Arch Manning entered the 2026 season with Texas carrying enormous expectations, but the early returns haven’t fully matched the buzz. The Longhorns have played like the No. 1 team, yet Manning’s own production has been more uneven through four games: 63.5% completions, 862 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions.
He did flash in Texas’ win over Texas State, but that outing has stood apart from the rest of his start. That’s part of why ESPN’s Josh Pate drew attention with his latest SEC quarterback rankings, where Manning landed at No. 9 - outside the top five and behind Trinidad Chambliss, Kamario Taylor, Keelon Russell, Austin Simmons, Gunner Stockton, Aaron Philo, Sam Leavitt, and Kenny Minchey.
The placement has sparked fresh questions about how much progress Manning has actually made so far. He arrived as one of the most talked-about players in college football, but Pate’s list reflects a simple reality: the numbers haven’t yet put him in the same tier as the SEC’s best passers.
Manning’s future is also part of the discussion. Former NFL quarterback and Heisman winner Robert Griffin III said Manning should stay at Texas for the 2027 season rather than head to 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 brought up the possibility of Manning sticking around at Texas for another season under coach Steve Sarkisian. For now, though, Manning still has time to change the conversation. Texas remains at the top of the college football rankings, and every week from here on out will keep the spotlight firmly on him.
In Other News...
Colin Simmons Gave Texas Fans Another Reason To Question The SEC
Colin Simmons gave Texas exactly the kind of breakout afternoon that gets remembered long after the final whistle. The Longhorns edge rusher posted a career-high 5.5 sacks against Tennessee and set a new program single-game sack record, a performance so disruptive that it instantly became one of the biggest individual highlights of the season for Texas.
Even so, the weekly conference honors did not follow in the way many expected, even as Simmons picked up multiple national awards after the game. For Texas fans, it only added another wrinkle to the ongoing debate over how much the SEC values what happened on the field versus everything that surrounded it. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Pass Rush Is Becoming A Serious SEC Problem
Texas has found a pass-rush pairing that is starting to change the conversation around its defense. Colin Simmons and Lance Jackson have been two of the biggest reasons the Longhorns have looked so disruptive early, combining for 29 tackles and 9.5 sacks while giving the front seven a much-needed edge in SEC play. Their pressure has been a steady theme for a defense that is trying to prove it can hold up when the schedule gets heavier.
Simmons, in particular, has already delivered the kind of breakout performance that puts a player on the league-wide radar, and Jackson has helped make sure the offense cannot focus its attention in one spot. For Texas, the bigger picture is obvious: if the pass rush keeps winning on obvious passing downs, the Longhorns can make life a lot harder on the teams standing between them and a playoff run. The next test is whether this early momentum holds when opponents start planning for it every week. [Read more 🡒]
Bijan Robinsons Latest NFL Statement Has Texas Fans Beaming
Bijan Robinson keeps giving Texas fans a reason to check Sundays with a little extra pride. The former Longhorn put together another standout showing against Green Bay, piling up 213 total scrimmage yards and finding the end zone twice, a reminder that his all-around game has translated cleanly to the pro level. He is also off to a strong early-season start, sitting near the top of the league in both rushing and receiving production.
The latest recognition adds to the sense that Robinson is becoming one of the NFLs most reliable matchup problems, especially away from home. His recent run has put him in rare company and given Texas supporters plenty to celebrate, even if the bigger picture around how high he can climb this season is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]