Arch Manning’s plans for 2026 season confirmed

Throughout the 2025 college football season, the performances of first-year quarterback Arch Manning have garnered huge scrutiny.

The Texas Longhorns QB, the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, was named the starter for 2025 and has grown into the college football game. Some of his early showings were disappointing but he has shown greater maturity as the season has worn on, helping the Longhorns to a 6-1 run down the stretch.

In recent weeks there had been some suggestion that Manning could declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. But that always appeared unlikely and was ruled out by Arch’s father, Cooper Manning, on Monday night.

Cooper told ESPN: “Arch is playing football at Texas next year.” It’s good news for the Longhorns, who should get the benefit of a better, more experienced Arch Manning for the 2026 college football season.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian spoke to reporters over the weekend in preparation for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, with Texas taking on Michigan on December 31. Sarkisian was full of praise for his quarterback’s development across the 2025 season.

“He’s a young man who’s gotten better as the season’s gone on, and not only physically, but mentally, maturity-wise,” Sarkisian explained. “I would think he’s going to want another year of that growth to put himself in position for hopefully a long career in the NFL. And he’s got some unfinished business of what he came here to do and what he came here to accomplish.

“We had a really good football season. We left some meat on the bone with an opportunity to be SEC champs, national champs, and so ultimately for him, I think the competitor in him is going to say, ‘Man, I sure would like another crack at trying to do those things.’”

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