Jeff Howe

Protecting the football is something Arch Manning did at an elite level in 2025. While logging 840 snaps (per Pro Football Focus) and serving as arguably the identity of the Texas offense, Manning accounted for just seven turnovers, all of which were interceptions. With that said, five of those interceptions came in the team’s first five games (one each against Ohio State, San Jose State and UTEP and two against Florida). In the team’s four wins over opponents that ended the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 (No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 15 Vanderbilt and No. 21 Michigan), Manning accounted for 10 touchdowns (seven passing and three rushing) and no turnovers. To better frame what Manning accomplished, it's worth noting that the year-over-year improvement in ball security from the quarterback position was staggering. After Quinn Ewers accounted for 17 turnovers (12 interceptions and five missed fumbles) in 14 games in 2024 (an average of 1.2 turnovers per game and a turnover every 53 snaps played), Manning’s turnover averages per game (0.54) and per snaps played (one every 120 snaps). With Manning keeping the football away from opponents in the second half of the season, the Longhorns committed the fifth-fewest turnovers in FBS (nine total) in 2025 while tying for fifth nationally in turnover margin (plus-14 overall and 1.08 per game). Manning became the first Longhorn quarterback since Sam Ehlinger in 2020 to lead the position in snaps played while going through an entire season without losing a fumble. However, Manning, who recovered his own fumble against San Jose State and got an assist from Quintrevion Wisner, who recovered a Manning fumble in the Georgia game, played 155 more snaps than Ehlinger did in a season shortened to 10 games (including the Alamo Bowl against Colorado, of which Ehlinger didn’t play in the second half) by the pandemic. Furthermore, Manning (2025), Ehlinger (2019 and 2020) and Shane Buechele (2017) are the only three Texas quarterbacks in the PFF era (since 2014) to log at least 500 snaps at quarterback without losing a fumble. Among the quarterbacks who've played at least 500 snaps in a season for the Longhorns over the last 12 seasons, only Ehlinger and Buechele had seasons with fewer turnovers accounted for than Manning’s seven giveaways in his first full season as the program’s starter. Turnovers by Texas QBs since 2014 (minimum 500 snaps, per PFF) Shane Buechele (2017) — 4 (all interceptions) Sam Ehlinger (2020) — 5 (all interceptions) Sam Ehlinger (2018) — 6 (five interceptions and one lost fumble) Arch Manning (2025) — 7 (all interceptions) Quinn Ewers (2023) — 7 (six interceptions and one lost fumble) Quinn Ewers (2022) — 7 (six interceptions and one lost fumble) Jerrod Heard (2015) — 7 (five interceptions and two lost fumbles) Sam Ehlinger (2017) — 9 (seven interceptions and five lost fumbles) Casey Thompson (2021) — 10 (nine interceptions and one lost fumble) Sam Ehlinger (2019) — 10 (all interceptions) Shane Buechele (2016) — 12 (11 interceptions and one lost fumble) Tyrone Swoopes (2014) — 14 (11 interceptions and three lost fumbles) Quinn Ewers (2024) — 17 (12 interceptions and five lost fumbles) Of those 13 seasons, Manning’s 0.54 turnovers per game rank fourth behind Ehlinger in 2018 (0.43), Buechele in 2017 (0.44) and Ehlinger in 2020 (0.50). Ehlinger’s 2018 and 2020 seasons are the only two of the 13 in which a Texas quarterback had a better turnover-to-snap ratio than Manning’s 120-to-1 ratio (Ehlinger averaged one turnover every 163.2 snaps in 2018 and one turnover every 137 snaps in 2020). How Manning protected the football is even more impressive when considering that he was one of the most pressured quarterbacks in the country. No SEC quarterback felt heat from opposing defenses more than Manning in 2025, with foes pressuring him a league-high 165 times. All told, Manning was pressured on 35.6 percent of his dropbacks, which ranked sixth among SEC quarterbacks who were pressured on at least 15 dropbacks last season. Along with displaying top-notch ball security, Manning’s 13.3-percent pressure-to-sack rate tied him with Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia for the sixth-best percentage in the SEC. Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed (11.5 percent) and Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss (12.6) were the only SEC quarterbacks with better pressure-to-sack rates on 200 or more dropbacks. Manning’s scrambling ability makes the conditions ripe for him to keep his turnovers down in 2026. He established himself as one of the top scrambling quarterbacks in the country last season, ranking 14th in FBS with 349 scramble yards. When you combine Manning's gradually improved decision-making throughout the season with his elite scrambling ability and the instincts to prevent pressure from turning into sacks, he has a chance to continue being one of the best quarterbacks in the country at taking care of the football. View full news story

Also, it's worth noting that Stoops' Kentucky teams played very tough against Georgia despite being outclassed from a talent standpoint.

Stoops won five of his last eight against Florida. Sark REALLY wants to win that game.

Ruger Riojas and Dylan Volantis also rank among the top 10 pitchers in the country through three weeks:

Through three weeks, Aiden Robbins is the top hitter in Division I, according to 64Analytics:

Get your mind right!

What do you think Schloss hates more: the attention he's getting for his 1,000th win or the mustache he's having to grow while the team is on a winning streak?

Brad Jackson over Marcel Reed and D.J. Lagway?

FINAL: Texas 10, Ohio State 3

HOUSTON — A seven-run third inning highlighted No. 3 Texas wrapping up the BRUCE BOLT College Classic with a 10-3 win over Ohio State at Daikin Park on Sunday. After cruising to an 8-1 victory over No. 9 Coastal Carolina on Friday and holding off Baylor for a 5-2 win on Saturday, the Longhorns pounded out 12 hits on Sunday, including a two-run home run from Temo Becerra in the top of the third. Multi-hit games by Casey Borba (3-for-3 with a double, two walks and a run scored), Ethan Mendoza (2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored) and Jonah Williams (2-for-4 with an RBI, a double and a run scored) helped Texas (11-0) continue an unbeaten start to the 2026 season. Here’s how the Longhorns ended a perfect weekend on the diamond in Houston: BOTTOM 2: Texas 0, Ohio State 0 A walk and a hard-hit single back up the middle of the diamond put two Buckeyes on base with no outs against Dylan Volantis. Thankfully, the sophomore southpaw buckled down and struck out three consecutive Ohio State batters to get out of the jam. Volantis rallied back by using his slider and the changeup he added to his arsenal of pitches in the offseason. The three strikeouts he recorded came on hitters swinging aimlessly at two-strike pitches, getting the game to the third inning with the Longhorns looking for a spark at the plate. TOP 3: Texas 1, Ohio State 0 Casey Borba’s leadoff walk set the table for Jonah Williams to kickstart a big inning for the Longhorns. Williams went the other way for a double, ripping a 2-1 offering from Pierce Herrenbruck into the corner in left field. After Josh Livingston drew a walk, Ethan Mendoza lined a single to center, scoring Borba for the first run of the game. TOP 3: Texas 2, Ohio State 0 Carson Tinney got jammed and sent a slow-rolling grounder to first base, but it allowed Williams to score from third. That put runners in scoring position for Aiden Robbins with one out. TOP 3: Texas 3, Ohio State 0 A sky-high pop-up off Robbins’ bat kept drifting toward shallow center field. With the roof open at Daikin Park, second baseman Henry Kaczmar lost the ball in the sun, causing it to drop into the outfield between three Buckeyes. It was scored as a single for Robbins, with Livingston scoring and Mendoza advancing to third base. TOP 3: Texas 4, Ohio State 0 Facing Adrian Rodriguez with runners on first and third and one out, Herrenbruck’s wild pitch brought Mendoza home for the fourth Longhorn run of the inning. TOP 3: Texas 5, Ohio State Herrenbruck’s once promising afternoon ended in disaster, with Rodriguez’s RBI double serving as the final blow that knocked the Buckeyes’ starting pitcher out of the game. Rodriguez sent a 2-2 pitch from Herrenbruck screaming down the left-field line, over the head of third baseman Maddix Simpson. Herrenbruck left the game responsible for the runner on second (Rodriguez), while righty Owen Graff was called upon to stop the bleeding. TOP 3: Texas 7, Ohio State 0 Temo Becerra poured salt into the open wound with a two-run home run into the Crawford Boxes in left field. Becerra’s 354-foot bomb was his third of the weekend, all of which went up and over the wall in left field. When the dust settled on the top of the third inning, the Longhorns torched the Buckeyes for seven runs on five hits and left two runners on base. TOP 4: Texas 7, Ohio State 0 Graf was ejected after sounding off toward Rodriguez following an inning-ending strikeout. Rodriguez then changed words with Simpson, which led to a brief verbal confrontation near home plate, but nothing came of it after cooler heads prevailed. BOTTOM 5: Texas 7, Ohio State 1 Righty Ryan Zamora kept the Longhorns off the scoreboard in the top of the inning, striking out Livingston after Borba and Williams attempted to start a two-out rally with back-to-back singles. Volantis, who retired 10 in a row before hitting catcher Grant Mangrum, got into trouble with one out. CJ Reid’s double to right field put runners on first and third and Volantis’ 3-2 pitch to Simpson was wild, allowing Mangrum to score the first run of the game for the Buckeyes. After striking out center fielder Miles Vandenheuvel and walking shortstop Lee Ellis to load the bases, Jim Schlossnagle gave Volantis the hook. With 91 pitches under his belt, Volantis departed with the bases loaded and two outs in favor of Brett Crossland. BOTTOM 5: Texas 7, Ohio State 1 Crossland induced a ground ball to first base off the bat of designated hitter Mason Eckelman to get out of the inning. Borba flipped the ball to Crossland, who stepped on the bag to end the threat by the Buckeyes. BOTTOM 6: Texas 7, Ohio State 2 Right fielder Noah Furcht took Crossland deep to left field, putting one in the Crawford Boxes to lead off the inning. Thankfully, Crossland minimized the damage and got through the sixth with three consecutive outs. TOP 7: Texas 7, Ohio State 2 With one out, a walk drawn by Becerra and a single through the right side of the infield by Anthony Pack Jr. chased Zamora. Andrew Edrington got Borba to pop one down the line in right, but the ball dropped for a single to load the bases. TOP 7: Texas 8, Ohio State 2 Williams’ ground ball up the middle was scored as a fielder’s choice, with Borba getting rung up via a force at second base. Still, Becerra scored from third, adding to the Longhorn lead. TOP 7: Texas 9, Ohio State 2 Pack scored easily on Ashton Larson’s pinch-hit single to center field. Even with Williams back in the lineup as an everyday position player, the Longhorns are developing multiple options with the designated hitter spot and for pinch-hitters late in games between Larson, Livingston and Presley Courville. BOTTOM 7: Texas 9, Ohio State 3 Brody Walls hit Vandenheuvel with one out, which led to the third run of the game for the Buckeyes, when Ellis ripped a triple to right-center field. Pack had a hard time playing the ball off the mesh wall, something Major League outfielders who lack experience with the unique wall configuration in the left-field power alley at Daikin Park deal with. Regardless, Walls battled back and held the runner at third by getting Eckelman to pop one up in foul territory down the first-base side of the infield, where he was retired by Borba. TOP 8: Texas 9, Ohio State 3 The fifth Buckeye pitcher of the game, Jake Michalak, got himself into a bind upon toeing the rubber. A throwing error allowed Tinney to reach base and consecutive walks issued to Robbins and Rodriguez loaded the bases with no outs. TOP 8: Texas 10, Ohio State 3 Becerra’s third RBI of the game was a sacrifice fly to center field. The ball was hit deep enough to get Tinney home, pushing the Longhorn lead back to a seven-run advantage. Unfortunately, that was the only run Texas pushed across after loading the bases with nobody out. Pack struck out and Robbins was tagged out trying to score on a ball in the dirt, ending the inning with runners stranded in scoring position. BOTTOM 9: Texas 10, Ohio State 3 Cal Higgins sandwiched two singles between his second strikeout of the inning before hitting Eckelman to load the bases with two outs. Hudson Hamilton was among the pitchers who got up and started getting loose in the Longhorn bullpen with the Buckeyes threatening. BOTTOM 9: Texas 10, Ohio State 3 Higgins got Furcht to hit one on the ground to short. Rodriguez flipped the ball to Mendoza for the out at second to end the game. View full news story

Ohio State has the bases loaded with two outs as Max Weiner makes his way to the mound to chat with Higgins.

A two-out single to left by Ellis keeps the Buckeyes alive in the bottom of the ninth.

One down with Higgins recording a strikeout.

Cal Higgins is out of the bullpen to work the ninth.

M9: Texas 10, Ohio State 3