Arch Manning’s struggles in the passing game continued, but he still carried No. 7 Texas to a 27-10 win over UTEP in College football on Saturday. Manning, considered a preseason Heisman favorite, ran for two first-half touchdowns - a 2-yard score in the first quarter and a 5-yard run just before halftime to give the Longhorns a 14-3 lead.

However, Manning had another shaky performance when it comes to passing, completing just 9 of 22 passes for 97 yards through three quarters, including 10 straight incompletions and an interception in the end zone. Frustration mounted as the home crowd briefly booed during the first half.


"I’ve got to play better," Manning admitted after the game. "I’m frustrated. I know I’m better than this. It’s going to be hard to sleep tonight."

Manning eventually found some rhythm in the fourth quarter, tossing a short touchdown to Ryan Wingo. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged Manning’s struggle but backed his quarterback, saying, "I feel like we’ve done enough with him to have a pretty good understanding of who he is as a player and what he’s capable of. I know there’s a lot of football in him that’s high level football."

While Manning labored, Texas’ defense took control, holding the Miners to just 259 total yards and allowing only one touchdown. Safety Michael Taaffe noted the boos but emphasised the importance of energising the fans: "The fans are the ones who make it go."