Arch Manning is a big reason why the Texas Longhorns are your preseason No. 1 team in the country.

The last time the Texas Longhorns entered a college football season ranked No. 1 in the nation, Vince Young was still a legend in the making and burnt orange was the color of college football royalty. Nearly two decades later, Texas fans can once again say it with pride: “We’re back.”

And this time, the statement isn’t just hype—it’s backed by talent, depth, and above all, a quarterback whose name alone carries generational weight: Arch Manning.

A year removed from leading the Longhorns to a breakout 11-2 season and a top-five finish, Manning has emerged not only as the most recognizable face in college football, but as the biggest reason Texas enters the 2025 season as the nation’s top-ranked team.

When Arch Manning signed with Texas as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class, expectations were massive. The grandson of Archie, the nephew of Peyton and Eli, and a quarterback from Isidore Newman with video-game numbers—he had the attention of an entire sport before he ever took a college snap.

After a developmental year behind Quinn Ewers, Manning took over in 2024 and didn’t just meet expectations—he shattered them.

• 2024 Stats:
  • 3,891 passing yards
  • 34 touchdowns
  • 6 interceptions
  • 68.4% completion rate
  • 10 rushing touchdowns

He led Texas to wins over Oklahoma, LSU, and Alabama, engineered three game-winning drives, and delivered the program’s most complete offensive season since the Mack Brown era.

Manning’s arm talent is undeniable. He throws with effortless zip, deep-ball touch, and rare accuracy on the move. But what truly sets him apart—and what coaches say has elevated Texas to preseason No. 1—is his composure and leadership.

“Arch plays like a veteran NFL quarterback, but he leads like a senior captain at a military academy,” said Texas offensive coordinator Kyle Flood. “He doesn’t yell, he doesn’t need to. He commands the room.”

That maturity has spilled into every corner of the Texas program. From early-morning film study sessions to summer workouts he organizes himself, Manning’s presence has transformed the standard.

“He’s the kind of guy who makes the weight room louder, the huddle tighter, and the locker room smarter,” said head coach Steve Sarkisian. “He raises everybody.”

While Manning is the headliner, his supporting cast is arguably the strongest in the country:

• RB Trey Wisner returns as a dual-threat back with 1,300 total yards last season.
• WR Johntay Cook II enters 2025 as a Biletnikoff Award favorite after a 1,100-yard campaign.
• TE Duce Robinson, a former top recruit, creates mismatches across the field.
• And most critically: Four of five starting linemen are back, including All-American Connor Stroh.

“Arch isn’t just good—he’s protected,” said ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit. “And when he has time, he’s surgical.”

Texas isn’t just winning shootouts anymore. The 2025 defense, led by defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, features a scary-fast linebacker corps and arguably the best safety duo in the country.

The front seven returns Ethan Burke and Anthony Hill Jr., while the secondary is anchored by transfer phenom Domani Jackson.

That balance—elite offense and top-10 defense—is what has national analysts putting Texas atop every major preseason poll.

Beyond the X’s and O’s, Texas is thriving in the modern era of college football.

• The Longhorns lead the nation in NIL investment return, thanks in large part to Manning’s national appeal.
• Sarkisian’s staff continuity is unmatched in the SEC.
• And with a move to the SEC now fully underway, Texas has proven it belongs—not just in the league, but at the top of it.

Arch Manning has become the face of all of it—a program-builder, a cultural leader, and a quarterback who’s unafraid of expectations.

The road to the College Football Playoff won’t be easy. Texas opens with a tough non-conference road game at Michigan, hosts Georgia in mid-October, and finishes with a November gauntlet that includes Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and the SEC Championship Game if they make it.

But with Arch Manning under center, no opponent feels like a threat. The bigger the stage, the more at ease he seems.

“He’s not carrying the weight of the Manning name,” said one opposing coach anonymously. “He’s carrying Texas—and he’s thriving.”

Texas football has waited years for this moment. For a quarterback who is equal parts talent and temperament. For a team that blends skill with structure. For a program that can look No. 1 in the mirror and believe it.

Arch Manning didn’t bring Texas back alone.

But he may be the reason they stay on top.