No.17 Texas (7–3, 4–2 SEC) ran into a buzzsaw Saturday as No. 4 Georgia (9–1, 7–1 SEC) controlled all four quarters in a 35–10 win. Here’s how Arch Manning graded out in a tough road loss in Athens.
Stat line
27-of-43
251 yards
1 TD, 1 INT
Texas threw it 43 times, but the efficiency didn’t match the volume. One touchdown over four quarters wasn’t enough to keep pace, and with the run game providing no balance, the offense struggled to stay on schedule. The biggest issue: 2-for-12 on third down.
You can’t survive in the SEC when you can’t extend drives.
What stood out
Resilience
Manning stayed composed through drops, pressure, and stalled drives. No frustration. No finger-pointing. He steadied the huddle and kept competing.
Improved footwork
Noticeably more balanced and upright early in the game. His drop mechanics have taken a jump from Week 1 — clear signs of technical development.
Progression growth
He worked through reads cleaner and took checkdowns instead of forcing throws. Several on-target balls fell incomplete, but the processing continues trending upward.
Grade: C+
Final thoughts
This isn’t the same Texas team that opened the season ranked No. 1, and it showed. The Longhorns had a real chance to knock off a national powerhouse — and missed it. Right now, the offense feels like it’s searching for answers, throwing ideas at the wall and hoping something sticks. In the SEC, that gets exposed quickly.
Texas isn’t 100% out of the playoff picture just yet, but the margin is razor thin. With Arkansas and Texas A&M up next, the cushion is gone. If the Longhorns play anything like they did in Athens, they’ll be preparing for a bowl — not a semifinal. This is a gut-check moment. Time to respond.