Arch Manning gets huge opportunity

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning had the best game of his collegiate career to date in the team’s blowout Week 3 victory over UTSA. And that has earned him his biggest opportunity to date as a collegiate athlete.

Manning found the field for an extended period for the first time in Week 3 and made the absolute most of it, throwing for four touchdowns and adding in a lengthy rushing touchdown in the team’s 56-7 victory.

The reason he saw the field was due to an injury to starting quarterback Quinn Ewers. But after Manning’s big game, some fans have even questioned whether there could be a quarterback controversy brewing in Austin.

Only time will tell whether there really is a quarterback controversy. But for the time being, Manning will get another chance to plead his case at there being one, as he was named the Week 4 starter for the team’s matchup against Louisiana Monroe with Ewers still sidelined with an abdominal injury.

Breaking: Texas QB Arch Manning will be the starting quarterback Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe, head coach Steve Sarkisian announced. pic.twitter.com/CdXLPZJrKp

— ESPN (@espn) September 19, 2024

Manning is clearly fighting for more than just a victory here. A dominant outing again in Week 4 could make it extremely tough for the Texas coaching staff to ignore.

On top of that, he has some added motivation for this game, as he received a bit of trash talk from Lousiana Monroe defensive coordinator Earnest Hill earlier this week, who claimed that the team “holds no fear” of Manning.

“We actually have some kids on our team who played against him in New Orleans, and a couple guys done beat him already,” Hill said. “So, they don’t hold too much fear against him. So, they’re not gonna hold any fear against him coming up here.”

If that isn’t bulletin board material for Manning to have a huge game on Saturday, I’m not quite sure what is…

[ESPN on X]