Paul Finebaum posts hilarious response to claim about Arch Manning
By Jake Faigus
Published:
No player in college football had more hype coming into the 2025 college football season than Arch Manning. He was widely seen as the best quarterback in college football, the Heisman Trophy favorite, and the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now though, that hype has fallen off a cliff this season after two games.
One of the leaders of the Arch Manning hype train was ESPN SEC college football analyst Paul Finebaum. He said that Manning had a chance to be great immediately, among other things, but now he said that “they (college football reporters) all jumped the gun” because of his potential.
Realizing that he is one of the people who started the hype train, Finebaum posted a meme in response to an article covering his comment, seemingly self-aware that he helped it to life.
“The bottom line is Arch Manning is not playing like an elite quarterback,” Finebaum said Tuesday on First Take. “He’s barely playing like a pedestrian quarterback. He had some good plays (against San Jose State), but that game doesn’t mean anything. Ultimately, I think we all jumped the gun. Is he in the Heisman race? No, Arch Manning is not in the Heisman race as of today.”
Stephen A. Smith was there to push back, “Speak for Yourself.” Smith said. “I didn’t jump the gun. You did, having him penciled into some Heisman finalist before he played a game this season.”
Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns’ season is still young, and he could easily turn it around and have a great year, but things have gotten off to a bumpy start through two games.
