On Wednesday morning, the Manning family joined Kay Adams on the Up and Adams Show to talk about the differences in watching Arch Manning now and watching Eli and Peyton play in the past. Adams was joined by Archie and Olivia Manning, along with their son Eli.
With Arch now the starting quarterback for the No.11 Texas Longhorns, it’s safe to say that there’s added pressure for the sophomore to perform on a weekly basis. With Texas on a bye week, the family got to catch their breath and reflect on what it’s like to see Arch lead one of college football’s biggest programs.
With Texas currently in contention for a spot in the college football playoff in December, the spotlight on Arch has seemingly gotten brighter even with the high expectations that people already have of the sophomore.
Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) waits for the snap during the fourth quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
When asked about the family’s nerves when watching Arch play for the Longhorns in an interview with Kay Adams, Olivia Manning responded by emphasizing that she might be more nervous watching her grandson than Eli or Peyton.
“So nervous,” Olivia said. “I think I’m more nervous for my grandson than I ever was for my boys… or my husband.”
For Archie, However, it feels no different.
“It really should be no different to me,” Archie said. “I dealt with it when the boys played. I was a little superstitious at times. When Eli played, in the early days at Giants Stadium, sitting in the stands, I had to walk. Sometimes I just got nervous and had to go pace a little bit. I would stick my head in at this opening where there would be an usher there, and I would watch, and if we made a couple of first downs, I would stay there.”
Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian waits to lead his team onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
While the Manning family might be getting a break from their worries with Texas on a bye, there won’t be any shortage of stress and pressure from here on out. The good news? With two top-five teams on their remaining schedule, the Longhorns will have plenty of options to secure themselves a spot in the college football playoff.
Next week, head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Horns will travel to Athens to take on the No.5 Georgia Bulldogs. Afterwards, Texas will face Arkansas at home followed by a matchup against the No.3 Texas A&M Aggies.
Make no mistake. The pressure is on for the Texas offense to perform in its final three games. With every game having massive playoff implications for the entire top 25, the Longhorns will be challenged both physically and mentally at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher.
