The football gods can be cruel, y’all. On a bittersweet night in Arlington, Texas, the Longhorns’ season—and Quinn Ewers’ era—came to a heart-wrenching end. Ohio State’s 28-14 win in the Cotton Bowl wasn’t just a loss; it felt like the closing of a chapter. For Quinn Ewers, who has been the heart and soul of Texas football, this night was the grand finale of a career that turned him from a mullet-rocking freshman to one of college football’s most iconic quarterbacks. And oh, what an emotional rollercoaster it was. With Ewers gone, Arch Manning will kick start his place ‘ERA’. Ewers balled out for most of the game, throwing for 283 yards and 2 touchdowns, but fate had other plans.

2:29 in the fourth quarter, with Texas down by a touchdown, Ewers faced a 4th & Goal. The AT&T stadium was electric, with every fan holding their breath. But then came Jack Sawyer—Ewers’ former roommate from his Ohio State days—storming in like a one-man wrecking crew. Sawyer not only sacked Ewers but forced a fumble and took it to the end zone, effectively sealing the Buckeyes’ victory. Talk about a gut punch. You couldn’t script a more dramatic—and cruel—ending. As Sawyers revealed later, after the play, Ewers only had two words for him

“As (Ewers) was walking off he said, ‘Screw you’ and started laughing. That’s my boy, we were roommates when we were here,” Sawyer said. At the post-game press conference, he also broke down what he said to Ewers: “I just said great season. He’s a good guy. He’s a great dude. He was my roommate here. He’s had a lot of success, and he’s a great person. I just told him ‘Keep your head up. You played a great game and have a great future ahead of you. Stay in touch sometime soon.” Still, Ewers struggled to hold back his emotions after the game while expressing how hard it struck him.

“It’s not like I tried to give him the game- but I saw Jack running with the ball down the sideline and you know, it sucks man. But he’s a great player, great individual, great person. It just sucks. It sucks,” Ewers said after the game. It does, for sure. After all, this was the 2nd consecutive year in a CFP semifinal when Ewers had the ball in his hands with a chance to punch a ticket to the national championship game, and he and the Longhorns fell short. Last season, in a Sugar Bowl loss to Washington, Texas had a 1st-and-10 from the Huskies’ 12-yard line with 15 seconds left and a chance to win but failed to score. Yet what he got from the Texas fans on this emotional night was just love.

Post-game, Ewers walked off the field for what felt like the last time in burned orange. And man, it hit hard. Texas native was fighting his tears. Thousands of Hook ‘Em fans gave him a standing ovation as he made that long, emotional walk to the tunnel. Just before heading to the tunnel, Ewers paused, soaking it all in, turning back for one last look at the crowd that had cheered him on through thick and thin. It was a moment—a raw, unfiltered farewell that left not a single dry eye in the stadium. When asked by ESPN’s Pete Thamel if he planned on playing college football next season, Ewers’ answer was simple, “Nah, I don’t.” But he is surely leaving with his head held high.

Let’s not forget who Quinn Ewers is: one of the most hyped recruits in modern history and a game-changer for Texas football. Since arriving in Austin, Ewers has been the guy, the leader, the face of the program. But he will go down as a central figure in helping Sarkisian rebuild a program into an elite contender. Steve Sarkisian expressed that in as many words as he could. “I’m super proud of Quinn,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t know if he’d ever live up to the standards of what everybody thinks he’s supposed to be. But at the end of the day, all he did was show up every day and work and be a great leader and be a great teammate.”

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Who cares Ewers is the reason we lost all three games

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“And that’s a real credit to him because human nature, in this day and age, is to look at Twitter, to look at Instagram, to look at social media and articles written and fan boards and whatever else. But this guy never did that. He fought through everything. Never complained about it one time. And I think that’s why he has so much respect from his teammates.”

This season alone, Ewers threw for over 3,100 yards and 29 touchdowns, leading the Longhorns to a stellar 13-3 record. But it wasn’t just about the stats. Ewers brought swagger, grit, and a sense of hope to a fanbase that desperately needed it. Quinn Ewers went on a journey from a mullet-wearing Ohio kid to the wise-beyond-his-years leader of the Longhorns, straight out of a Hollywood script. There’s a saying in Arabic, ‘What’s to come, is better than what’s left.’ Tomorrow we wake up to a new era in Austin. It’s the Arch Manning era.

Arch Manning’s era begins at Austin

As one chapter ends, another begins. Enter Arch Manning, the famous freshman who’s been waiting in the wings for 2 years now and will finally get a chance to fly. Manning’s era unofficially kicked off after the game when he joined the Hook ‘Em Longhorns tradition, connecting with fans in a way that hinted at what was to come.

Manning even got some playing time in this game, converting a crucial 4th & 1 that set up a Texas touchdown. And let’s not forget his performances earlier this season when Ewers was sidelined. Manning’s shown flashes of brilliance, throwing for 939 yards, 9 touchdowns, and rushing for 4 more. The kid’s got the tools, the pedigree, and now, the opportunity. ESPN cameras showed Manning sitting next to Ewers on the bench as they both looked at replays on tablets. “I’ve learned so much from Quinn over the years,” Manning told the Statesman.

Texas fans are already buzzing about what Manning could bring to the table. But let’s be real—filling Ewers’ shoes won’t be easy. Arch Manning has the talent, no doubt, but the journey from heir apparent to program savior is no walk in the park. Still, there’s hope—and plenty of it. For now, though, let’s take a moment to appreciate Quinn Ewers.

His story isn’t over—it’s just moving to a different stage. Whether he’s suiting up on Sundays in the NFL or finding another way to make an impact, you know this isn’t the last we’ve heard of him. The Cotton Bowl might’ve been his farewell to college football, but for Texas fans, it was a celebration of a legacy that ain’t gonna forgotten anytime soon. And as for Arch Manning? Buckle up, folks. The next era of Texas football is about to begin.