Texas Faces Crucial Decision: Will Arch Manning Return from Concussion to Face Vanderbilt?

Saturday’s college football slate gets a jolt of electricity right out of the gate with Texas facing Vanderbilt — and trust me, this isn’t just another kickoff. The Longhorns just battled through a wild 45-38 overtime thriller against Mississippi State, all while losing their QB Arch Manning to concussion protocol. Yet, they clawed back without him, showing grit and a defense that now must shrug off allowing a season-high 38 points to face a surging Commodores offense. On the flip side, Vanderbilt, now 7-1, is hanging on to the faintest threads of SEC Championship hopes, having edged out Missouri by a hair’s breadth in a nail-biter. Here’s the kicker: can Manning, who’s been lighting it up with career-best throws, suit up despite still being a game-time decision? And what about Diego Pavia, the Commodores’ gunslinger playing like college football’s next Heisman frontrunner? If you think this is just another Saturday game, think twice — it’s a chess match with high stakes, bruising plays, and maybe a tinge of deja vu for Texas fans. Ready to dive deeper into this showdown? LEARN MORE.

Texas and Vanderbilt will help kick off what should be an electric Saturday afternoon of college football.

The Texas Longhorns are coming off a crazy 45-38 win over Mississippi State on the road in overtime. Longhorns QB Arch Manning left the game after going into concussion protocol. Texas still managed to complete the comeback without him. The Texas defense allowed a season high 38 points to Mississippi State. The defense will look to bounce back in a big way against a rising Vanderbilt offense.

Vanderbilt defeated Missouri at home in a close battle. Missouri was one yard away from tying the game with no time left on a Hail Mary attempt. The Missouri receiver caught it, but was just shy of the end zone. Vandy is now 7-1, but does not control its own destiny to the SEC Championship game just yet. They need a big win against Texas this weekend and need either Texas A&M or Alabama to lose. There are currently six teams in the conference competing for the conference title.

Manning returned to practice this week as he prepares to play against Vanderbilt in what will be a huge game. The team is “hopeful” he can return to action. He is listed as a “game-time decision” according to On3.

Manning passed for a season-high of 346 yards against the Bulldogs. He also completed a season-high 29 passes with three touchdowns. He’s led his team to a three-game win streak after a rough start to the campaign. This won’t be an easy game to come back to from, but Manning is showing major strides in his passing game. The Longhorns won’t win this game if they don’t see success in that area.

Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia is playing like a Heisman in 2025. He will have his team in the game until the end. Texas will have to throw the ball late in the game to score points quickly.

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