Arch Manning Named to the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Class of 2026, One of 30 Still in Contention

Texas senior quarterback Arch Manning was named to the Davey O'Brien Award's Quarterback Class of 2026 on Tuesday, the Davey O'Brien Foundation announced. Manning is one of 30 quarterbacks officially in contention for the award, which is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback, after also appearing on its preseason watch list. The class will be cut to semifinalists on Tuesday, November 17, with three finalists announced the following week, on November 24, and the winner unveiled live on ESPN on Friday, December 11. First-round fan voting on the award's social media accounts runs through Sunday, November 15.

The honor landed two days after Manning's biggest road performance of the season. In Texas' 34-20 win at No. 18 Missouri on November 7, he completed 28 of 38 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns — scoring throws of 24 yards to Derrek Cooper, 25 yards to Jermaine Bishop Jr. and 23 yards to Raleek Brown, the last giving Texas the lead for good with just over five minutes left. The Southeastern Conference named him its Offensive Player of the Week on November 9, his fourth career SEC weekly honor, and he was also a Manning Award Star of the Week and, on November 6, a top-10 finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

On the season, Manning has completed 168 of 254 passes for 2,024 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for two more scores, leading Texas to a 7-2 start with four wins over AP Top 20 opponents. Three Longhorns have won the O'Brien Award — Earl Campbell in 1977, when it honored the top player in the Southwest, and quarterbacks Vince Young in 2005 and Colt McCoy in 2009 — and former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was a semifinalist in 2024. Manning and the Longhorns travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU at 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday, November 14.