Arch Manning arrived in 2026 with the kind of buzz that follows only the biggest names in college football. Texas has looked the part of a No. 1 team, but Manning’s individual production has not matched the preseason expectations that came with him.
Through four games, Manning has completed 63.5% of his passes for 862 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He turned in a strong outing against Texas State, but the rest of his starts haven’t delivered the same jolt.
That uneven start is now showing up in the way people are talking about him. ESPN’s Josh Pate released his rankings of every starting quarterback in the SEC, and Manning came in at No. 9 - outside the top five and well below the tier many expected him to occupy. Pate ranked him behind Trinidad Chambliss, Kamario Taylor, Keelon Russell, Austin Simmons, Gunner Stockton, Aaron Philo, Sam Leavitt and Kenny Minchey.
The placement has sparked questions about how much Manning has actually grown so far. He entered the year as one of the most heavily hyped players in college football, but Pate’s list suggests the numbers still haven’t caught up to the reputation.
The bigger question around Manning may be what comes next. Former NFL quarterback and Heisman winner Robert Griffin III recently said Manning should stay at Texas for the 2027 season rather than leaving for the NFL.
“I believe he should come back for another year,” Griffin said on The Herd. “When guys are ready to go to the NFL, playing college football looks easy for them.
For myself when I came out, when Andrew Luck came out, it looked easy in our last years. It doesn’t look easy for Arch yet.”
Former ESPN analyst Todd McShay has also floated the idea of Manning sticking around at Texas for another season with Steve Sarkisian.
For now, though, Manning still has a full season to reshape the conversation. Texas remains at the top of the college football rankings, and every snap from here will draw even more attention.
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