The last time Holly Rowe and Arch Manning became a talking point, an AI-generated video and an apology were involved. Two months later, the ESPN reporter was back interviewing the Texas quarterback after another dramatic win.
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This time, the exchange was about his beard after Arch orchestrated a thrilling comeback against LSU in Death Valley. It still managed to bring their earlier history back into the conversation.
“OK, I see that it’s no-shave November. You’re so good in November with everything except the facial hair. What do you say?” Holly Rowe asked Arch Manning after the game on the field.
Arch Manning had thrown three interceptions, but he also delivered the pass that decided the game, finding Raleek Brown for a four-yard touchdown with three seconds left. Manning laughed before giving a short answer.
“I gotta say, I gotta keep it going. Hook ’em. Thank y’all,” Arch replied to Rowe and then walked away from the interview.
The exchange was brief, but it didn’t take long for the clip to go viral online. Rowe’s comment was a playful dig at Manning’s attempt to grow a beard, although their previous interaction gave the moment a little more attention.
The September incident began after Texas beat Ohio State 24-23 on September 12. Steve Sarkisian had cut short his postgame interview with Rowe, shouting Texas slogans before leaving to celebrate with his players.
Someone later used AI to create a fake video of Sarkisian hitting the ESPN reporter during the exchange. The clip circulated on social media, and when Arch was asked about it on Monday, he laughed and called it “hilarious.”
That response did not sit well with everyone. The video showed a man hitting a female reporter, and the fact that it was fake did not stop people from questioning the reaction to it. Arch apologized publicly the following day.
He called his comment insensitive, said there was nothing funny about the video, and specifically apologized to Rowe for what she had experienced because of his remarks.
Rowe accepted the apology. In her response, she said they had spoken privately and that she wanted to move forward with respect and kindness. That was an important part of the story. Head coach Steve Sarkisian also addressed the matter.
“If hindsight’s 20/20, if I could do it all over again,” Steve Sarkisian said to reporters. “I would have exuded more patience in that moment and sat through and waited for the interview with Holly.”
There was another sign that the September controversy had not permanently damaged their relationship. After Texas beat Ole Miss 34-27 on October 24, Manning had a much warmer exchange with Rowe.
He told the ESPN reporter that she should cover more Texas games because the Longhorns were 3-0 with her on the sideline that season. Rowe played along, responding, “Hey, we’ll take it.”
The interaction drew attention of its own, with some viewers reading too much into her expression as the interview ended. That exchange makes the latest interview harder to frame as a confrontation. Still, many users on X targeted Rowe for her remarks.
“Holy s–t! Really?!? Facial hair?!?” a user wrote on X. “Come on! And you wonder why you get criticized? I get so damn tired of women being stereotyped about their lack of sports knowledge, and good gosh damn there you go!”
For many, the choice of subject stands out. Manning had just played through a difficult night against LSU, and there was plenty to discuss about his performance.
He finished 19 of 35 for 174 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions. He also ran for 35 yards and a score. So, for many, the game-winning drive, rather than the facial hair, was the biggest part of his night.
“Passive-aggressive as always, Holly,” wrote another user.
“Get over yourself,” another comment read.
Another user had a more stern demand and wrote that “Holly Rowe needs to go away.”
A prominent account on X, ‘Hater Report,’ with 270k followers, also magnified the criticism, sharing just the 11-second version of the interview.
“Holly Rowe COOKED Arch Manning in the postgame interview for NO REASON,” their take read.
In truth, the clips circulating on social media don’t give the full picture of the whole interview. Rowe started the interview first by asking how Arch removed “all doubt” after throwing three picks.
She then asked Manning about Raleek Brown’s last play and how the team executed it. Moreover, she also asked the Texas QB1 about winning at LSU for the first time and the emotions after the win.
The ‘facial hair’ question was just a brief last part of the interview. One user on X perfectly captured the conversation.
“She been around that family for YEARS. They just trolling,” the comment read.
For Arch Manning, Holly Rowe and Steve Sarkisian, the old Ohio State game controversy is now water under the bridge. And the latest conversation doesn’t seem like more than a playful attack.