Second‑Half Surge Buries No. 3 Texas A&M
Arch Manning’s No. 16 Texas Longhorns secured a 27-17 win over beforehand undefeated No. 3 Texas A&M on Friday, handing the Aggies their first loss and dropping them to 11-1. The grandson of NFL icon Archie Manning, and nephew of Tremendous Bowl winners Peyton and Eli confirmed what many anticipated from him because the Longhorns’ chief.
The win strikes Texas to 9-3 general and 6-2 within the Southeastern Convention.
Arch Manning’s Second-Half Surge Leads Texas to Historic Win Over Texas A&M
In Friday’s recreation, Texas trailed 10–3, the offense was stagnant, and Manning struggled early. He accomplished simply 8 of 21 passes for 51 yards within the first half, drawing frustration and boos from the group. Texas A&M’s move rush sacked him twice, stored him within the pocket a lot of the sport, and gave him hassle with constant blitzes.
Nonetheless, Manning got here alive within the second half, finishing six of his final seven passes and driving Texas to touchdowns on three of six drives. His 29-yard landing toss to Ryan Wingo within the third quarter put the Longhorns forward 13-10, and so they by no means regarded again.
“Lots of people who wrote off Arch Manning after that shaky begin to the season have been awfully quiet currently. Dude has been enjoying just like the celebrity he was promised to be for month now, and he’s solely getting began,” Florida alum Mike Kennedy mentioned.
Lots of people who wrote off Arch Manning after that shaky begin to the season have been awfully quiet currently.
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>Dude has been enjoying just like the celebrity he was promised to be for month now, and he’s solely getting began.pic.twitter.com/Pz8OasIiAX— Mike Kennedy (@MikeKennedyNFL) November 29, 2025
Manning additionally displayed phenomenal poise within the pocket by confidently delivering the ball downfield.
“This was an insanely spectacular show of consciousness & play by Arch Manning,” a individual wrote.
This was an insanely spectacular show of consciousness & play by Arch Manning.
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> pic.twitter.com/id2sATQOD8— TJ Salomone (@TJSalomone) November 29, 2025
Manning’s 35-yard third-down run up the center with seven minutes left gave Texas a 27-17 lead. He completed with 14 completions on 29 makes an attempt for 179 passing yards.
“Arch Manning goes to be the primary general decide in 2027. Man has gotten so significantly better because the begin of the season. All of his critics are beginning to seem like full morons,” Outkick’s Clay Travis tweeted.
Manning started the 2025 season as a Heisman favourite however fell out of rivalry after stretches of inconsistency regardless of flashes of elite play. He struggled in losses to Ohio State and Georgia, the place he was additionally self-critical about missed throws.
Nonetheless, Manning had a historic efficiency in opposition to Arkansas final week, recording six touchdowns and 389 passing yards, which earned him the AP Participant of the Week award. Whereas his exhibiting in opposition to Texas A&M might not put him again within the Heisman dialog, it proved his means to carry out on massive phases.
The win over the Aggies additionally cemented Manning as Texas’s unquestioned QB1 heading into the bowl season and the 2026 spring, regardless of some followers beforehand calling for options.
With the win, the Longhorns maintain slim hopes alive for a 3rd consecutive School Soccer Playoff look, and they’re ranked No. 19 within the PFSN CFB Playoff Meter. Head coach Steve Sarkisian additionally shared his enchantment for the Longhorns’ playoff following Friday’s win.
“It will be a disservice to our sport if this workforce just isn’t a playoff workforce once we went and scheduled that non-conference recreation,” Sarkisian mentioned. “As a result of if we’re a 10-2 workforce, it’s not a query.
“However, we have been prepared to go play that recreation. So, is that what faculty soccer is about? Don’t play anyone and simply have report, or play the most effective and put the most effective groups within the playoffs. And, we’re probably the greatest groups.”
Texas’ 29-21 loss to Florida on Oct. 4 stays a consider its CFP positioning. Nonetheless, previous to the Texas A&M win, the Longhorns additionally defeated two top-10 groups on the time of play (Oklahoma and Vanderbilt).
