Back to No. 1 and back to the field for Arch Manning and Texas Longhorns against UTSA
PUBLISHED Sep 17, 2026, 12:34 PM ET
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Texas quarterback Arch Manning enters Saturday night's nonconference matchup against UTSA following a week marked by intense public scrutiny and an apology. The Longhorns recently secured the No. 1 ranking after a dramatic comeback victory over Ohio State. However, excitement was briefly overshadowed when Manning publicly joked at a press conference about a fabricated artificial intelligence video depicting coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. Manning quickly issued an apology on Instagram, which Rowe graciously accepted, allowing the program to refocus on athletics. Texas (2-0) now aims to avoid a repeat of previous seasons where their stay at the top was short-lived. Meanwhile, UTSA arrives in Austin looking to challenge the top-ranked squad. Longhorn players have emphasized that early-season rankings carry little weight as the team prepares for the remainder of its demanding schedule.
By Ayesha A. | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- On September 13, 2026, Texas defeated Ohio State to claim the No. 1 ranking.
- On September 14, 2026, Arch Manning made controversial remarks regarding an AI-generated video.
- On September 15, 2026, Arch Manning issued a formal public apology on Instagram.
- On September 15, 2026, ESPN reporter Holly Rowe publicly accepted Arch Manning's apology.
- On September 17, 2026, team representatives emphasized that early-season rankings matter little before playoffs.
- On September 19, 2026, Texas hosts UTSA in their final nonconference regular season game.
- In coming months, Texas will navigate rigorous conference play aiming for playoff contention.
- In coming seasons, college football programs will face increased scrutiny regarding deepfake media content.
- In future years, athletic departments will likely enhance media training protocols for student-athletes.
- In future postseasons, the Longhorns seek to establish sustained dominance at the national level.
News Intelligence
- Immediate US impact: College sports fans focus on Texas football focus and maturity.
- Possible long-term US impact: Increased awareness surrounding artificial intelligence deepfakes in sports media.
- Most affected groups: Texas Longhorns football team, UTSA Roadrunners, and sports media professionals.
- Reader priority: Monitor game performance updates and institutional media policy statements closely.
- Articles Published:
- 32
- Right Leaning:
- 1
- Left Leaning:
- 2
- Neutral:
- 29
- Distribution:
- Left 6%, Center 91%, Right 3%
Left: Emphasizes the seriousness of inappropriate remarks regarding synthetic media abuse. Center: Reports factual sequence of events involving the apology and game. Right: Focuses primarily on athletic resilience and overcoming distractions before kickoff.
Arch Manning apologized on Instagram for joking about AI video on Sept 15, 2026. https://apnews.com/article/texas-arch-manning-holly-rowe-apology-1bf9de0fa2820fcb34c6999f3289fa43
Coverage of Story:
From Left
Arch Manning apologizes for 'insensitive' joke about AI video of ESPN’s Holly Rowe
The Guardian HuffPostFrom Center
Texas QB Arch Manning apologizes to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe for laughing about fake video of slap
Associated Press The Times of India Hindustan Times CBS News Yardbarker TSN AtoZ Sports ESPN Washington Post USA Today Sports Illustrated The Dallas Morning News Houston Chronicle Austin American-Statesman On3 247Sports Rivals CBS Sports The Hill Politico Time Newsweek Forbes Bloomberg Reuters Touchdown Wire College Football News Athlon Sports The SpunFrom Right
Arch Manning says 'there is nothing funny about it' in direct message to ESPN's Holly Rowe
Daily Mail
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