Texas has been the most talked-about team in college football this offseason, largely because of the hype surrounding quarterback Arch Manning. Manning, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class and nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, faces high expectations to live up to his last name.
He begins his first season as Texas’s starter against the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes, and while many expect nerves, former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy believes Manning is ready.
Colt McCoy Believes Arch Manning Is Ready for Texas Opener
Opening the 2025 season against the reigning national champions isn’t exactly the easiest way for Manning to start his first full season as the Longhorns’ starter, and it will undoubtedly be a challenge since the Buckeyes boast one of the best defenses in the sport.
While facing a team like Ohio State seems daunting, McCoy, who played for the Longhorns from 2005 to 2009, explained on “The Herd With Colin Cowherd” that playing in a game like this is every young kid’s dream, and after two seasons sitting behind Quinn Ewers in Austin, Manning is ready for the task.
“I think Arch has done a great job of kind of honing in, locking in. This is a different football team than there was last year,” McCoy said. There’s good leadership; he’s waited his turn. Listen, there’s going to be ups and downs for sure. Every quarterback has them.”
McCoy is right about Manning appearing composed throughout the offseason despite the outside expectations and noise. The Longhorns quarterback has consistently seemed cool, calm, and collected heading into the 2025 season and looks prepared for the game against Ohio State.
As McCoy notes, one of the best things about Manning facing Ohio State at a school like Texas is the elite supporting cast around him.
The young quarterback can rely on head coach Steve Sarkisian, an excellent offensive play-caller, to design manageable plays he can execute under pressure. He also has a strong defense behind him and a talented offensive supporting cast to help move the ball.
Manning chose to commit to Texas to play in games like this, and while it might seem natural for the Longhorns quarterback to be nervous, McCoy doesn’t believe that’s the case.
“I know Arch pretty decent, I don’t think he’s thinking about that at all,” McCoy said. “I think his one focus right now is what do I have to do to go beat Ohio State? What do I have to do the next week? He’s been around the game long enough to understand there’s a big difference between talking about things and going out there and doing it.”
The good news is it should be easy to tell early in the Longhorns’ game against the Buckeyes whether McCoy is right about Manning’s mindset, and the former Texas quarterback seems extremely confident he is.
Manning and the Longhorns will take on Ohio State at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, at 12:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, August 30, with coverage on FOX.
