ESPN will always have SEC bias and now they're using it to put one SEC quarterback on a pedestal ahead of the 2025 season. Rece Davis, one of the faces of College GameDay, the networks cornerstone, college football show, believes Arch Manning is the No. 1 quarterback in college football ahead of the season.
The Manning hype won’t die down and the more people put him in the spotlight, the more pressure he has to have an elite season. At this point, anything less than a Heisman-worthy season and Manning will be considered a bust. If we look at his predecessor, Quinn Ewers, Manning has a tall task just to accomplish what he did.
While Ewers drew massive criticism throughout the year after entering as one of the top quarterbacks, he did lead Texas to the College Football Playoff semifinals for the second straight year and was the only team to give Ohio State a challenge in the CFP. He was injured for most of the year, but played through it and still led Texas to the CFP semifinals.
For ESPN to already think Manning is the No. 1 quarterback in college football with the little experience he has is simply baffling. But what else would you expect from a network that thinks no conference should be spoken in the same sentence as the SEC.
Arch Manning isn’t the No. 1 quarterback ahead of the 2025 season, but he can be
Manning isn’t the best quarterback ahead of the 2025 season. I’m not going to dive into who I think is, but I know for sure it isn’t Arch Manning. He has a lot of potential. But until I see something from him other than abusing lesser teams because he’s supposed to, I’m not convinced he’s the next great quarterback from the Manning lineage.
In 2024, Manning was a gadget quarterback, making designed quarterback runs in short yardage situations. When he did come in to relieve Ewers, it was against the bottomfeeders of college football. He had 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions in 10 games. He only made a passing attempt in six of them.
I think we got a good look at a player that can be a really good college quarterback, but unless he carries Texas, it won’t really mean much. ESPN is probably claiming him to be the top college quarterback because of his name.
Manning hasn’t shown much that he’ll be the best quarterback in college football, let alone in the SEC. The SEC is loaded with talent with three of those quarterbacks making Davis’ list and two making Pete Thamel’s list.
Maybe ESPN knows something, but I’m banking on them just hyping up a player that is a big name and has a lot of potential. I could be wrong though. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.