On Black Friday, Texas played its last-ever Big 12 home game at Texas Memorial Stadium. And while it marked the end of one era, Texas' 57-7 rout of Texas Tech would usher in the beginning of another.
Friday's game was a routine blowout win for the Longhorns until the 2:03 mark in the third quarter. That's when Arch Manning, former No. 1 overall recruit and the next star quarterback from the Manning lineage, subbed in to take his first snaps under center in burnt orange.
When Manning entered the game, Texas held a 50-7 lead over Texas Tech. And while Steve Sarkisian's sportsmanship meant the playcalling would be conservative, many of the 100,000-plus in attendance remained in their seats to catch a glimpse of the future of the program.
Here's what Manning put on display that's certainly enough to get them excited.
MORE: Where Arch Manning lands on Texas' QB depth chart
Arch Manning stats today
Manning completed 2 of his 5 passes against Texas Tech for 30 yards. He also had seven rushing yards.
Manning led the Longhorns for two drives, the first of which ended with a failed fourth down and the other a Texas rushing touchdown. On the scoring drive, which took 13 plays and 7:59 minutes, Manning was 2-for-3 for 30 yards.
Manning's first college completion came to fellow freshman Johntay Cook, a connection worthy of making the Longhorn faithful excited for the future.
First career completion for Arch Manning goes to Johntay Cook for a first down.
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_TFB) November 25, 2023
Get ready to hear that a ton over the next couple of years. pic.twitter.com/sRvGmWD5Go
The 18-year-old threw two short passes on his initial drive, both incomplete in the end zone. Earlier on the drive, he scrambled for five yards on one play and ran for 12 on another. He also was credited with a 10-yard loss when he fumbled a shotgun snap and recovered it.
With Texas headed to the SEC for the 2024 college football season, Manning gets a small taste of Big 12 action before a new era begins. More importantly for Texas, the 50-point victory secured its spot in the Big 12 Championship, which will be played at Dallas' AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 2.
What year is Arch Manning?
Arch Manning is a freshman. He enrolled at Texas in January of 2023.
Because of the NCAA's redshirt rules, Manning is allowed to participate in up to four games without burning their redshirt for the season. At the conclusion of this season, Manning will still have four years of eligibility remaining.
