Just six days ago, Texas quarterback Arch Maning was hit hard and hit his head on the ground even harder. Unsurprisingly, when head coach Steve Sarkisian provided an update on his status, it was that Manning had entered concussion protocol.
Then, on Wednesday, less than four full days after suffering the blow to the head, Manning returned to practice, and that trend continued throughout the rest of the week.
On Friday morning, Sarkisian and the Longhorns reported that their quarterback was a "game-time decision," despite suffering the concussion just six days prior to the announcement.
Texas QB Arch Manning is a game-time decision against Vanderbilt, sources tell @On3sports.https://t.co/aVNXFLRSne https://t.co/oa8m3sseIK pic.twitter.com/Qot3a9mP2O
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) October 31, 2025
This update gave Texas fans hope that their QB1 would be available for the No. 20 Longhorns to take on the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores, in a game that could determine both teams' probability of making it to the College Football Playoffs.
While only a few weeks earlier, fans were questioning if Manning should be benched for QB2 Matthew Caldwell, or even QB3 KJ Lacey, his performance against Mississippi State before suffering the concussion cemented him as the Horns' offensive star.
Arch Manning's 4th quarter vs. Mississippi State
- 12/21 pass attempts (57.1 percent)
- 159 passing yards
- 2 passing touchdowns
Manning's fourth-quarter performance propelled the Horns into overtime against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, where Texas would secure the victory. His comeback performance showcased the quarterback that Longhorn fans had been begging for, and expecting, all season long.
As the Longhorns and the Commodores warm up for their top-25 showdown, it will become readily apparent whether Manning is playing or not, so fans need to have just a little more patience with their young quarterback.
No. 20 Texas and No. 9 Vanderbilt are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 1, and the game will be broadcast on ABC.