The Texas Longhorns are preparing for the upcoming 2026 college football season. They have high hopes for the year ahead, and especially for quarterback Arch Manning. Texas believes it has a chance to win the National Championship, and Manning is one reason why.
Manning didn’t have the smoothest 2025 season. He struggled a bit in the early going, and this led to the Longhorns starting with a 3-2 record. But he found his game later in the season. And he helped Texas salvage a bowl win in 2025.
The Longhorns expect Manning to take a step forward this upcoming season. And the junior signal-caller has already drawn attention from those within the sport. He recently received a major comparison to a former NFL MVP.
Arch Manning Gets Lamar Jackson Comparison from Former NFL QB
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has carved out a career as an analyst following his playing days. As part of his media work, he has covered college football and the pro game. He used this experience to compare Manning to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in a recent social media post.
“Cool to see Arch Manning taking command of his team but also keeping it light at practice. Reminds me so much of Lamar Jackson in that regard,” the former NFL signal-caller said.
In the regular season last year, Manning threw for 2,942 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions for the Longhorns while completing 61.4% of his passes. According to PFN’s CFB QB Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 83.1, ranking 37th in the nation.
Following the slow start, the Longhorns went on quite a run to end the season. They won six of their final seven games to end the year. Their lone loss came to Georgia, which dominated with a 35-10 victory.
Texas missed out on the College Football Playoff as a result of its three-loss season. They did get a bowl game on New Year’s Eve, though. They took on the Michigan Wolverines in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on December 31.
Texas took advantage of a poor performance from Bryce Underwood to win this game. The Michigan quarterback tossed 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Manning, meanwhile, racked up 376 total yards and 4 total touchdowns in the 41-27 win.
The Longhorns believe they have the team to compete for a playoff spot this coming season. Manning’s performance will be a key driver of their success. Texas begins its 2026 campaign against Texas State on September 5.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.