Paul Finebaum Makes Strong Arch Manning Claim Ahead of CFP Semifinal
The College Football Playoff semifinals are underway. One game is completed, but the game between the No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns (13-2) and the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2) is still to come. Both teams come into this game with different results. Texas has played in two intense matchups.
It won its first playoff game against the No. 12 Clemson Tigers (10-4) by 14 points, although the Longhorns held only a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter. They then faced the No. 4 seed Arizona State Sun Devils (11-3) in a double-overtime game, where Texas secured an eight-point victory. However, they had to convert a fourth-and-13 in the first overtime just to stay in the game. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, have been dominant.
They have won each of their games by 20 points or more and held leads of at least 32 in both games. Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Texas’ offense in the second half has been the reason for these close games.
The Longhorns have scored only 17 points in the second half across both games, excluding overtime. In contrast, they scored 45 points in the first half of these games. This discrepancy led SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum to suggest on “The Paul Finebaum Show” that Texas may need to make a significant change to improve its offensive performance.
I think he must play Arch more to get that offense moving,” Finebaum said.
Arch Manning is the grandson of legendary college quarterback Archie Manning and the nephew of NFL icons Peyton Manning and Eli Manning.
He was rated as the top player in the 2023 class by On3. After redshirting his first year, he has appeared in nine games this season, primarily due to an injury sustained by starting quarterback Quinn Ewers. Manning has completed 67.8% of his passes, throwing for 939 yards along with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. However, the biggest advantage Manning has over Ewers is his running ability. He has rushed for 100 yards at an average of 4.2 yards per carry, scoring four touchdowns this season. In contrast, Ewers has managed -64 rushing yards with two touchdowns this season.
It remains uncertain whether Manning will play in the semifinal game. So, Finebaum and others will need to wait for the game on ESPN on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
