As the No. 1 Longhorns head to Columbus to face No. 3 Ohio State in what coach Steve Sarkisian called an “epic matchup,” all eyes are on Texas’ new starting quarterback, Arch Manning.
Manning, the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite according to ESPN BET, has made just two starts in two years — against UL Monroe and Mississippi State last season — but this will be his first start on the road or against a ranked team.
With all the noise, Sarkisian said his message to Manning has been just to be himself.
“We’re not asking any superhuman efforts of you to do anything that is extraordinary,” Sarkisian said Monday about what he told Manning. “Just go be you. What you’ve done is good enough to get us to this point and to get him to this point in this juncture of his career. Now go play the way he’s capable of playing to the style that he’s comfortable doing it.”
Manning threw for 939 yards with 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in spot duty last season, while rushing for 108 yards and 4 touchdowns. His best performance was off the bench against UTSA last year, when he replaced Quinn Ewers and threw for 223 yards and 4 touchdowns on 9-of-12 passing while adding a 67-yard touchdown run — the longest by a Texas quarterback since Vince Young in 2005.
Now that he’s got the job full-time, he said he won’t take the opportunity for granted.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” Manning said Monday. “I spent two years not playing, so I might as well go have some fun.”
The game marks just the second time since the AP poll debuted in 1950 that two top-3 teams will meet in their season opener, according to ESPN Research. The last time was 2017, when No. 1 Alabama beat No. 3 Florida State 24-7 and went on to win the national championship.
It’s also a rematch of last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal, when the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl.
Sarkisian said these are two different teams from the end of last season.
“If you look at last year’s game, 26 players got drafted off of the two teams,” Sarkisian said. “If you include free agents. 32 players that were playing in that game a year ago are now in the NFL.”
The Longhorns return nine starters and 30 players from last year, but they still are the preseason No. 1. Sarkisian said both teams’ ranking is a testament to their quality, and he touted Ryan Day’s 70-10 head-coaching record.
“They’re not a gimmick team at all,” Sarkisian said of the Buckeyes. “I don’t mean to offend anybody, but the things that they do are sound and so you have to beat them.”
But the Buckeyes have two new coordinators and, like Texas, are breaking in a new starting quarterback in sophomore Julian Sayin.
“He’s a natural passer; he’s got a quick release,” Sarkisian said of Sayin. “He’s a better athlete than you think, and he can run. So we definitely need to be alert to that. … This is going to be one of those where, when you go into the ring with somebody, what’s the plan? As the rounds go on, you’ve got to have to be able to adjust.”
Texas has won its last 11 true road games, which Sarkisian said is a result of their process, focus and game-day routine. But neither he nor Manning have ever been to Ohio Stadium. Manning said he knows he’s got a talented team around him and doesn’t feel any pressure going into such a hostile environment.
“I always have to remind myself, it’s not all about me; it’s the whole team,” Sarkisian said. “It’s going to be a fun one.”
Manning said he doesn’t feel a target on his back as he steps into the role of full-time starter.
“I think that’s all of us at Texas, and I think we kind of try to shift the narrative,” Manning said. “We’re going for everyone else. Target’s not on our back, but we got the red dot on everyone else.”