Arch Manning playing today? Explaining Texas’ starting QB situation….
Texas suffered two losses to Georgia this season, falling to the Bulldogs despite Carson Beck’s injury in the SEC championship game, but the Longhorns’ national title hopes are still alive.
Steve Sarkisian’s team can put the sting of the SEC championship in the rear-view mirror on Saturday when No. 12 Clemson comes to Austin for a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game.
Texas is so confident entering the playoff partly because they have a quarterback with playoff experience. The Longhorns also have a former No. 1 recruit in Arch Manning, creating a dynamic that has resulted in some controversy throughout the season.
On Saturday, it won’t be Manning under center Texas. Here’s what you need to know about the Longhorns’ quarterback decision.
MORE: Inside Arch Manning’s family tree
Why isn’t Arch Manning playing today?
Manning is still behind Quinn Ewers on Texas’ depth chart, so Ewers is getting the start against Clemson one year after he nearly led the Longhorns all the way back in a national semifinal loss to Washington.
Ewers was expected to take the next step this season and position himself as a first-round NFL Draft prospect, but results have been mixed. Texas didn’t suffer any losses beyond its Georgia matchups, but the Longhorns’ offense didn’t always click the way many expected.
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Ewers missed two games with an oblique injury early in the year, forcing Manning into action for the first two starts of his college career, and Manning briefly entered for Ewers in Texas’ first loss to Georgia with the offense struggling. Manning didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, struggling against the Bulldogs’ defense, as well, and Ewers hasn’t let go of the job ever since.
Even if Ewers struggles in the CFP, this would be a tough time of year to make a quarterback change. Texas’ title hopes are in Ewers’ hands at this point, and Manning is set to take over as the Longhorns’ starter in 2025.
