Arch Manning was questionable. Texas needed a win. And the Longhorns’ star quarterback delivered.
After spending the week in the concussion protocol following an injury against Mississippi State, Manning suited up against No. 9 Vanderbilt and put together arguably the best performance of his season. His heroics led No. 20 Texas to a thrilling 34-31 victory, keeping the Longhorns’ College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Here are four takeaways from the Longhorns’ win over Vanderbilt:
1. Texas QB Arch Manning needed a game like this
He’s the most recognizable name in college football, and the preseason accolades said it all: Heisman Trophy favorite. Preseason All-American. Projected No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. The list went on. But after a slow start to his redshirt sophomore campaign, the hype began to fade — and the questions began to surface.
Is Arch Manning really that good?
Matching the legend surrounding his name felt almost impossible. He needed a big game on a big stage — not just to rebuild his own confidence, but to remind everyone why the hype existed in the first place. And on Saturday, against a top-10 opponent, he delivered.
Longhorn fans inside DKR–Texas Memorial Stadium felt it from the opening snap, when Manning hit sophomore wideout Ryan Wingo for a 75-yard touchdown strike to ignite the crowd and set the tone for the day.
Manning finished 25-of-33 for 328 yards and three touchdowns in the Longhorns’ 34-31 win.
Judging by Saturday’s performance, the answer to that question is clear — yes. Arch Manning is that good.
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
2. The Longhorns needed a game like this from their playmakers — and they finally got it
Yes, Manning hadn’t played his best football up to this point, but the same could be said for some of the Longhorns’ elite playmakers.
Wingo, a former five-star prospect out of St. Louis, was expected to take the next step this season and become not just Texas’ top pass-catching threat, but one of the premier playmakers in the SEC. Heading into the matchup, he’d topped the 100-yard mark only once — in last weekend’s come-from-behind win over Mississippi State.
That changed in a hurry. The talented sophomore finished with two catches for 89 yards and a score before leaving in the first half with an injury.
Sophomore running back CJ Baxter, another former five-star recruit, joined the action later in the first quarter, snagging a 6-yard touchdown pass — his first of the 2025 season.
CJ Baxter #4 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a pass from Arch Manning #16 during the first quarter of the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
On the defensive side, Texas lived in the backfield. The Longhorns brought constant pressure on Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, racking up six sacks in the win. Three defensive standouts — defensive end Colin Simmons, linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., and edge rusher Ethan Burke — all recorded sacks, leading a dominant effort up front.
3. Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia is a warrior
Pavia has become one of the biggest stories in college football this season. His million-dollar smile flashes after every touchdown, and his swagger comes not from arrogance, but from the pure joy he brings to the game. More than anything, Pavia is the kind of player you want to go to battle with.
The Commodores didn’t have it on Saturday. At least not until later on, when the game was already out of hand. They weren’t the better team — but Pavia did his part. The senior quarterback completed 27 of 38 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns, adding 43 yards and another score on the ground.
Pavia’s Heisman hopes will take a hit after the loss, but don’t be surprised if his name re-enters the conversation — especially if he can bounce back against Auburn next weekend.
4. This game serves as a reminder that, despite popular belief, college football is in its golden era
Say what you want about the NIL and transfer portal era — but it’s games like this that remind us college football might be in its golden age.
The ability for athletes to capitalize on NIL deals has created real incentive for top players to stay in school rather than make an early jump to the NFL. Meanwhile, the transfer portal has brought a level of parity the sport sorely lacked during the 2010s, when it often felt like it was Alabama’s world and everyone else was just playing in it.
In this new age, a program like Vanderbilt — once an SEC bottom-feeder — can sit at 7–1 and legitimately contend for a CFP spot in November. And players like Pavia can return for another season after a federal appeals panel dismissed the NCAA’s eligibility case against him, following two years at the junior college level.
It’s games like this that remind us why college football is so special.
4 ½: What’s next?
Both teams now sit at 7-2, and both remain very much alive in the CFP conversation.
Texas gets the luxury of a bye week before a massive matchup with No. 5 Georgia on Nov. 15. A win there would put Steve Sarkisian’s squad right back in the CFP picture.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has a pair of winnable games ahead against Auburn (Nov. 8) and Kentucky (Nov. 22), before closing its SEC schedule with a rivalry showdown against No. 14 Tennessee.
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