Overview
- A brief postgame moment when Texas coach Steve Sarkisian cut short an on‑field interview with ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe was edited by AI into a fake video showing him striking her and that clip spread widely online.
- During a Monday media availability, Texas quarterback Arch Manning referenced the fake clip and laughed about it, drawing immediate online and press criticism for treating a depiction of violence as a joke.
- Manning issued a public apology on Tuesday saying he was "deeply sorry," he apologized directly to Holly Rowe, and Rowe said she spoke privately with Manning and accepted the apology.
- Several outlets and commentators say Sarkisian has not publicly apologized for his original on‑field interaction with Rowe, keeping attention on questions of coach accountability and Texas Athletics' response.
- The episode has intensified debates about how AI deepfakes can distort events, the treatment of women in sports media, and the need for clearer platform and team responses to manipulated footage.