Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns are coming off a disappointing season in which they missed the 2026 College Football Playoff. After entering the season as the No. 1-ranked AP team, Texas finished 10-3 overall, including a 6-2 finish in the SEC.
The Longhorns, along with teams like the Marcus Freeman-led Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Clark Lea-led conference rival Vanderbilt Commodores, were left out of the 2026 CFP. Manning proved ready in his first season as starting quarterback after the departure of current Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers to the NFL. The 6-foot-4 quarterback ended with 3,163 passing yards on a 61.4% completion percentage, to go along with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Isidore Newman High School graduate finished the season strong, winning the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP against the Michigan Wolverines. The Louisiana native led the team with 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries. As the 22-year-old enters the 2026 regular season, Manning, head coach Steve Sarkisian and his Longhorns have high expectations placed upon them. Recently, there have been betting odds updates for the 2026 Heisman Trophy, and Manning's name is on the list.
On Wednesday, Fox Sports College Football posted a question on the social media website X asking fans who they believed would win the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Fox also posted a graphic of the DraftKings Heisman odds for the 2026 college football regular season, with Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr in first place at +700. Manning came in at second place, just behind Carr at +750. The top 5 is as follows:
- C.J. Carr — quarterback, Notre Dame Fighting Irish +700
- Arch Manning — quarterback, Texas Longhorns +750
- Dante Moore — quarterback, Oregon Ducks +1100
- Darian Mensah — quarterback, Miami Hurricanes +1150
- Julian Sayin — quarterback, Ohio State Buckeyes +1200
Texas will start the season with a home opener at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium against the Texas State Bobcats on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 3:30 p.m. ET.
