Texas QB Arch Manning boosts his Heisman Trophy case in comeback win over No. 1 Ohio State

Given an early-season opportunity to stand out in a crowded Heisman Trophy race, Texas quarterback Arch Manning did just that Saturday night.

Manning helped engineer a fourth-quarter comeback as No. 4 Texas earned a signature win for head coach Steve Sarkisian in a 24-23 win over No. 1 Ohio State at Royal-Memorial Stadium. Trailing by 20 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Longhorns (2-0) tied the fourth-largest comeback in school history.

Manning threw for 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception while completing 62.2% of his 37 passes. Two of his completions came on fourth-down attempts in the second half – a 9-yard pass to tight end Emaree Winston on a fourth-and-9 play and a 12-yard connection with Emmett Mosley V on a fourth-and-6 – as Texas kept three scoring drives alive.

Actors Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey attend the Texas Longhorns game against Ohio State at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)

“Part of the driving force was kind of his grit,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I felt like his grit started it, and then the running backs’ grit, and then the receivers’ grit, it all started to kind of work together. But I just thought it was with him kind of saying, ‘Screw it, you know, let’s just go back to letting it rip, and I’m going to trust these guys to go make plays.'”
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Manning struggled throughout the first half and Texas’ offense even heard boos from an announced crowd of 105,044 during the third quarter. But in the fourth quarter, Manning completed eight of his 11 passes and found Ryan Wingo for a 3-yard score.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) carries the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Christian Alliegro (14) arrives to defend in the third quarter of Texas’ 24-23 win over Ohio State at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 12, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

His performance came one year after he threw for just 170 yards in a season-opening loss at Ohio State in Columbus. That 14-7 defeat was in the back of his mind Saturday, he said.

“I did not want to come in (the postgame press conference) after a loss at home to Ohio State again and have y’all telling me we’re not good,” said Manning, who also had 22 rushing yards. “I could not let that happen. So I think that was going through the back of my mind, let’s not let that happen.”

Had it not been for some mistakes by his teammates, Manning’s statistics would have been even better. His interception came after Ohio State’s Jaylen McClain snagged a first-half pass that slipped out of UT receiver Cam Coleman‘s grasp. And Wingo dropped a touchdown pass in the second quarter.

“Stuff like that happens,” Manning said.

Through the first two games against Texas State and Ohio State, Manning has thrown for 500 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He has completed 67.2% of his passes.