A viral video circulating on social media since late Saturday added another layer of frustration to a night Texas quarterback Arch Manning would like to forget.
Following No. 10 Texas’ 35-10 loss at Georgia, a clip appeared online showing Manning in tears on the bench. The footage spread quickly among fans, many of whom believed the former five-star was visibly emotional after the setback. The defeat pushed the Longhorns out of realistic College Football Playoff contention.
But the moment never happened.
The AI-generated deep fake made Manning the latest high-profile athlete targeted by fabricated content this college football season.
The video went viral on both YouTube and Instagram.
The game offered enough painful reality for the Longhorns. Georgia dominated from the opening kickoff, scoring touchdowns on its first two drives and closing out SEC play with a convincing win.
Texas trailed only 14-10 entering the fourth quarter, but Kirby Smart’s team overwhelmed the Longhorns with timely fourth-down conversions and an onside-kick gamble that set up the Bulldogs’ third touchdown. It was the start of 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points.
Manning finished with a single touchdown and the Longhorns managed just 23 rushing yards after being held to 2-of-12 on third down.
Georgia’s CFP case is strong. Texas, on the other hand, turns to Arkansas and Texas A&M with its postseason hopes hanging by a thread.
Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.