‘Talk Is Cheap’: Arch Manning Delivered On Hype For Texas And Sets Stage For 2026 Heisman, CFP Run

Arch Manning entered the 2025 season as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites, and he will now enter 2026 as one of the most talked about college football players in the sport. 

There were plenty of people who wanted to crown the Texas quarterback as the second-coming of his two uncles before he actually took a snap as the bonafide starter in Austin. 

As we sat in a small room inside the Omni Hotel in Atlanta to start the Longhorns round at SEC Media Days, there was plenty of chatter among the Texas media about expectations for the quarterback. But, the one thing they were essentially missing was Manning's need to grow into the role. 

During Wednesday’s 41-27 win over Michigan, Arch Manning looked as though he had finally found his groove as the Longhorns quarterbacl. 

Texas' Arch Manning Is Ready For The Spotlight: 'Talk Is Cheap, I Gotta Go Prove It'

He was not going to start the 2025 campaign on a rampage, nor was he going to do it within the first half of the Longhorns season. This was going to take time, which I understand is not afforded in this sport, which is led by a transfer portal process that has taken on its own life over the years. 

The quick fix is the popular route, trying to find enough pieces to help build a football team into a title contender. 

For Arch Manning, he tried to temper expectations during that small gathering in Atlanta, pointing out that he had done nothing to earn preseason accolades at that point. I think it's fair to say that he was right, while plenty of others were misguided in their hot takes. 

"I’m not sure how they get these opinions, I’ve only played what, two games. It’s nice of them to say, but it doesn’t mean anything. Talk is cheap, I gotta go prove it," Manning said. 

Guess what? He was right. Arch has proved over the second half of the season that he can live up to expectations, even if he's paying zero attention to them. 

Even though Texas failed to make the college football playoff, I think we've seen enough growth from Arch Manning over the final five games of the year that the preseason hype could be lived up to. 

On Wednesday night, we continued to get a glimpse at the future, as Manning rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two others. 

He looked like a quarterback that Texas can lean on next season to lead them back to the playoff, along with contending for an SEC title. 

Can he carry this momentum into next season? Sure he can, along with Steve Sarkisian adding more weapons around him. 

Will he be in the same spot heading into 2026 SEC Media Days, where Manning is a preseason Heisman favorite? 

Sure he will. But this time, it looks as though reality can actually meet expectations. A lot can change in just five months.