The Texas Longhorns are preparing for their upcoming bowl game on New Year’s Eve against the Michigan Wolverines, which will feature star quarterback Arch Manning following his announcement that he will return to Austin for the 2026 season.
Manning, who spent two seasons as a backup before earning his first full-time starting role this year, had the opportunity to declare for the NFL draft, where he likely would have been one of the higher-ranked quarterbacks in what is expected to be a weaker draft class at the position.
However, Manning felt he made significant strides in his development this season and saw no reason to leave Texas just yet — a decision he explained ahead of the Citrus Bowl.
“I felt like I developed a lot this year, especially towards the back half, and I want to keep it going,” Manning said. “There’s no reason to leave. I feel like I got a lot more football left to play, and excited to still be a part of this team.”
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Manning’s start to the season was rocky. While the struggles weren’t entirely on him, the Texas offense as a whole was inconsistent. The Longhorns dropped their season opener to Ohio State 14–7 and also suffered losses to Georgia and Florida during the year.
However, they capped off the 2025 regular season with a huge victory over the Texas A&M Aggies, and Manning continued to improve each week as the season progressed.
He completed 61.4% of his passes for 2,942 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while also rushing for 244 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
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