Arch Manning Leads Texas to Stunning Comeback Victory Over Ohio State

Arch Manning and the University of Texas Longhorns secured a 24-23 comeback victory against top-ranked Ohio State on Sept. 12, 2026, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, overcoming a 20-point deficit.

The No. 4 Longhorns struggled offensively in the early frames while the Buckeyes built a 23-3 lead midway through the third quarter. Manning finished the game with 196 passing yards, recording one touchdown and one interception while completing 11 of his final 15 passes.

Early mistakes plagued the Texas offense during the first half. In the opening quarter, wide receiver Cam Coleman dropped a deep pass from Manning, which fell to the ground and popped into the arms of Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain for an interception. Another potential scoring play slipped away in the second quarter when Ryan Wingo dropped a deep pass in the Buckeyes’ zone.

Ohio State extended its advantage to 20 points in the third quarter following a field goal. The momentum shifted entirely at the start of the final period. Manning successfully connected with Wingo for a touchdown to spark the rally.

Hollywood Smothers paced the Texas ground game with 74 rushing yards, adding a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter that narrowed the deficit to six points. Manning used both his arm and his legs to sustain drives, picking up crucial first downs as the Longhorns chipped away at the lead.

Late-Game Miss Opens Door for Longhorns

Ohio State held an opportunity to extend its lead late in the contest, but kicker Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. Hawkins had previously converted three field goal attempts for the Buckeyes.

Capitalizing on the missed kick, Manning led the Texas offense downfield against a fatigued Ohio State defense. Smothers capped the drive with a rushing touchdown, tying the game before kicker Gianni Spetic converted the extra point to give the Longhorns their first lead of the evening.

The Texas defense held firm on Ohio State’s final possession to seal the win and lift the Longhorns to a 2-0 record on the season.

“We just had to get something going, I always knew we were going to be in it in the end. I’m so glad we won.”

Arch Manning

The victory marks Texas’ first win against Ohio State in three tries over the past three seasons. Head coach Steve Sarkisian praised his team’s resilience after the game, calling it arguably the biggest regular-season win in six seasons for him.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team with the heart, the desire and the fight.”

Steve Sarkisian

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day acknowledged his team’s inability to close out the contest.

“I felt, you know, we had them on the ropes and didn’t finish. So we got to go back and figure out why that was.”

Ryan Day

Following the result, Texas prepares to face Texas-San Antonio, while Ohio State returns home to host Kent State.