Shannon Sharpe, Johnny Manziel Slam Arch Manning’s ‘Generational QB’ Narrative After Blunder vs Ohio State

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes game kicked off with plenty of hype, and expectations were sky-high for Arch Manning. This was his debut as the full-time starter, but he wasn’t able to live up to the buzz. Nearly 107,000 fans roared and sighed as the quarterback made some costly mistakes. The Buckeyes ended up victorious with a 14-7 win, while Manning’s underwhelming performance spread like wildfire and sparked a heated debate.

After the disappointing outing, he may have to brace for even more criticism on social media. On the latest episode of The Night Cap, Shannon Sharpe, Johnny Manziel, and Chad Johnson were quick to call out Manning’s performance and the heavy expectations weighing on his shoulders.

Johnny Manziel questioned, “Has he got enough reps to be able to come into a game like this and be prepared and ready to go? And today, it didn’t look that way….This is the defending, reigning, really good Ohio State football team…That motherf—– must be broken or something because that did not look like the number one team in the country today at all.”

Sharpe was even harsher as he questioned the fans and experts who touted Manning as a “generational” talent. “Everybody is not generational. Just because they have one or two good games…But if you look at an Arch Manning and you say he’s transcendent or he’s transformative, he’s generational, you’re lying. He’s not. Because guess what? They shut down the run, and then it’s like, okay, go win the game,” the former Denver Broncos player said.

Whether he is generational or not is not a debate for now. However, Manning’s performance in the game wasn’t up to par. His much-anticipated Texas debut saw him struggle to meet sky-high expectations. Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Already labeled a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, he didn’t live up to the hype. Instead, he delivered an inconsistent outing that raised early questions about his readiness.

In one instance in the fourth quarter, it appeared he had thrown a second interception, but the play was overturned after review and ruled incomplete. Replays revealed the ball had hit the turf before the Ohio State defender could secure it. Manning finished with an off-target percentage of 37%. As per ESPN Research, this is the worst by a Texas quarterback in a game over the past decade. Apart from the frustrated crowd, Manning also had another special group in attendance.

Scouts from more than a dozen NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns, were present during the game. And this was hardly an ideal showing for Manning. While many have united in criticizing the quarterback, the coach has a different opinion.

Arch Manning’s Coach Opened Up About the Disastrous Debut as a Starter

Despite having one of the best units, the team didn’t win. Head coach Steve Sarkisian refused to pile on the criticism. Despite four new offensive line starters, Sarkisian noted Manning had enough time to throw but didn’t capitalize consistently.

He believes that the performance is part of a longer journey. He reminded critics that expectations around Manning were “out of control” and urged patience. “The growth throughout the game for Arch was really encouraging. We are going to be fine. For Arch, the expectations were out of control on the outside. I’d say let’s finish the book before we judge him. That’s one chapter,” Sarkisian said.

And of course, the Longhorns were facing the Buckeyes’ defense led by coach Matt Patricia. The QB took responsibility for his performances, though. “Ultimately, not good enough. Obviously, you don’t want to start off the season going 0-1. They’re a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot. That starts with me. I’ve got to play better for us to win,” he said.

Texas now moves into a softer stretch before its SEC opener at Florida on October 4. Sarkisian stressed that offensive miscues are fixable, from sharper throws to improved play-calling, and doubled down on his belief that Manning’s future remains bright. The loss will linger in the headlines, but in Austin, the program is betting that patience and growth outweigh a rocky start under the brightest spotlight in college football.