Steve Sarkisian had every reason to celebrate on Saturday. The Longhorns pulled off their second straight road overtime win. Down 17 entering the fourth quarter, Texas refused to fold and defeated Mississippi State 45-38 in double overtime. Although Arch Manning left early in overtime with an injury, they stayed composed, improving to 6-2 on the season. But that win isn’t enough to hide Texas’ growing weaknesses.

On Sunday, the Longhorns’ weaknesses were laid bare with SEC analyst Cole Cubelic’s revelation on X. ” [QB] Protection still an issue,” wrote Cubelic. And he wasn’t wrong. Giving up five sacks and 12 TFLs against Mississippi State reflected that Texas’ O-line continued to falter. Despite a shaky offensive line, Arch Manning had a career night, completing 29 of 45 passes for 346 yards and three TDs against the Bulldogs. But Sarkisian was candid about the struggles surrounding the QB.

“I thought Arch battled his tail off. Again, I wish we played a little better around him at times,” he said. However, that was just the beginning of their struggles, as Cubelic listed more issues. “Pull & slide protection gave up pressures. QB legs made a difference. Has to get more consistent on intermediate throws. Some plays a little too slow to develop. Too many free runners at QB,” said Cubelic. Manning had already been hit 60 times through seven games, and the struggles with his inconsistent intermediate throws were glaring.

The Longhorns needed overtime to escape with a 16-13 win against Kentucky. They finished the game with just 179 yards of offense and eight first downs: the lowest marks under Sarkisian despite his offensive mastermind. Then mistakes piled up, prompting Sarkisian to say, “We have to get out of our own way offensively. The self-inflicted wounds.” Due to these glaring issues, Texas’ offense is far from elite, ranking 80th in scoring and 84th in total offense. And the problems don’t stop there.

Cubelic added, “They’ve struggled with TEs and formations into the boundary.” Although Cal transfer Jack Endries was brought in to lead the unit. But the room’s limited experience has been evident. Then, predictable play-calling and a shortage of explosive options have made it easy for defenses to attack. While Manning has felt the heat constantly, his struggles on the field have proven it. That now puts him behind 134 CFB QBs.

Arch Manning sets unnecessary records

Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones has finally been dethroned as CFB’s most pressured QB. As Doug Bowman shared on X, “Kyron Drones is no longer the most pressured quarterback in America. Congrats to Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava (115 pressured dropbacks) on this prestigious honor. Drones falls to T-3 at 113.” Once constantly under siege, relentless defensive pressure often overshadowed Drones’ impressive stats. Even in Virginia Tech’s 42-35 win over Cal, he was sacked three times. Analysts say the Hokies’ switch to a play-action attack finally gave Drones some breathing room. However, for Manning, there’s no such relief in Texas.

The 21-year-old’s troubles aren’t just about his decision-making. Texas’ O-line, one of the youngest units in the SEC, has been under constant attack. After losing 4 starters from last season, the rebuilt line has allowed defenders to pressure Manning. That’s nearly 41% of his dropbacks, the worst rate in the SEC. But things reached a new low for Manning in the matchup against Florida.

He was sacked six times and pressured on nearly 60% of his dropbacks. In that game, with key RBs CJ Baxter and Quintrevion Wisner out, Manning had to carry nearly one-fifth of Texas’ rushing load. Now, with the O-line’s issues mounting, Steve Sarkisian needs to make immediate adjustments, or it could end in disaster.