Arch Manning and Steve Sarkisian Silence the Noise for Now but Enormous Questions Remain for Texas

It was imperfect. It was stressful—far more stressful than it should have been. There were enormous mistakes intertwined with moments of absolute brilliance, especially early on. It was somehow inspiring and agonizing all at once, if such a football concoction is possible.

If you were merely checking the final score, Texas' 34-27 win over Ole Miss would have been satisfying enough, especially when you consider how much noise has surrounded Steve Sarkisian's program all week long.

But to leave at the score would do the game and this team a great injustice. And while we came into the game with looming questions about Texas' present and future, we left even more perplexed in many respects on a night that this program saved its season.

Early on, those questions were largely answered. Texas jumped out to an early 24-3 lead, thanks in part to quarterback Arch Manning and inspired effort from the defense, which kept quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in check.

As for Manning, his head coach floated the idea that backup KJ Lacey Jr. would play if Manning continued to struggle. His starter responded by uncorking a handful of beautiful deep balls, although one was inexcusably dropped by wideout Cam Coleman.

Along the way, Manning flashed. He showcased his speed, picking up a third and long with his legs early on. He looked sharper and more confident, at least early on. After so many questions and concerns this week, all was largely well.

The Manning saw early on largely vanished. It wasn't all his fault, of course, which has been the case all year. Manning fumbled early on, holding onto the ball far too long. Ole Miss recovered it for a touchdown, and the game flipped in a moment.

Later on, Manning unleashed a terrible interception. The Texas defense, which had been so good early, started to cave in. All the while, Sarkisian looked on in disbelief, spending much of the game yelling at officials while looking completely out of sorts.

And yes, they won. It didn't feel that way in the aftermath, but they did. Promise.

After Ole Miss recovered an onside kick that the Longhorns' special teams could have and should have recovered, Chambliss had a chance to tie the game. His Hail Mary was ultimately denied, giving the Longhorns the win it had to have.

Coming off back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Florida, the season was on the brink. From Sarkisian to Manning, the present and future of the program felt largely up for grabs, which would sound like hyperbole for most teams given where we are on the calendar. But Texas is different.

It would be unfair to simply highlight all that went wrong on Saturday and the near unravelling. But Texas found a way, no matter how ugly those last 30 minutes were.

A loss there would have likely put this team's playoff hopes on life support. At the very least, Texas can live to fight another day. And with wins over Ohio State, Tennessee and Ole Miss—the No. 1, No. 14 and No. 7 teams at the time those games were played—the current resume is somewhat perplexing.

The same can be said about the state of the program moving forward. Saturday night didn't exactly eliminate the concerns surrounding the team's starting quarterback. It also didn't inspire a ton of confidence with the team's head coach, who wore desperation on his face all night long.

The good was very good. The bad was inexplicably bad.

In many respects, this game was a microcosm of Texas' current existence. Incredible highs mixed with incredible lows. It's a trend that ultimately prevented this team from reaching the College Football Playoff last year; it could very well be its undoing once again.

If there's one thing Texas has trademarked in the Sarkisian era, it's a lack of prolonged consistency.

With that firmly acknowledged, it was a night of celebration and relief. Forget about how we arrived there—if you can, at least. Texas saved its season for another week. Period.

But the questions regarding Manning's future will persist. A two-interception game, no matter how good some of the throws for, won't derail the possibility of him ultimately losing his starting job.

That possibility remains a rough 10 minutes away from finally unfolding. And the possibility of Manning playing for a different program next year remains a realistic (and perhaps likely) scenario.

As for Sarkisian, a similar sentiment applies. His contributions to the program have been enormous. He's lifted Texas up from the depths of mediocrity to something much more fitting to a program this grand. Still, the questions surrounding his ability to lift Texas to that next, next level still linger.

Even in a win, a hugely important, had-to-have win for all parties involved, one can't help but feel a sense of uncertainty. The relief was palpable and necessary, although the apprehension to believe that all is finally well has never been greater.