Arch Manning struck a powerful pose. Texas saved season, in a dramatic way

Arch Manning struck a powerful pose. Since the talent still flows through this roster, texas saved season, in a dramatic way Texas will be a tough team to eliminate.

Key points

• College football analysis: BYU, Texas Tech, Tennessee, USC crash in chaotic Week 8.
• After three turnovers, Manning scored untouched on a bootleg for the winning touchdown in this 34-27 takedown of No.
• For the first time in his Ole Miss career, Chambliss looked the part of a Division II transfer throughout the first half.
• "It's a dangerous way to live, " Sarkisian remarked of a victory that came in spite of three turnovers and 121 Texas penalty yards.
• Sarkisian predicted this week that we'd seen the last of the "Aw Shucks" flavor Manning, and that would be replaced by an "edgy" Arch.

AUSTIN, TX – Arch Manning ran into the end zone, crossed his arms throughout chest and let the swagger ooze from his pores as orange fireworks pierced the night sky behind him.

This is the image you'd obtain if you asked AI to create a portrait of a college quarterback posing like a total badass. Except, this was real. For one half, Manning looked spectacular. Bad Arch obtained locked away somewhere. Archibald took over. He put his boot into Mississippi's chest.

Sure as the day is long, though, Texas was always going to find a way to create this game tense, even after establishing a 21-point halftime lead on Ole Miss.

Meanwhile, the first half became a mirage. A tease. The necessary climb before the inevitable Texas sputter.

Bad Arch broke loose in the third quarter. He brought all of bad Texas with him. High drama, always, with this team.

Texas lacks a killer instinct, but create what we will of Bevo's capriciousness, Texas will be a tough team to kill off. The talent still flows through this roster.

Archibald won this round. Good Texas did enough to offset bad Texas. Texas is alive. It's alive!

After three turnovers, Manning scored untouched on a bootleg for the winning touchdown in this 34-27 takedown of No. 7 Ole Miss that gives No. 18 Texas a second signature victory to go with its two puzzling losses.

Manning outplayed Trinidad Chambliss. According to Who would've thought we could've ever, after the past few weeks?

Manning did just enough, and the Texas run game and its defense took care of the rest.

"Whatever it takes, " a smiling, joking, joyful Manning remarked afterward on ABC.

That's the rub with Texas. It should be versatile enough that it's not all on the quarterback's shoulders.

"We were not perfect, " coach Steve Sarkisian remarked, "but I thought we played hard. I thought we played with Texas fight." 'Edgy' Arch Manning is here. Texas needs more of it.

When bad Arch wasn't turning the ball over, his alter ego Archibald served up a bundle of the type of heroics you'd expect from a former No. 1-ranked recruit with a famous surname.

Sarkisian predicted this week that we'd seen the last of the "Aw Shucks" flavor Manning, and that would be replaced by an "edgy" Arch. Edgy looked good on No. 16.

"It's fun to watch, " Sarkisian informed ABC of his quarterback's first-half performance.

Manning emphatically signaled first down – the swagger on this one! – after a first-down scramble on 3rd-and-17. Two plays afterwards, Manning dropped a beauty into Ryan Wingo's mitts for a 50-yard touchdown.

We'd call that scramble and that touchdown toss Heisman moments, except that Manning's erratic performances throughout first half of the season buried his chances for the award. Texas lives dangerously. (Of course.) But, it endures against Ole Miss.

Wherever this ends for Manning and Texas, they played better than they had in weeks, and kept a puzzling two-game losing streak from becoming what would have been a punishing three-game skid.

Instead, Ole Miss took another step down the plank toward playoff omission on what became another bloody-knuckled Saturday cage match of college football full of top-15 takedowns and topplings and in the case of Texas Tech, an embarrassing faceplant.

For the first time in his Ole Miss career, Chambliss looked the part of a Division II transfer throughout the first half. Will Muschamp threw everything and the kitchen sink at Chambliss, and it hit him square in the face, and his play-caller did little to support him.

In the halftime locker room, Chambliss must have remembered who the Heisman candidate was in this game.

Since of course they did, he turned virtuoso in the third quarter, and the Rebels stampeded back. The Rebels strip-sacked Manning for a defensive score that began the rally. And after Texas re-established a 10-point lead, it almost provided it all away once more. Always highwire act with Texas, and the Rebels recovered a pinballing onside kick that offered them a chance to send this game to overtime.

And when Texas sealed the victory with an interception in the end zone, Manning discovered a teammate to hug, and more orange fireworks shot into the sky. Good Texas and Archibald endured.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Listen to his podcast, "College Football Unfiltered." Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around arch Manning struck a powerful pose. Texas saved season, in a dramatic point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.