw an interception that set up Oklahoma’s winning field goal, then fumbled after the two-minute warning against Florida with Texas trailing by three.

“It was a hard Sunday when I went over to their place, damn near bawled crying over to them,” Manning said of seeing his family after the Florida loss.

Texas led Ole Miss 24-3 before the Rebels scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and another early in the fourth, and Manning’s mistakes fed the rally. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble when Blake Purchase hit him from his blind side, with Ole Miss recovering in the end zone for a touchdown.

Manning finished 18 of 30 for 212 yards, hit Ryan Wingo for a 50-yard touchdown and led the fourth-quarter drive that put Texas ahead for good. Ole Miss kicked a field goal and recovered an onside kick in the final two minutes but never got the tying score.

‘I have been hyped up all

“When he shows that fire in his belly that he had tonight, I think the team responds to that,” Sarkisian said.

“The guys see it. They see him get up. They see him fiery, you know. They see him high step in the end zone on the touchdown at the end. The guys like that stuff, you know,” Sarkisian said.

“The moment we feel like we need to respond to the opinions of others, that’s a dangerous way to live life,” Sarkisian said of the outside criticism.

Manning says he likes being counted out, and Saturday showed why people keep doing it and why Texas keeps putting the ball in his hands anyway. A third loss would have badly damaged the Longhorns’ playoff hopes, and the schedule still holds Mississippi State at home before road trips to Missouri and LSU.