We'll be dissecting Arch Manning's underwhelming performance as if he's the first lifeform discovered on another planet. Still, there is reason for concern, even if he did struggle against what appears to be an elite Ohio State defense. No stretch encapsulated the day more than when Manning delivered a deep ball late, resulting in interception, which then resulted seven plays later in a 40-yard touchdown pass by Ohio State's Julian Sayin to Carnell Tate.
Sayin's pass wasn't a beauty — heck, he under threw Tate — but the difference between Manning and Sayin at this point is the Ohio State quarterback was much more relaxed in the pocket. That one pass for 40 yards eclipsed Manning's production through three quarters (38 yards), and it successfully cast a permanent shadow over Manning's debut on the road. As for the dissection of Manning? Well, he sailed at least two passes early, seemed to throw late on a couple more and didn't seem comfortable until he picked up a first down on a 15-yard scramble in the third quarter. A few plays later, the Buckeyes' rebuilt defensive front stuffed Manning at the goal line.
Listen, most of Manning's production last season came against the worst team in the SEC (Mississippi State) and Group of Six teams. The critics will point to that as evidence that the former No. 1 recruit is overrated. It's not warranted. This may very well prove to be the worst game of Manning's Texas career. Still, it's obvious Manning has some issues with timing and process that must be fixed — and perhaps that will only arrive when he gets more experience against good defenses. On Saturday, he unfortunately faced perhaps the best unit in the country.
