Arch Manning is about to step into one of the family’s favorite stages.
When Texas visits LSU on Nov. 14, the Longhorns quarterback will have a shot to tilt the Manning family’s overall record against the Tigers. Right now, the Mannings and LSU are tied 3-3, with two of those games coming in Mississippi and four in Tiger Stadium, where the family is 2-2.
The history starts with Archie Manning’s famous night in Baton Rouge. On Nov. 3, 1968, the Baton Rouge Advocate ran the headline, “Archie Manning 27, LSU 24,” after he threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns, ran for another score and capped the upset with a 75-yard game-winning drive in the closing minutes against the No. 14 Tigers, who were 5-1 at the time.
A year later, Archie did it again. On Nov.
8, 1969, Manning and Ole Miss were down 23-12 to No. 8 LSU in the third quarter in Jackson, Mississippi, in an afternoon game on ABC.
He led another comeback, and the Rebels won 26-23. Archie finished that day with three rushing touchdowns and a TD pass.
It was LSU’s only loss of the season and knocked the Tigers out of a major bowl bid, leading them to stay home at 9-1 rather than take a minor bowl.
LSU got its revenge in 1970. On Dec. 5, the No.
8 Tigers rolled past No. 16 Ole Miss 61-17 on ABC at night in Tiger Stadium to win Charles McClendon’s only Southeastern Conference title.
LSU finished 9-3 and 5-0. Archie played that day with a cast on his broken left arm, which was not his throwing arm, and he was especially limited as a runner.
Then came Eli Manning, who matched the family script in Baton Rouge. On Oct.
27, 2001, Archie’s youngest son helped Ole Miss beat LSU 35-24 on ESPN2 at night. Like his grandfather in the late 1960s, Eli rallied the Rebels from a fourth-quarter deficit, overcoming a 24-21 hole with two touchdown passes.
He went 28 of 44 for 249 yards and three touchdowns.
The next season, LSU answered right back. On ESPN2 at night on Oct. 27, 2002, the No.
21 Tigers edged Ole Miss 14-13 to even the Manning series in Tiger Stadium at 2-2. Eli finished with 218 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 19-of-38 passing.
LSU then pushed the overall series to 3-3 in 2003. The No.
3 Tigers beat the No. 15 Rebels 17-14, clinching the SEC title on the way to a national championship under Nick Saban, LSU’s first since the 1958 season.
Now the next chapter belongs to Arch. The Texas quarterback said at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday, “It’s going to be really cool,” Arch Manning said at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday.
“Obviously, I grew up going to games there every year. It’s a great crowd, and we’re excited for the challenge.”
Manning, the son of Cooper Manning, signed as a wide receiver from Newman High to Ole Miss before spinal stenosis was found before his freshman season and ended his football career. Arch will be a redshirt junior in the 2026 season and will be the Longhorns’ starter for a second straight year.
“I’m just trying to get better one day at a time, and keep improving on last year,” Manning said. “And help my team win anyway I can.
Just continue to be myself, not try to be anyone else. Play within myself, trust my teammates, trust the coaching and try to get better each week.”
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