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Arch Manning faces a defining season as Texas opens at home against Texas State

9/5/2026

College football is back for a full weekend, and for Arch Manning, the opener in Austin arrives with real weight behind it.

Texas hosts Texas State in what the sport calls a guarantee game, meaning the smaller school accepts a fee to travel to a larger stadium and likely absorb a loss in exchange for money that funds its athletic program.

Manning's first year as Texas's starting quarterback raised questions this game cannot answer alone, but it starts the clock.

What Manning's numbers actually showed The raw totals from Manning's debut season look fine at a glance: 26 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and 3,163 passing yards.