AUSTIN – Arch Manning’s got jokes, man.
The unrelenting pressure of this season didn’t strip him of his personality or sense of humor. If anything, his quips are his antidote.
To what did he attribute his career-best performance in a 34-31 win against Vanderbilt?
“Maybe the concussion helped,” Manning said with a smile.
OK, so it probably wasn’t the head injury Manning suffered last weekend. Instead, start with Texas’ offensive line that protected Manning, sack-free, against Vanderbilt.
“They played really well today,” he said.
It’s also nice when a swing pass can turn into a 75-yard touchdown. That’s what happened when Manning flipped a pass to Ryan Wingo on the first play from scrimmage. Two Vanderbilt missed tackles and a sprint by Wingo later, and the Longhorns had seven points.
“Receivers made plays,” Manning said. “That makes it a little easier.”
Credit all around, sure, but Manning looked sublime.
He completed 10 straight passes before his final first-half toss — a Hail Mary heave — sailed out of the back of the end zone. Manning’s got a one-liner about that, too.
“I’m probably still going to get chewed out. Did you see that Hail Mary?” Manning said. “I (almost) threw it into the freaking” stands.
Texas schedule stays tough, with Georgia next
No joking about this: If Manning and his supporting cast play like this a few more times, the Longhorns can rally their way into the College Football Playoff.
Not that Manning’s ready to toast that thought yet, not with Georgia up next.
“Dawgs at their place is going to be no joke,” Manning said.
As Texas defensive end Ethan Burke put it, the playoff’s already begun for Texas. That’s the mentality any team saddled with two losses must have.
The playoff committee’s never selected a three-loss team. Could Texas become the first? Maybe. Its strength of schedule will help. But, that’s playing with fire. The only sure path for the Longhorns is to keep winning.
“It’s playoff football, before the playoffs. Everyone’s fighting for those 12 spots,” Burke said. “You’ve got to keep winning, no matter what.”
How Arch Manning impressed his coach
Coach Steve Sarkisian particularly loved Manning’s completions when he worked his way to secondary or tertiary reads. Those throws told Sark two things: Manning’s learning how to move through his progressions, and his offensive line gave him time to do it.
“I don’t know if we were doing that even three weeks ago,” Sarkisian said. “He’s really growing up before our eyes, and he’s making great decisions, and he’s throwing the ball accurately, and that’s why we were 7-for-11 on third down.”
Well, there’s one decision Manning probably wishes he could have back.
Did you see that viral photo that surfaced showing Manning in his GMC Denali talking to a police officer during a traffic stop?
Yep, it’s true. He got pulled over this week. Here’s what went down.
“It was a crosswalk, and it was a solid red, and no one was around, and I went,” Manning said.
Wait, if no one was around …
“I guess someone was around,” Manning said, with another hint of humor.
Indeed. At least two someones. The officer who pulled over Manning, and the person who snapped the viral photo.
“My first time getting pulled over in Austin,” Manning said. “Didn’t help that I didn’t have my wallet on me, so I didn’t have my license,”
Hello, viral photo.
“That was definitely weird,” Manning said of the photo making the rounds online.
Manning received a warning and was not ticketed, a Texas athletics official confirmed to USA TODAY.
Vanderbilt couldn’t stop Texas pass game
On Thursday, Manning got medical clearance to play after he spent the week in concussion protocol. He exited in overtime of Texas’ win against Mississippi State last weekend. By the next day, Manning felt confident he’d be OK to play against the Commodores.
He played up to all of his five-star hype, finally. Up to this point in the season, Manning’s legs had been his most reliable asset. He let his arm do the work in this one, and his receivers piled up yards after the catch against a flimsy Vanderbilt defense that suffered amnesia on how to tackle. Eight Texas receivers caught at least two passes.
And although Vanderbilt rallied to make the end of the game tenser than necessary, Manning could smile and joke afterward.
This is exactly the quarterback Texas needs in this critical November stretch run.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.