How Arch Manning and the Longhorns went from 'seeing ghosts' to huge comeback
Trailing Ohio State by 20, the most scrutinized college quarterback of his generation was convinced of one thing. This time, the ghosts weren't going to win.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) rallied his fourth-ranked Longhorns from a 20-point deficit against Ohio State, defeating the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes 24-23 on September 12, 2026, in Austin. Describing it as "seeing ghosts," Manning and his teammates overcame numerous setbacks, including a fumble, an interception, and poor play calls by their coach.
As the game entered its final moments, the Longhorns executed a perfect execution, throwing a touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo and running a 40-play, 236-yard drive to secure a game-winning touchdown at the goal line. Despite facing a critical fourth-and-6 decision, Texas' offensive line stepped up to push Ohio State around, ultimately overcoming the ghosts that had haunted them earlier in the game.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, who had struggled with high-profile losses to Ohio State and Georgia previously, admitted to being on the brink of panic during the game, but his leadership and Manning's performance ensured that the Longhorns would leave Austin without any lingering ghost appearances.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
