Arch Manning’s No. 16 Texas Longhorns secured a 27-17 win over previously undefeated No. 3 Texas A&M on Friday, handing the Aggies their first loss and dropping them to 11-1. The grandson of NFL icon Archie Manning, and nephew of Super Bowl winners Peyton and Eli showed what many expected from him as the Longhorns’ leader.
The win moves Texas to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference.
Arch Manning’s Second-Half Surge Leads Texas to Historic Win Over Texas A&M
In Friday’s game, Texas trailed 10–3, the offense was stagnant, and Manning struggled early. He completed just 8 of 21 passes for 51 yards in the first half, drawing frustration and boos from the crowd. Texas A&M’s pass rush sacked him twice, kept him in the pocket much of the game, and gave him trouble with consistent blitzes.
However, Manning came alive in the second half, completing six of his last seven passes and driving Texas to touchdowns on three of six drives. His 29-yard touchdown toss to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter put the Longhorns ahead 13-10, and they never looked back.
“A lot of people who wrote off Arch Manning after that shaky start to the season have been awfully quiet lately. Dude has been playing like the superstar he was promised to be for a good month now, and he’s only getting started,” Florida alum Mike Kennedy said.
A lot of people who wrote off Arch Manning after that shaky start to the season have been awfully quiet lately.
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>Dude has been playing like the superstar he was promised to be for a good month now, and he’s only getting started.pic.twitter.com/Pz8OasIiAX— Mike Kennedy (@MikeKennedyNFL) November 29, 2025
Manning also displayed phenomenal poise in the pocket by confidently delivering the ball downfield.
“This was an insanely impressive display of awareness & play by Arch Manning,” a person wrote.
This was an insanely impressive display of awareness & play by Arch Manning.
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> pic.twitter.com/id2sATQOD8— TJ Salomone (@TJSalomone) November 29, 2025
Manning’s 35-yard third-down run up the middle with seven minutes left gave Texas a 27-17 lead. He finished with 14 completions on 29 attempts for 179 passing yards.
“Arch Manning is going to be the number one overall pick in 2027. Guy has gotten so much better since the start of the season. All of his critics are starting to look like complete morons,” Outkick’s Clay Travis tweeted.
Manning began the 2025 season as a Heisman favorite but fell out of contention after stretches of inconsistency despite flashes of elite play. He struggled in losses to Ohio State and Georgia, where he was also self-critical about missed throws.
However, Manning had a historic performance against Arkansas last week, recording six touchdowns and 389 passing yards, which earned him the AP Player of the Week award. While his showing against Texas A&M may not put him back in the Heisman conversation, it proved his ability to perform on big stages.
The win over the Aggies also cemented Manning as Texas’s unquestioned QB1 heading into the bowl season and the 2026 spring, despite some fans previously calling for alternatives.
With the win, the Longhorns keep slim hopes alive for a third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance, and they are ranked No. 19 in the PFSN CFB Playoff Meter. Head coach Steve Sarkisian also shared his appeal for the Longhorns’ playoff following Friday’s win.
“It would be a disservice to our sport if this team is not a playoff team when we went and scheduled that non-conference game,” Sarkisian said. “Because if we’re a 10-2 team, it’s not a question.
“But, we were willing to go play that game. So, is that what college football is about? Don’t play anybody and just have a good record, or play the best and put the best teams in the playoffs. And, we’re one of the best teams.”
Texas’ 29-21 loss to Florida on Oct. 4 remains a factor in its CFP positioning. However, prior to the Texas A&M win, the Longhorns also defeated two top-10 teams at the time of play (Oklahoma and Vanderbilt).
