Now that college football’s Coaches Poll has been released and Heisman predictions have emerged, it’s clear that no one this season is under more pressure than Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. Being the nephew of former NFL stars Peyton and Eli Manning was always going to put him in the spotlight. Considering the results of the 2025 season and the expectations for both him and his team this year, the Texas QB now faces immense pressure to deliver during the upcoming season.
Last Season’s Inconsistency Puts Extra Pressure on Arch Manning
The 2025 season saw Manning established as one of the early Heisman favorites. He would stumble out of the gate in a 14-7 loss to Ohio State in his first game. After putting together three straight wins over teams from mid-major conferences, the Longhorns lost their first SEC matchup to an unranked Florida Gators team. Then they won four straight games against SEC competition before getting dominated in a 35-10 loss on the road against the Georgia Bulldogs. It was at that point that both Manning’s Heisman campaign and his team’s hopes for the College Football Playoff were over.
The final three games of the season saw a resurgence from Manning. First, there was a victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks where he threw for almost 400 yards, and Texas scored 52 points. Following that, the Longhorns knocked off the previously undefeated Texas A&M Aggies. Despite missing out on the playoff, the team accepted an invite to the Citrus Bowl, where they defeated the Michigan Wolverines 41-27.
It’s no surprise then that these types of ups and downs have led to Manning being a polarizing talent among college football analysts. Will he continue to play like the elite-level quarterback he showed himself to be through the final three weeks of the season? Will he revert back to the disappointing player he was against Ohio State, Florida and Georgia? Members of the sports media have come down strongly on both sides of this debate.
The Longhorns Have a More Favorable Schedule This Season
Manning’s team enters the 2026 college football season as the fourth-ranked team in the nation. In week two, they will once again play Ohio State (the number one team in the country). This year, though, Texas will play the Buckeyes at home. Their only game on the road against a preseason top 10 team will be the final game of the regular season against number eight Texas A&M. They also don’t have third-ranked Georgia on the schedule this year. A mid-season matchup against the 10th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels is at home.
There’s Some Margin for Error with Manning, But Not Much
Manning doesn’t need to either win the Heisman or guide his team to a National Championship in order to have a successful season. He just needs to look like a consistently elite quarterback throughout the year in order to be a high first-round draft pick. Losing a close game against one of the nation’s best teams won’t sink his chances of getting to this level, especially if he still plays well in the loss. Previous number one overall picks like Andrew Luck and Matthew Stafford didn’t win the Heisman or a National Title, but their exceptional play in college justified their draft position.
The eyes of the college football world will be on Manning and his Longhorns on a weekly basis. Time will tell if his resurgence over the last few games of the 2025 season were legitimate, or an aberration. Talking heads will continue to take sides as to how good he is and where he should be drafted. The pressure is on, and Manning will have to respond.
