Arch Manning Reacts to Sarkisian’s Postgame Flap

After Texas’ nail-biting comeback victory against No. 1 Ohio State, Arch Manning was perhaps a bit too candid when asked about any AI edits he had seen related to the game. This was during a time when Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian had made waves by walking out on a postgame interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, an act that quickly garnered criticism online.

“That’s called Texas fight! That’s called Texas fight! Hook ’em!” Sarkisian exclaimed, abruptly leaving Rowe after the 24-23 win last Saturday, a moment that didn’t go unnoticed.

The incident sparked a flurry of viral AI edits, including one particularly amusing video of Sarkisian appearing to slap Rowe, which led to an amusing question posed to Manning during a press event on Monday.

“I’ve seen a few AI edits and stuff, but that’s about it. I saw AI edits of Sark’s interview,” Manning said, which drew laughter from those in attendance.

He continued, clearly amused, “Have y’all seen that one? That’s a good one… Of him slapping Holly Rowe? That’s hilarious.”

However, not everyone found the situation humorous.

One online user expressed disapproval, stating, “Slapping a woman isn’t funny — even [when] done by AI. I don’t care who you are. What a shame that Arch and the Media in the room think it’s funny.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, with comments regarding the maturity of the audience present during Manning’s remarks. “The room full of 40+ year old men laughing with him is much more concerning than the college kid finding it funny,” wrote one commenter.

Manning, who played a pivotal role in Texas’ remarkable comeback from a 23-3 deficit, recorded 196 passing yards along with a touchdown and an interception. This victory solidified Texas’ position as the top-ranked team in the nation.

Next week, Texas is set to face the University of Texas at San Antonio, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.