Texas rallied late to beat Ohio State in a great game. Why people are talking about an AI video and a Texas candidate instead

Julian Sayin’s last-second heave bounced around, the ball eventually landing in the hands of Texas’ Graceson Littleton, sealing the Longhorns’ incredible comeback over No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday. It was a moment of pure joy. The burnt-orange clad players rushed the field, star quarterback Arch Manning looking wild with glee as he sprinted around the field holding up the school’s signature “hook ‘em” hand gesture. Since that moment, little time has been spent talking about the actual game played on the field, thanks to a fired-up Steve Sarkisian blowing off a post-game interview, a little-known Texas politician making racist comments about the school’s student body and then Manning (and a room full of much older reporters and other individuals) laughing about an AI video depicting violence against ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. The conversation surrounding the Longhorns this week was expected to center on their playoff chances, Manning living up to sky-high expectations and Sarkisian finally breaking through and completing an incredible comeback from the personal troubles that plagued his time at Washington and USC. The vibes should be great in Austin. Instead, the discourse centers about concerns about misogyny in the football program and the racial makeup of the student body – something no one would have predicted in those gleeful moments late Saturday night. It all started just seconds after the final moments ticked away when ESPN’s Holly Rowe began to ask Sarkisian a question on the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Texas head coach had abandoned a halftime on-field interview with Laura Rutledge, which the sideline reporter chalked up to technical difficulties that cut into the coach’s limited halftime intermission. As Rowe began to speak, an amped-up Sarkisian leaned toward the microphone and yelled, “That’s called Texas fight! That’s called Texas fight! Hook ‘em!” and walked away. Rowe looked frustrated for a moment before walking out of frame, while Sarkisian went to celebrate with the team. It was a contentious moment clearly fueled by adrenaline and a desire to be with his players, something that wasn’t the best look but was easily understandable. After an incredible fourth-quarter comeback (the Longhorns trailed 23-3 when the quarter started and won 24-23), Sarkisian wanted to spend his time with his players, not ESPN. Fair enough. Arch Manning steps in it But with social media being the AI-filled cesspool that it is, some people took that moment and decided to run with it in gross ways. One such AI-generated video showed Sarkisian’s interaction with Rowe, but edited in a virtual Sarkisian rearing back and striking a virtual Rowe across the face while shouting, “Hook ‘em!” before running away. It is the kind of shameful content that strange people on the internet decide to create because they think it’s funny, without considering the fact they are using images of real people who have real lives and real emotions and using those images to create something abhorrent. Social media has already allowed many users to hide behind their keyboards to say (or create) things they would never dream of if they had to interact with their targets in real-world situations, all under the guise of “it’s just a joke.” And for people like Manning, a 22-year-old who has never known a time without social media or the culture around it, it might all feel normal. Manning was asked on Monday if he had seen any of AI-generated videos of the postgame celebrations. Reporter Evan Vieth asked the question, explaining later – in a post apologizing for referring to Manning’s answer as “gold” – that he had asked about AI-generated videos of Manning’s joyous run around the turf after the final seconds ran out. “I’ve seen a few AI edits of stuff but that’s about it. I saw an AI edit of Sark’s interview,” Manning said with a smile, using his coach’s nickname, looking to his right at someone off-screen – something he’d do a couple times in the next few seconds. That brought a round of laughter from the room in which his press conference was being held. “Have y’all seen that one?” Manning asked the room. “That’s a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe?” That brought another round of laughter, though softer than the first. Manning added, “That’s hilarious.” It’s really not, even in the shock-and-awe world of social media where AI has let users create increasingly absurd images and videos in the infinite search for online clout, whatever that’s worth. Manning’s comments were crass and ill-thought, a brief look into the psyche of the average college-aged athlete who sees shocking images online and chooses to laugh at them as a joke rather than consider the bigger picture. On Tuesday afternoon, he issued an apology on Instagram. “In my press conference yesterday, I made an insensitive comment about an AI video. There is nothing funny about it. It’s easy to say I didn’t mean it, but I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for that,” he wrote. “I specifically want to apologize to Holly Rowe for what she has personally had to deal with because of my comments. I have a ton of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace in this moment. I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward.” Later on Tuesday, Rowe posted a reply to Manning’s mea culpa on Instagram and X. “Thank you, Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this — which will remain private. “Apology accepted. We move forward with respect and kindness for one another.” ESPN declined to comment on Manning’s press conference. Not being thoughtful isn’t a crime and everyone has said something they later come to regret. For Manning, it’s a moment that he will likely cringe at going forward and hope to learn from as he becomes a bigger star. What is more disturbing is the laughter in the room after Manning mentioned the video showed Sarkisian “slapping Holly Rowe.” Vieth’s video didn’t show who was cracking up at the idea, but – generally speaking – the older and more mature people in the room should know better. Texas’ student body targeted There is another, wholly separate distraction from Saturday night’s victory that has dragged the national immigration debate and culture wars directly into the grandstands at Memorial Stadium. The official account of the Texas athletic department posted a video late on Saturday showing the student section absolutely losing their minds as Texas scored the tying touchdown, which would be followed by the game-winning extra point. It’s the kind of scene that highlights why people love sports: delirious joy, screaming, students jumping up and down and hugging each other – a community brought together to cheer on their team. It was a beautiful sight for basically everyone who didn’t attend Oklahoma or Texas A&M, the Longhorns’ traditional rivals. Unless you are Bo French. French, who is running for Texas Railroad Commissioner (a body that, despite its name, oversees oil and gas regulation in the state), noticed that many of the students in that particular video were people of color. “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” he wrote, replying to the video on X on Sunday morning. He later added: “Like body-cams exposed criminals, social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners. It’s everywhere and far worse than any of us could imagine.” French, of course, has no way of knowing how many of those students are from another country or are from Texas. Given that the student body of UT-Austin is about 90% made up of students from the Lone Star State, it’s overwhelmingly likely that the students in that video are Texans – regardless of their skin color. It’s unclear what role a prospective Texas Railroad Commissioner believes he should play regarding the demographic makeup of the state’s flagship university, but a quick scroll of French’s X feed reveals extensive commentary on foreigners and people of color, with relatively few mentions of the oil and gas industry that he says he’s running to support. Lifelong Texans, who just happen to have a different skin color than French, now have to grapple with being made to feel like outsiders in a community that is meant to stay with them for life. The student newspaper at UT-Austin, The Daily Texan, spoke with several students who now feel separate from the community that has become part of their identity. The impact on campus has been tangible and disheartening. In a period of American history when our politics have grown increasingly caustic and embroiled in culture wars meant to sow divisions along so many different demographic lines that it’s hard to keep track, sports remain a rare unifier. The video French responded to captured a beautiful and genuine human moment: people of all colors and backgrounds coming together to celebrate and feel the pure joy that sports can bring. The Longhorns line up against UT-San Antonio on Saturday night for their next game, their first as No. 1 since early last season. That moment, and the unity that comes when the ball is kicked off, cannot come soon enough.