Various sources have confirmed news this week that most in Longhorns Nation have already come to expect: Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning will return to the team in 2026, instead of enroll in the 2026 NFL Draft that he's eligible for.

Yes, Manning was technically eligible to enter the draft after three years in college, but the Manning family - which produced Hall of Fame quarterbacks Peyton and Eli after father Archie paved the way - has always been open about diligently getting Arch to make the most of his college experience, specifically in carving him into the most pro-ready quarterback possible when it's time to make the next step.

That process takes more than just one year of being the starting quarterback.

Arch's dad Cooper, brother of Peyton and Eli, confirmed that plan with a text message accessed by ESPN.

"Arch is playing football at Texas next year," Cooper said to reporter Dave Wilson.

Manning enjoyed a strong end-of-season stretch for the Longhorns, but losses to Ohio State and Florida in the early and middle portions of the year limited the 9-3 Horns from making it back to the College Football Playoff.

The consensus five-star recruit sat behind another top high school gunslinger in Quinn Ewers for the previous two seasons, watching as Texas made back-to-back trips to the CFP Semifinals, including last year in the adoption of the 12-team bracket.

Arch wasn't satisfied with missing out this season. He will be back in 2026 in search of more ... and the Heisman Trophy hype is expected to follow.

"I said this early in the year. We're going to benefit from the journey that he had to go on, and that he can learn how to overcome some of the adversity that he was faced with and some of the criticism he was faced with," head coach Steve Sarkisian said about Manning earlier this season. "So I think he's better and stronger for it today, and I'm really proud of him.

"Again, he's not a finished product. He's still going. He's still going to improve. He's still going to get better, but I'm very proud of him for the way he's handled so much of what we went through."

Strong Late-Season Surge Raises Expectations for Arch Manning and Texas Longhorns in 2026

The recent momentum and growing familiarity with the program and Sarkisian will make the Longhorns, once again led by Manning under center, a formidable force in the always-tough SEC, even as young as the roster is expected to be next season.

"He's a young man who's gotten better as the season's gone on, and not only physically, but mentally, maturity-wise," Sarkisian said as his Longhorns are in Orlando preparing for their Citrus Bowl matchup with embattled Michigan.

"I would think he's going to want another year of that growth to put himself in position for hopefully a long career in the NFL. And he's got some unfinished business of what he came here to do and what he came here to accomplish."

Manning has thrown for 2,942 yards and 24 touchdowns to seven interceptions this season ahead of the bowl game. He's added eight rushing touchdowns - an area of the game that Texas fans did not see in Ewers, which grows the excitement for Manning's increasing completeness moving forward, as well.

Despite a few teammates announcing plans to enter the draft process or transfer portal, Manning is expected to play in the Citrus Bowl and put a bow on an impressive second half of the season, in which Texas went 6-1 to put up a fighting chance at competing for a national title.

"We had a really good football season. We left some meat on the bone with an opportunity to be SEC champs, national champs, and so ultimately for [Arch], I think the competitor in him is going to say, 'Man, I sure would like another crack at trying to do those things.'"

And that's what he'll get in 2026.

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