The Weight of a Name: Arch Manning Steps Into Spotlight Against Ohio State

The hype around Arch Manning has already reached uncontrollable levels. But if there’s one thing the 21-year-old Texas quarterback wants you to know about him, it’s this:

"I feel like I’m a pretty normal guy," Manning, who is preparing for his debut season as the Longhorns’ starter, told reporters at SEC Media Days earlier this summer. "I like to hang out with my buddies. Golf. I take football pretty seriously. Other than that, just a regular guy."

It’s probably not easy to be a "regular guy" when your genetics speak otherwise. Manning, of course, is the grandson of Archie and nephew of Peyton and Eli. His life growing up was inherently different from his peers as it included playoff games, Super Bowls and gold jackets. He was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country coming out of high school in 2023 and arrived in Austin to much fanfare. During the 2023 spring game, thousands of fans gave him a standing ovation when he entered the scrimmage as an early-enrollee.

Since that point, Manning hasn’t played a ton of meaningful football. He’s had limited game experience the past two years as he sat patiently behind former Texas starter Quinn Ewers.

But all that changes Saturday when No. 1 Texas travels to Columbus to face defending national champion and No. 3 Ohio State (noon ET on FOX) to open the season in what can safely be described as the most high-stakes matchup of Week 1.

"I think it's the biggest college football regular-season game in a decade," Colin Cowherd said in a recent appearance on "The Joel Klatt Show." "This is a prize fight. This is gigantic."

If you thought the excitement meter was absurd now, just wait until this game kicks off at the Horseshoe, which fits more than 100,000 rowdy fans, all of whom will be anxious to see if the Buckeyes can outplay Manning.

If the Longhorns win, it likely means Manning delivered a strong performance — and with that, expectations will only grow. Texas reached the SEC Championship Game last season in its first year in the league, and heading into 2025, Steve Sarkisian’s program is considered a favorite to win the conference and compete for a national title. Those early projections hinge almost entirely on Manning.

If the Buckeyes win, it could signal that Manning struggled in his debut as QB1 — opening the door to added pressure, growing questions, and early doubt about his readiness and long-term potential. It’ll dominate the conversation. Manning, recently named to the preseason Maxwell Award watch list for college football’s most outstanding player, is already being touted as a Heisman contender and a potential No. 1 overall NFL draft pick.

In this day and age of the expanded College Football Playoff, teams can afford an early-season loss (or even two) and make the 12-team field. That’s a possibility for whichever team ends up losing this opening weekend showdown. But for Manning and the Longhorns, criticisms will be extra loud.

This kind of spotlight would be a lot for any young quarterback — but Manning carries himself like a veteran. Manning is mature, media-savvy and approachable. As a freshman in 2023, when it was mandatory for all players to be available ahead of the Sugar Bowl, Manning sat on a bleacher inside the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans and calmly answered reporters’ questions for about 45 minutes. He wasn’t expected to play against Washington — Ewers was the starter — but Manning attracted a curious crowd because of who he is and wasn’t intimidated by the moment.

"I think the one thing you’ll find out about Arch is, one, he’s very even keel about him," Sarkisian said. "Two, he’s very quick-witted. He’s got a great sense of humor about himself, and he’s OK to laugh at himself.

"We all talk about resiliency and grit and all those things that are needed when adversity strikes, but I think some of that resiliency can come from remaining calm. Arch definitely has that about him. He’s a great guy. He’s a great teammate. He’s got an unbelievable work ethic. And I think if he stays true to himself, that’s going to help him navigate these waters as they present themselves."

Sarkisian believes Manning is "prepared for the moment." He’s had time to visualize it while sitting behind Ewers for two seasons, which wasn’t always easy. Most hot-shot quarterbacks would have transferred by now if they weren’t playing. But Manning comes from a family that values development. Even if he has a breakout season and emerges as a top 2026 NFL Draft prospect, he might opt for another year in college — just like his uncles once did.

"I learned so much from Quinn in my two years behind him," Manning said. "It’s definitely not easy having me as the backup with all the media. I’m forever grateful for him. I actually texted him the other week for advice on two-minute, what kind of plays he likes to start with."

It’s how he’s handled experiences like that — and how he performs when given the chance — that has earned him the respect of his teammates and helped him emerge as a leader heading into a pivotal year. Yes, the Longhorns are a popular choice to win their first national title since the 2005 season, in large part because of Manning, but Sarkisian is bullish on his defense, calling it "the deepest and most talented defense that we’ve had."

Optimism in Austin hasn’t been this high since the days of Vince Young and Colt McCoy. The last time Texas played in Columbus was in 2005, when Young led the Longhorns to a 25-22 win over the Buckeyes, a key moment in their undefeated season that concluded with a national championship.

That’s the kind of season Longhorn fans envision with Manning as the starter. Odds are, the young quarterback does too. But he’s not looking that far ahead.

"I’m just here to play football," Manning said. "That’s what I want my focus to be."

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Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.