Arch Manning had a rough outing against Ohio State last week, but he seemed to right the ship against San Jose State in the Texas Longhorns’ home opener.
While Manning had a solid game, concerns arose that something might be amiss with his mechanics. He completed 19 of 30 passes for 295 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. However, he was seen grimacing on many of his throws, leading to speculation that something might be wrong with him.
Is Anything Wrong With Arch Manning’s Arm?
After the game, a reporter asked Manning if his grimaces were a sign of something. Manning responded, “Yeah, probably. I don’t even know,” drawing laughs from reporters. He quickly moved on to the next question.
During his press conference, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was asked if Manning’s grimaces were a sign he was dealing with something.
“I don’t know. News to me,” Sarkisian said.
Manning is already under the microscope in Austin. Thanks to the combination of his talent, family name, and where he plays, he is one of the most publicized, hyped, and scrutinized college football players in 2025. That means even a facial expression can touch off wild speculation about his state of mind and body.
While his performance against the Buckeyes has been heavily scrutinized, his performance against San Jose State was clean and efficient. Manning closed the game completing 19 of 30 passes for 295 yards, accounting for five total touchdowns, four through the air and one on the ground, along with a single interception. The Longhorns rolled past the Spartans, 38-7. Against Ohio State, Manning went 17-for-30 for 170 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception in a 14-7 defeat.
He also had moments of flair, including an 83-yard touchdown pass to Parker Livingstone. Manning found Livingstone in a seam in the Spartans’ zone, and the receiver broke downfield untouched.
ARCH MANNING TO PARKER LIVINGSTONE FOR THE 83-YARD TD 🤘 pic.twitter.com/BTotrkwY5E
— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2025
Manning’s performance against San Jose State was about what is expected against a Mountain West opponent. In the coming weeks, he’ll face more criticism and scrutiny as he takes on better-coached and more athletic opponents in the SEC.
Considering his pedigree and talent, however, Manning likely won’t be outwardly fazed by the pressure and attention.
The Longhorns’ next game is Saturday, Sept. 13, against UTEP at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium at 8 p.m. Eastern time. They’ll look for their second straight win against the Miners, who face UT Martin on Saturday.