Is Steve Sarkisian about to drop the boldest decision of the season? The Texas Longhorns’ quarterback room is starting to feel like a high-stakes stock market. Quinn Ewers, the current starter, is dependable but not exactly electrifying—think of him as a blue-chip stock teetering on the edge. Then there’s Arch Manning, the redshirt freshman who’s generating sky-high expectations. Since Manning joined the Longhorns in 2023, fans have been clamoring to see what he can do, and this season, they finally got a taste.

With Texas facing the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship, all eyes were on Sarkisian’s QB decision: stick with the ailing Ewers or roll the dice with the much-hyped Manning? After the Longhorns fell short in a tight 22-19 loss to Georgia, the debate reached a fever pitch.

“ARCH OR QUINN? 👀” read a Rivals.com Instagram post on December 8, accompanied by the question, “SHOULD TEXAS START ARCH MANNING IN THE CFP?” The post set off a firestorm among Texas fans, splitting opinions. Some stood firmly behind Ewers, while others rallied for Manning, believing he was the key to taking Texas to the next level. Regardless of where fans stand, one thing is certain: both quarterbacks are class acts on and off the field. And if you need proof? Just check the stats.

Well, despite his injuries, Quinn Ewers, the Longhorns’ QB1, has had a fantastic season. In six games, he had 890 throwing yards, nine touchdowns, three interceptions, and an over 60% completion rate. Whereas Texas’ backup quarterback, Arch Manning, has also contributed significantly in Ewers’ absence. In four games, he amassed 901 throwing yards, 12 touchdowns, and a 70.5% completion rate.

However, given the performance patterns of these two outstanding quarterbacks, some people prefer Quinn above Manning. In this case, particularly, the performance versus Georgia is crucial. While both of them set records, Manning had a strong game against UTSA, throwing for 223 yards and 4 touchdowns and adding a rushing touchdown, and Quinn had a strong game against No. 10 Michigan, passing for 246 yards and 3 TDs.

However, fans are left wondering which quarterback would be the greatest fit for the Longhorns’ head coach and provide the spark Texas needs to win in the postseason.

Fans’ thoughts on the Texas QB situation

In today’s game against Georgia, Ewers completed 16 of 30 passes for a total of 190 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions. His completion percentage was approximately 53.3%. Following this, a fan commented, “Quinn played a good game.” Another fan commented, “What are you talking about. Quinn played really well tonight. We couldn’t catch a break.“

Ewers had a reasonable season with 24 touchdowns, seven picks, and a high completion rate. Let’s be honest, Ewers’ ankle injury is a serious problem against Georgia’s defense. His mobility is severely limited, and Georgia’s defensive line is going to feast on that. Facing that kind of pressure with a bum ankle? Not ideal.

However, if you pay close attention to the Texas vs. Georgia game, you will undoubtedly notice Ewers’ outstanding performance. So a Quinn fan became agitated and remarked, “What kind of dumb question is this?” regarding Ewers’ presence at the starting quarterback position. In their SEC title game, Texas also hurt themselves with penalties, including two costly ones by Isaiah Bond inside Georgia’s 30. Noting that, another fan said, “I agree Quinn played well 1 of the picks wasn’t really his fault it just bounced off of Isaiah and we need to be more disciplined headed forward.”

On the other hand, Arch Manning adds a new element of uncertainty. Remember the defeat to Georgia in Week 8? Sark didn’t think twice about giving Manning some snaps when Ewers was having trouble. But despite not playing many important snaps in this SEC Championship game, Manning ran for five yards before exiting the field. In a chaotic play, the Texas center accidentally kicked the pigskin, striking running back Jaydon Blue. While this occurred, Manning attempted a quarterback sneak up the middle.

Following this, a Manning supporter endorsed him as Sarkisian’s QB1 to maintain the impressive season-long play, saying, “Yes bro plz.” Another fan stated, “YES he goin get them ta were they wanna go.” However, it’s safe to say that most of the Texas fans support Ewers over Manning, but Sarkisian’s ultimate decision is still up in the air. With Ewers likely NFL-bound, and whispers of him already being a ‘Deshaun Watson replacement’ swirling around, does 2025 officially belong to Arch Manning?