Texas quarterback Arch Manning's first career road start at reigning national champion Ohio State did not go as planned during the Longhorns' 14-7 loss to the Buckeyes in Week 1. 

Outside of a couple long completions in the fourth quarter, Manning struggled to find a rhythm thanks to a variety of torpedo throws at the feet or behind his intended targets, including one that was airmailed short for an interception in the third quarter.

Manning's overpriced Heisman odds plummeted after his 2025 debut, a result of inordinate expectations for a first-year starter whose only previous extended experience last fall came against Mississippi State, ULM and UTSA.

"For Arch, the expectations were out of control on the outside. I'd say let's finish the book before we judge him. That's one chapter," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said, via Horns247.

And he's right.

New Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, whose NFL chops were likely sold far short this offseason, had months to prepare for Manning and this Texas offense with ample hours to design looks and coverages aimed at frustrating the unseasoned quarterback -- in other words, he did his job.

It was never going to be a favorable task for Manning and this offense, especially with four new starters up front and several pass-catching targets now seeing extensive snaps for the first time in their careers.

It's not time to panic if you're Manning, Sarkisian or Texas, but there are corrections to be made.

Resetting expectations for Manning

Some of the toughest plays to stomach for Manning in Columbus were misfires intended for sophomore Ryan Wingo, an athletic dynamo who has the potential to be one of the SEC's best. Wingo was unable to haul in a ball tossed behind him on a mesh concept near midfield and later, wasn't targeted despite being open over the middle in the red zone on fourth down. 

Those are the kinds of plays, moving forward, Manning must be able to execute. They're correctable and everyone inside the Texas offensive huddle knows it.

"Ultimately, I gotta play better," the No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting cycle said after the game. "I gotta get him [Wingo] the ball. He's a really good playmaker. Couldn't do that enough today, so that's on me."

No team in college football had a more difficult ask in Week 1 than the Longhorns, playing away from home in a true road environment against an elite contender. And part of that is what makes the next three games pivotal for Manning's confidence level as Texas hosts San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston through the end of the month.

These are get-right opportunities for Manning and this passing game along with an offensive line group still sorting out its rotation under Kyle Flood. The Longhorns also should benefit from an open date ahead of their SEC opener Oct. 4 at Florida. That's another harsh road environment against a nationally-ranked opponent that Manning must endure. This time, he must perform at his best for Texas to prevail.

As bad as it looked at times against the Buckeyes, the silver lining for Manning was his play in the fourth quarter. He threw a catchable ball on the fourth-down incompletion to Parker Livingstone in the corner of the end zone despite the misread on the slant over the middle and hooked up with Wingo for a 28-yard gain later down the seam.

His lone touchdown pass on a 32-yard heave to Livingstone in the final minutes of the game came after stepping up in the pocket to evade pressure from behind him. Ohio State's Jermaine Matthews Jr. provided great coverage on the play, but Manning's well-placed dart over the top was an elite throw, one resembling what you'd expect from a perceived Heisman candidate under center.

"He started really playing and we saw some flashes and glimpses of the guy he is," Sarkisian said. "There's a lot to hold onto on what the future is going to look like here for Arch Manning." 

In all, Manning failed to make a lot of the short and intermediate throws that Quinn Ewers could make in his sleep, but he proved capable of making the difficult throws look easy. 

Longhorns' stock remains high

It's not time to bail or sell your futures on this Texas team after one game of the season. In all likelihood, the Longhorns will be 3-1 and inside the top 10 approaching the showdown at Florida next month with all of their season-long goals in front of them. 

Red River comes after the trip to Gainesville and then it's three consecutive contests against SEC competition situated near the bottom of the league standings before another open date. This team, largely due to its elite roster, was preseason No. 1 for a reason and that confidence level hasn't changed inside Texas after a single-possession loss to Ohio State.

Manning's touchdown pass total should reach double digits by the time the Longhorns play their next meaningful game with another spotlight opportunity to boot. If he struggles against the Gators, then there's reason to worry.