Why Arch Manning’s Bounce-Back Game Still Didn’t Wow Me

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s not get carried away.

Yes, Arch Manning bounced back Saturday night.

Yes, Texas stomped San Jose State 38–7.

And yes, the kid threw for four touchdowns like he was out there in a video game.

But before y’all crown him the next Heisman winner, allow me to slow this train down just a bit.

Because here’s the reality: Arch Manning was supposed to do that.

After last week’s nightmare against Ohio State — 11-of-26 passing, no touchdowns, one interception — the critics were circling like vultures.

The whispers were loud: Is he overrated? Is the Manning name carrying him more than his play?

And to his credit, Arch answered.

He went 19-of-30 for 295 yards, tied his career high with four touchdowns, and even tucked it to run for a 20-yard score.

That’s called stepping up.

That’s called doing your job.

But was it spectacular?

Did it scream, “This is the next great Manning, a generational quarterback, a man destined to own college football?”

I didn’t see that.

What I saw was a talented kid finally settling down against a team he absolutely should have dominated.

Let’s break it down. He started slow again. Three-for-six, 11 yards on his first two drives.

The Longhorns' offense looked stale. But then came that spark — third-and-3, 2:52 left in the first quarter, and BOOM. He hits Parker Livingstone on the sideline, who takes it 83 yards to the house.

From there, Arch got hot, going 5-for-5 for 142 yards and three touchdowns in a row. That stretch was impressive. That stretch was Manning football.

But he also threw an ugly interception into double coverage and had a couple other near-picks that San Jose State defenders flat-out dropped.

Against a better defense? Those are turnovers, momentum killers, and game-changers.

So here’s the bottom line: Arch Manning played well. He looked more comfortable. He took care of business. But this wasn’t a wow game. This wasn’t the kind of performance that makes you say, “Yep, that’s the best quarterback in the country.”

And you know what? That’s fine. He’s still young. He’s still growing. He’s still figuring out how to be Arch Manning when the lights are brightest.

But in year two, with that last name, the expectations will always be sky-high. Fair or not, that’s the territory.

Texas has bigger battles ahead. Arch Manning won’t be judged by what he does against San Jose State. He’ll be judged by what he does against Oklahoma, against Alabama, against the College Football Playoff-caliber teams.

That’s when we’ll find out if he’s truly HIM… or just another Manning chasing ghosts.

So for now?

Props to the kid for bouncing back. But don’t hand him the crown just yet.