Is Texas a real contender? Arch Manning delivers his biggest moment and the Longhorns dream with a title

The Texas Longhorns looked like a talented team that still had a few steps to take before joining college football’s elite for three quarters on Saturday night at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Then the fourth quarter happened.

Trailing then No. 1 Ohio State 23-3 on their home field, Texas authored one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent college football history, storming back for a stunning 24-23 victory that instantly transformed the national championship conversation. The Longhorns erased a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the largest fourth-quarter comeback ever against an AP No. 1 team. Now, Texas is the number one squad in the nation, according to the rankings. Are the Longhorns a legitimate national title contender?

The longer answer is that Saturday's victory may have revealed exactly why the Longhorn s have a chance to bring their first national championship back to Austin since Vince Young led Texas to glory in the 2005 season. Arch Manning passed his biggest test yet.

The star quarterback entered the season carrying enormous expectations after a strong opener against Texas State and a disappointing history against Ohio State. The Buckeyes h ad beaten Texas in each of their previous two meetings, including a 14-7 victory in Manning's first season as the full-time starter.

For much of Saturday night, it appeared those struggles would continue. Texas committed early mistakes, fell behind by three possessions, and looked overwhelmed by Ohio State's talent. Yet Manning never unraveled. Instead, he engineered three fourth-quarter touchdown drives and delivered several clutch conversions when the season seemed on the brink of an early derailment.

His resilience may have been more impressive than the stat line itself. Championship quarterbacks are often defined not by how they play when everything is working, but by how they respond when everything is going wrong. Manning answered that question.

The win was bigger than the score

Beating the No. 1 team in the country is impressive. Doing it after trailing by 20 points is something else entirely. Texas had only a tiny chance of winning late in the third quarter before completely flipping the game. The Longhorns became the first team in years to overcome that type of deficit against a top-ranked opponent, turning what looked like a season-defining loss into a season-defining victory.

More importantly, they showed traits that championship teams consistently possess: resilience under pressure, elite depth, coaching adjustments, confidence in high-leverage moments, and a quarterback capable of leading comeback victories. Those qualities matter just as much as talent in the College Football Playoff.

The victory could also represent a milestone for Steve Sarkisian. Texas has spent years recruiting at an elite level and assembling one of the deepest rosters in the nation. Yet critics continued to question whether the Longhorns could win the biggest games against the best opponents.

Saturday provided a powerful answer. The Longhorns defeated the nation's top-ranked team despite turning the ball over early, struggling offensively for much of the game, and facing a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit. That type of victory suggests Texas is no longer simply talented. it is battle-tested.

Why it's still too early to crown them

As impressive as the victory was, one game does not guarantee a championship. The SEC schedule remains loaded with challenges. Texas still has major tests ahead, including Tennessee, Oklahoma, LSU and several other opponents capable of exposing weaknesses.

There are also areas that need improvement. For three quarters, Ohio State largely controlled the game. Texas struggled with turnovers, consistency and execution before finding its rhythm late. Against elite opponents, those issues can become costly.

The encouraging part for Longhorn fans is that Texas won despite those flaws. Vince Young, the last Texas quarterback to deliver a national championship became a legend by producing unforgettable moments on the biggest stages. Young's performance against USC in the Rose Bowl remains one of the greatest individual displays in college football history.

Manning has a long way to go before entering that conversation. Still, Saturday felt like the first signature moment of his Longhorns career . The type of game that fans remember years later if a championship follows. Verdict: Texas is absolutely a contender