Texas fans add "nuance" to Arch Manning-Quinn Ewers debate as Red Zone numbers cause frenzy

There is little argument against Arch Manning being the best backup quarterback in college football. Entering his redshirt sophomore season in 2025, Manning is expected to take over the starting job from Texas senior quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Ewers is expected to declare for the 2025 NFL draft following the College Football Playoff, but many believe Manning already deserves the starting job.

His fans made a good case as a deep dive into each quarterback's red zone statistics on "Get Up on ESPN" caused a frenzy among Texas fans.

Fans reacted to the stat comparison in the comments of the post.

"Let's see Ewers (red zone) numbers from the last 3 games only," one fan argued against Quinn Ewers. "The trend is concerning, hence the concern."

"Thank you for the nuanced take," a second fan added.

"(Quinn Ewers) did what against the rest of the SEC," a third fan questioned.

Some fans sided with the veteran quarterback in Ewers.

"Yup, context matters," a fan argued against Arch Manning, pointing to a lack of competition in the games Manning started at quarterback.

"Facts. 'Quinn Sucks' is the most illiterate take in college football," another fan declared.

"This is where context matters," another fan agreed.

Manning tops Ewers in every red zone stat listed, including completion percentage, yards per attempt and quarterback rating.

Manning has seen limited action this season, making three starts versus UTSA, ULM and a lowly Southeastern Conference opponent Mississippi State.

In total, he has played five games this season, completing 68% of his passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. The redshirt freshman also offers versatility as a ball carrier compared to Quinn Ewers.

Texas Longhorns heavy favorite in first-round CFP matchup

The No. 5 Longhorns are set to take on the No. 12 Clemson Tigers in the first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Longhorns drew a matchup versus Clemson after suffering a 22-19 loss versus the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship game on Dec. 7.

Clemson clinched a spot in the first-ever 12-team playoff after an upset victory over SMU in the ACC Championship to cap off a 10-3 campaign in the regular season. Similar to the ACC Championship, Clemson enters their playoff matchup versus Texas as an underdog.

Sportsbooks are predicting a blowout ahead of their first-round matchup versus Clemson, as the Longhorns enter the weekend as a 12-point favorite over the Tigers. Despite struggling on the offensive side of the ball over their last two games, ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Longhorns an 80.5% chance to take down the Tigers at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Kickoff for this highly anticipated opening-round matchup is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. with coverage available on TNT and Max.