ARCH MANNING CREDITS HOLLY ROWE FOR TEXAS WINS

Texas beat Ole Miss 34-27 in Austin before quarterback Arch Manning spoke to ABC sideline reporter Holly Rowe after the game. “I think you need to start doing our games more,” Manning told her. “We’re 3-0 with you this year.” Rowe replied, “We’ll take it.” ABC had sent its leading broadcast crew, including Rowe, to cover the game.

The exchange came weeks after Manning apologised to Rowe over his response to an AI-generated video involving Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The video falsely depicted Sarkisian slapping Rowe after Texas defeated Ohio State. Technical problems had delayed Sarkisian’s post-game interview with Rowe, and he left after saying, “Texas fight. Hook ’em.” At a later press conference, reporters asked Manning whether he had seen fan-made videos following the victory. Manning laughed as he mentioned the false video, asking: “Have y’all seen that one?”

ABC’s leading crew also covered Texas’s wins over Ohio State and Tennessee this season. The three victories gave Texas a 3-0 record in games covered by that crew, matching the figure Manning cited to Rowe. Manning helped secure the Ole Miss win after drawing criticism for inconsistent performances earlier in the season. The result kept Texas in contention for a College Football Playoff place.