Arch Manning’s star continues to rise, and after his electric performance in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the rest of the college football world is officially on notice.
Manning led Texas to a 41-27 win over Michigan, and on Monday, he was named to the Davey O’Brien Award’s Postseason Great 8 - a nod reserved for quarterbacks who delivered standout performances in the postseason. He joins a talented group that includes Miami’s Carson Beck, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Utah’s Devon Dampier, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Oregon’s Dante Moore, TCU’s Ken Seals, and Houston’s Conner Weigman.
But Manning’s inclusion on that list wasn’t just ceremonial - it was earned. In a game where Texas was down several key players due to injuries and opt-outs, Manning put the team on his back.
He threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-34 passing, but it was his legs that really broke the game open. Manning ran for 155 yards and two more scores on just nine carries, repeatedly burning Michigan’s defense with timely scrambles and designed runs.
This wasn’t just a bowl game win - it was a statement. A young quarterback, under pressure, leading a shorthanded team to a marquee victory over a perennial powerhouse. And he did it with poise, toughness, and a growing command of the offense that’s hard to ignore.
Manning’s late-season surge has vaulted him into the national spotlight heading into 2026. He’ll return to lead the Longhorns next fall, and the buzz is building. After closing out the 2025 season with wins over Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and now Michigan, he’s not just living up to the hype - he’s starting to exceed it.
FanDuel Sportsbook currently has Manning tied for the best odds to win next season’s Heisman Trophy, alongside Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (+800). That’s not just a nod to his name - it’s a reflection of his production, leadership, and the way he’s elevated this Texas offense when it mattered most.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t hold back in his praise after the Longhorns’ win over Texas A&M. “I'm so proud of Arch,” Sarkisian said. “You go into a season with all the hoopla surrounding him, and then he's playing like a first-year starter, getting beat up from every angle - and he never lost his focus.”
Sarkisian pointed to Manning’s resilience during a tough stretch when the Longhorns’ run game stalled and they had to lean heavily on the passing attack. “Without Arch Manning, tonight's not tonight the way that it is,” Sarkisian said. “We needed him for about a month when we weren’t running the ball very well, and he stood in there in some real fire.”
That fire showed again in the Citrus Bowl. Sarkisian noted how Manning adjusted to tough wind conditions in the first half, made critical plays with his legs on third downs, and led with the kind of energy and preparation that teammates rally around.
“Nobody works harder, nobody prepares more,” Sarkisian added. “The blitz packages that A&M has are elite, NFL-level, and this guy managed our protections at the line of scrimmage beautifully.”
And then there was the exclamation point - a touchdown run on 3rd and 3 to seal the game. “To cap it off with that run was a pretty cool moment,” Sarkisian said.
It’s becoming clear that Arch Manning isn’t just a promising young quarterback - he’s becoming the heartbeat of this Texas team. If the second half of 2025 was any indication, 2026 could be something special.