‘Brock Purdy Clears This Fraud’ — Fans Not Sold on Arch Manning as Heroics vs San Jose State Fail to Impress

by

Texas Longhorns star freshman signal-caller Arch Manning entered the 2025 season under a mountain of expectations and hype, given the flashes from his limited on-field action and his last name’s legacy.

He was not only the face of college football in the offseason, but also was a part of constant discussion as a contender for the prestigious Heisman trophy while being compared to the game’s legends. But after a humbling 14-7 Week 1 loss to Ohio State on the road, Manning was under enormous pressure to prove he could deliver on the hype.

Dive into Try out PFSN’s FREE college football playoff predictor, where you can simulate every 2025-26 NFL season game and see who wins the National Championship!

Manning Bounces Back vs. San Jose State

However, Manning wasted no time finding the end zone. In the Week 2 clash against San Jose State, on Texas’s opening possession, he launched an 83-yard strike to Parker Livingstone, silencing the crowd of critics who had blasted him after his poor showing in Columbus.

That touchdown also marked Livingstone’s second of the season; the young receiver caught Texas’s lone score in the opener against Ohio State. Manning and Livingstone connected again on the following drive, quickly putting Texas ahead 14-0.

It was the spark the Longhorns desperately needed after Manning’s Week 1 line of just 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, along with 38 rushing yards.

On Saturday, however, the offense looked much closer to what fans expected from a program with national championship ambitions. However, the fans are not buying the hype around this particular game.

Fans Dismiss Arch Manning’s San Jose State Showcase

Even after Manning’s explosive first-half performance, the reaction from the wider college football world wasn’t universally positive. Many pointed out that his big plays came against San Jose State, a program not viewed as a true test for a quarterback hyped in the Heisman conversation. On social media, some fans were blunt in their criticism.

“Brock Purdy clears this fraud,” one fan posted, bluntly dismissing Manning’s success and suggesting he was far from living up to NFL-level comparisons.

Others focused on the level of competition. “I’m surprised that Arch is throwing TD passes against subpar teams said no one ever,” another added, noting that piling up touchdowns against lower-tier opponents doesn’t prove he’s ready for bigger stages.

“ESPN loves Arch for some reason, that’s all game day talked about. So ridiculous, of course he’ll play well against a subpar team,” one fan argued, frustrated with what they felt was overly generous national attention.

Some were even dismissive of the highlight moments themselves. “Defender of a bad team slipped. Any high school QB would’ve thrown that 83-yard TD,” a fan chimed, downplaying one of Manning’s longest completions.

Others chimed in with more general skepticism. “Arch does pretty well against high school teams,” one wrote, while another put it simply, “It’s San Jose St. Settle down.”

Another echoed the same thought, adding, “He always does well when he’s playing against 1 and 2 star kids.”

The consensus among the fans was pretty clear that while Manning’s performance was statistically impressive, it did little to change the narrative that he still has to prove himself against top competition.

RELATED: Amid Heavy Criticism, ESPN Insider Gives Arch Manning Advice on How to Get Over Week 1 Setback

While fans remain split, Manning still showed poise and efficiency in a must-have performance. Yes, it came against a weaker opponent, but it gave Texas much-needed momentum after a rocky opener. Livingstone’s emergence as Manning’s go-to target is also a promising development for an offense criticized as “too one-dimensional” in Week 1.

The Longhorns’ national championship hopes rest heavily on whether their young quarterback can maintain this spark against defenses that will be less forgiving.

Leave a Comment