Speculation is mounting that Texas quarterback Arch Manning could leave the Longhorns after this season and land at another Southeastern Conference program, with Ole Miss emerging as one possible destination.
The talk follows consecutive losses that have cooled Texas’ College Football Playoff hopes. The Longhorns dropped a 27-24 decision to Oklahoma on Oct. 10 and then fell 27-24 at home to Florida last weekend.
Manning has completed 106 of 166 passes for 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions through six games this season, according to season statistics. His completion percentage sits at 63.9 percent with a passer rating of 145.2.
In a column for Bleacher Report, Adam Kramer wrote that the situation may have reached a breaking point.
“This would be best for Manning; it would also make sense for Texas,” Kramer wrote. “This once-promising football marriage has lost its luster. And there’s no salvaging it now.”
NFL draft analyst Todd McShay has also suggested Manning might benefit from another college season rather than declaring for the draft.
“Arch Manning — Return. Explore a transfer? — There’s still time to turn this season around. I’m more bullish on his NFL future than the social media doom suggests, but another college season currently looks like his best path,” McShay said.
On a recent episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared a conversation with someone who has known Manning for a long time.
“I texted one person who’s known Arch (Manning) a long time earlier tonight, and I said, ‘Where do you see Arch in 2027?’ And his response was Ole Miss,” Pelissero said.
The connection carries historical weight. Manning’s grandfather, Archie Manning, and uncle, Eli Manning, both starred at Ole Miss, and Eli went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.
Texas is currently hosting No. 7 Ole Miss in a prime-time game Saturday night at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Rebels enter at 5-1, while the Longhorns sit at 4-2.
Coach Steve Sarkisian has addressed the scrutiny surrounding his quarterback and the broader atmosphere around the program.
“I think that somebody texted me today that we lost the ‘Aw Shucks’ kid and we created something else. I don’t know if we lost him,” Sarkisian said. “We created this. We did. All of us. Y’all included. Me. The whole thing, right. Everybody on ESPN, we’ve created this. And so we’ll see what comes out of it.”
“But he’s edgy right now. And honestly, I appreciate that about him. At some point, he’s gotta fight back,” Sarkisian said. “And the best way for him to fight back is going out and playing really good football with his teammates and enjoy playing football with his teammates. And so I’m looking forward to watching him compete Saturday night.”
Manning remains the starter for now, though Sarkisian has indicated the position will be evaluated based on performance. Other programs mentioned in transfer discussions include Indiana, Miami, LSU and Oregon, though none of those scenarios have been confirmed.
Ole Miss could have a vacancy at quarterback next season if starter Trinidad Chambliss enters the NFL Draft. Chambliss is in his final year of eligibility.
Whether Manning stays at Texas, returns for another college season elsewhere or declares for the draft remains uncertain and will depend on how the rest of this year unfolds. For the moment, attention turns to Saturday’s matchup against the team one insider linked to his possible future.
