Texas QB Arch Manning says 'I've got to play better' - ESPN

AUSTIN, Texas — Arch Manning didn't need to watch the tape to know he wasn't good enough on Saturday in No. 1 Texas' 14-7 loss to No. 3 Ohio State. But he said he watched it all — the good, the bad and the ugly — Monday and is ready to move forward.

Manning struggled in his first road start, as well as his first start against a ranked team, going 17-of-30 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the defending national champion Buckeyes in Columbus.

«I hold myself to a high standard,» Manning said on Monday. «I've got to play better, got to lead more, got to get our guys to play well around me and ultimately I wasn't good enough.»

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian admitted he was frustrated after the first half, in which the Longhorns had only 79 yards of offense and averaged 3 yards per play. Sarkisian said at halftime he had a conversation with Manning to reiterate that the game wasn't totally on him, something he experienced as a quarterback himself.

«I think one thing that happened a little bit to Arch is the game can mount on you, and you feel like, oh man, we're not scoring, or I missed a read or I missed a throw,» Sarkisian said. «When in reality you look at the scoreboard, it's still 0-0. This game, it was a very tight game. I don't think he needed to press, and I think he'll learn that as we go, especially [because] he's fortunate right now. He's got a great defense on the other side of the ball.»

Manning said he settled in more in the second half as a result and Texas managed 260 yards of offense in the second half. «I realized we've got to go start making plays and I let it rip a little more,» Manning he. «I've got to start that sooner.»

But the Longhorns still came away with only seven points,