Arch Manning is not on the preseason watch list for the award that recognizes the top quarterback in college football and bears his family name.
The Allstate Sugar Bowl announced its preseason watch list for the Manning Award on Thursday. That list featured 27 of the top quarterbacks in college football — including 5 passers from the SEC. Inclusion on the watch list is not a prerequisite for winning the actual award. Transfers and other newcomers were also not eligible for selection on the watch list.
Manning, a third-year sophomore from New Orleans, has played in 12 games and made 2 starts for Texas so far. Last season, he filled in for an injured Quinn Ewers and started games against UL-Monroe and Mississippi State. In the 51-3 win over ULM, Manning was 15-of-29 with 258 yards through the air and 2 touchdowns. A week later, he went 26-for-31 for 325 yards and 2 scores in a 35-13 win over Mississippi State.
The sample size is small for Manning, but it has been enough to warrant inclusion on watch lists for other awards this preseason. Manning is on the watch lists for the Davey O’Brien Award, the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award, and the Maxwell Award. He is also the preseason betting favorite to win the Heisman, according to the latest Heisman Trophy odds.
Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning are all part of the voting panel that selects the winner of the Manning Award. Postseason play factors into the voting. Finalists will be announced prior to the start of the 2025 postseason and a winner will be selected after the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt), Marcel Reed (Texas A&M), and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) were all named to the preseason watch list. The Big 12 led all conferences with 7 quarterbacks selected. The ACC had 4. The Big Ten had 2.
Of course, most of the reaction to the preseason announcement was focused on who was not included.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
