Steve Sarkisian’s Texas sealed an easy 59-7 win against their in-state program, Texas State, in Week 1. However, their victory isn’t the only thing people are talking about. QB1 Arch Manning’s entry has become a talking point after the game. For Pat McAfee, Manning’s fall in the tunnel raised serious questions about player safety.
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“It’s like anybody but Arch this can happen to, I think, would be the sentiment,” Pat McAfee said on his show on September 7 on Arch Manning’s stumble in the tunnel.
“Hey, Arch, we’re going to need you to run down the middle of the tunnel. ‘We’ve got cords on the right side, and we’ve got some s–t on the left side. We’ve got camera people over here, and we’ve got some people that are a little handsy, too. Okay, they’re going to want to grab you a little bit because you’re Arch Manning. We need you in the middle of the tunnel. Just something to think about as we go.’ It’s the first weekend.”
Arch Manning had a scary pregame fall in the tunnel as he entered the stadium with his teammates. Just seconds before the kickoff against Texas State, the Longhorns ran onto the field. It wouldn’t have been a Longhorn entry without a heavily fogged entrance tunnel. As they all ran with excitement, one fan crossed the media to grab a Hifi from the signal caller. It eventually ended in Manning losing his balance and crashing hard to the turf.
Luckily, Manning avoided any serious injury and went on to play as if nothing had happened, and it was clearly visible on the field. The viral clip of the accident resulted in a wildfire of outrage online. Many fans demanded the individual be banned. There was a clear lapse that could have caused a bad injury to the QB. While McAfee kept his sarcastic tone on while reacting to the video, he was also genuinely worried about the safety of the QB.
Manning shook off the pregame stumble and delivered a dominant performance. He threw for 305 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. The chemistry between freshman wide receiver Cam Coleman and Manning was worth all the offseason buzz. Coleman caught three catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Manning utilized the offense to his fullest. Alongside Coleman, he also slung touchdown passes to wide receiver Ryan Wingo and running back Hollywood Smothers.
The Longhorns didn’t address Arch Manning’s fall in post-game pressers. For Steve Sarkisian and his team, the focus now fully shifts to their Week 2 opponents. Ryan Day’s Ohio State is coming to Austin for the return fixture of its home-and-home series with the Longhorns.
Last season, Matt Patricia’s defense dealt the first blow to Arch Manning’s preseason hype as Texas’s first-year starter. While the redemption will be on the minds of the team, it is also an opportunity for the QB to show that he has come a long way since that 7-14 loss to Ohio State in Week 1 of the 2025 season.