Arch Manning is back in the headlines - and this time, it’s not because of anything he did on the field. The Texas Longhorns quarterback was recently spotted at Innisfree Irish Pub in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a popular hangout just a stone’s throw from Bryant-Denny Stadium. Naturally, that sighting has sparked a wave of speculation about whether Manning might be eyeing a transfer to Alabama.
Now, let’s be clear: just being seen in Tuscaloosa doesn’t mean a transfer is happening. But in the current college football landscape - where the transfer portal is as active as ever and social media can turn a casual visit into a full-blown rumor mill - it doesn’t take much to get people talking.
What we do know is this: Two weeks ago, Cooper Manning, Arch’s father, publicly stated that his son would return to Texas for the 2026 season. That announcement effectively shut down any talk of Arch declaring early for the NFL Draft.
But while the draft is off the table for now, the transfer portal remains a very real option. If the right opportunity presents itself - and Alabama would certainly qualify as “enticing” - it’s not out of the question.
There’s also the timing. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is widely expected to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
He’s currently ranked as the No. 3 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board, sitting behind Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
If Simpson moves on, the Crimson Tide will have a vacancy under center - and a program like Alabama doesn’t rebuild, it reloads.
As for Arch, his first season as Texas’ starting quarterback was solid, but not quite the breakout campaign many had hoped for. That’s the weight of the Manning name - when your uncles are Eli and Peyton, expectations don’t just come with the job; they define it.
Manning finished the regular season with 2,942 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Those are respectable numbers, especially for a first-year starter, but they also came in a season where Texas fell just short of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
Instead, the Longhorns will close out their season in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan - a team that, while two years removed from a national title, is now under new leadership. After parting ways with Sherrone Moore earlier this month, Michigan wasted no time bringing in veteran head coach Kyle Whittingham. Manning addressed the upcoming matchup with a brief but confident message: he’s “excited to play a good Michigan team.”
So where does that leave things? For now, Arch Manning remains a Texas Longhorn.
The Citrus Bowl is up next, and that’s where his focus appears to be. But in a college football era defined by player movement and high-profile transfers, don’t be surprised if the speculation continues - especially when a Manning is involved and the SEC is in the picture.