Arch Manning Reacts to 'Edgy' Quote from Sarkisian After Texas' Win vs. Ole Miss amid Benching Buzz

There was no shortage of noise surrounding Arch Manning after Steve Sarkisian told reporters ahead of Saturday's game against Ole Miss his QB1 status would be evaluated, but the Texas head coach liked what he saw from the "edgy" signal-caller in the 34-27 win.

"I was edgy? I don't know what that means," Manning said after the win, per Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. "But yeah, I think I had a chip on my shoulder all week. I've got to continue to play like that."

His comments come after Sarkisian told reporters Thursday that Manning was "edgy" all week leading up to the contest.

After the game, the coach said , "One thing I know about Arch Manning, he's a fighter. I like the edgy, kind of borderline arrogant, full-of-swagger Arch. I just feel like that's when he's at his best."

Some anxiety or at least uneasiness surrounding the Texas program heading into the game was to be expected.

It wasn't just that Manning's status as the team's starter was being discussed. The Longhorns also lost two straight games to rival Oklahoma and Florida, putting their College Football Playoff hopes in serious jeopardy.

A third straight conference loss would have put them in a position where they would have needed to win out just to have an outside chance at making the 12-team field even with quality wins over Ohio State and Tennessee on their resume.

Manning immediately responded to the pressure, though, and led Texas to a 24-3 halftime advantage with a touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo and a touchdown run of his own. His early performance would have been even better if Cam Coleman didn't drop what should have been a touchdown on a deep ball.

The visitors recovered a Manning fumble for a touchdown before Trinidad Chambliss directed two touchdown drives to tie the game at 24 in the fourth quarter. The Texas crowd was stunned, and it felt like the season was slipping away with the team's highly regarded quarterback throwing two interceptions in addition to the lost fumble.

That's when Manning directed a six-play, 80-yard drive that he capped off with a touchdown run to take the lead for good. Ole Miss had a chance to tie it on the final play, but Chambliss' heave was intercepted in the end zone.

"When he shows that fire in his belly that he had tonight, I think the team responds to that," Sarkisian said of Manning. "I'm just very proud of him because this isn't easy. His world, his life is different than anybody else I've ever been around that's been part of this sport. But the guy keeps coming back, and so we're lucky to have him as our guy."

The CFP is still well within sight for the Longhorns after their third quality win of the season, and now Manning has some momentum after responding to a difficult situation within Saturday's game after what was likely a challenging week of speculation about his starting status.