Paul Finebaum Says What Everyone's Thinking About Arch Manning After Quinn Ewers' Injury

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum never shies away from a bold take, and he delivered one of his biggest on Tuesday while appearing on " First Take ."

The discussion centered on Texas Longhorns backup quarterback Arch Manning , who had a standout performance with five touchdowns in a 56-7 victory over UTSA . Manning took over after starting quarterback Quinn Ewers went down with an injury, which is expected to sideline him for Week 4 against Louisiana-Monroe , though it's not considered severe.

Despite playing UTSA who isn't a powerhouse by any means, Finebaum saw enough to think Manning could take Texas to the promise land.

"He proved that he can take [Texas] to the National Championship," Finebaum said . "What I saw from Arch Manning on Saturday, and what everyone else saw, has me convinced that there's really not much drop-off."

Manning completed nine of 12 passes for 223 yards, four touchdowns, and a 341.1 passer rating in Saturday’s matchup against UTSA. He also contributed on the ground with three rushes for 53 yards and a rushing touchdown.

In the games he has played this season, Manning has shown he’s ready for the spotlight. He will have the chance to start in Week 4.

However, while Finebaum is high on Manning, there's no indication that Quinn Ewers will be benched in the foreseeable future. If Ewers is healthy and performing well, he remains the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

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