Arch Manning injury update: Texas QB leaves MSU game after hard hit

Texas quarterback Arch Manning suffered an injury in overtime against Mississippi State.

The injury happened on the first play of the OT period, when Manning scrambled for a first down. Just as Manning was diving toward the ground, he took a solid hit from two Bulldogs defenders and stayed on the ground before team personnel came onto the field to check on him.

Manning was helped off the field and taken into the medical tent as backup Matthew Caldwell took over at signal-caller for the Longhorns.

Luckily, Manning didn’t need to return to the game as, two plays later, Caldwell found Emmett Mosley in the end zone to score on the opening possession. The Longhorns shut down Mississippi State on its first drive of overtime to secure a 45-38 win.

Arch Manning injury update: Status unknown

It’s unknown what type of injury Manning suffered.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said postgame he didn’t have an update on Manning and he would have more information on Monday, Oct. 27.

Manning was instrumental in Texas pulling off a fourth quarter comeback. Texas trailed by 17 points with 10 minutes left in the game. He had a big day with a career-high 346 yards passing and three touchdown passes to one interception. He also had a rushing score.

It was one of Manning’s best performances of what’s been an up-and-down season for the hyped quarterback. The big game against the Bulldogs came after Manning struggled against Kentucky, going 12-for-27 with 132 yards against the Wildcats.

He has thrown for 1,795 yards this season with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, along with six rushing scores.

Who is Matthew Caldwell? What to know about Texas backup QB

Caldwell came in to deliver the game-winning score for Texas in his biggest moment as a Longhorn.

A 6-foot-4 senior from Auburn, Alabama, Caldwell is in his first season with the Longhorns after spending time at Jacksonville State, Gardner-Webb and Troy. Last season, he threw for a career-high 1,608 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and had five rushing scores. Troy went 3-2 in the final five games as it finished 4-8 on the season.

So far this season, Caldwell has mostly come on in relief for Manning. In five games, he’s 8-for-11 with 86 yards and a touchdown, along with 64 rushing yards on two carries.

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