Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks to throw the ball during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns have been one of the more polarizing teams in the country, especially on offense, where they often didn't know which version they would get in their matchups. The last two games, though, they have started figuring it out, showing signs of living up to the expectations from pre-season.

Part of that success has been attributed to quarterback Arch Manning and his resurgence in the second half of the season. The player who was once viewed as a 'disappointment' was finally who they were expecting him to be.

Except, maybe Manning was viewed wrongly. Taking a step back on the season as a whole, his stats are nearly identical to Marcel Reed from the Texas A&M Aggies, who is viewed as a Heisman contender. So why are the two quarterbacks, who have almost identical stats, viewed so differently?

For Manning, despite the overwhelming talks during the first third of the 2025 season, already writing him off for anything he could end up being, has turned his season around. Aided by help from an offensive line that slowly gets better, and skill position players growing healthy around him, he has still put up quite impressive numbers this year.

Manning has a higher completion percentage at 62.7 percent compared to Reed's 62.3 percent, has one less fumble than Reed's two, and is tied in rushing touchdowns on the season with six. In fact, the categories that Manning lags in are minuscule. Reed has 70 more passing yards (2,193) compared to Manning (2,123), one more passing touchdown (19) than his rival (18), and has a higher yards per passing attempt for the Aggies (8.7) than Manning does with the Longhorns (7.9).

Despite that, the two are tied in interceptions this year, and the only category that Reed owns handily is rushing yards, where he has 378 compared to Manning's 203, while they both have 69 carries on the season. There isn't much of a schedule difference either, as the Aggies have the fifth-ranked strength of schedule compared to the Longhorns' eighth, and ESPN FPI even lists the two teams right next to each other, separated by only 0.8 points.

While many took a shot at Manning because of his performance and not living up to his expectations, he didn't place those on himself. All the talk before the season was generated by outside camps, creating manufactured hype before he had even taken a snap in the season. Reed has been excellent this season, and because he's been great, Manning has also been great; they go hand in hand.