Paul Finebaum Labels Arch Manning the Quarterback Under Most Pressure in College Football Entering the 2025 Season

When Paul Finebaum talks, college football listens. The SEC Network’s sharpest voice and perhaps the sport’s most influential pundit isn’t one to throw hyperbole around lightly. So when he pegged Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning as the player under the most pressure heading into the 2025 college football season, the weight of that statement didn’t just ripple across Austin—it echoed across the entire college football landscape.

Finebaum’s declaration isn’t just a matter of media hype or name recognition. Arch Manning, the golden-armed heir to a football dynasty, enters his redshirt sophomore season with more than just a famous last name. He’s inherited expectations the size of the Lone Star State, and now, for the first time, he’s fully expected to shoulder the load for a Texas team with national championship ambitions and SEC expectations.

“This is the year,” Finebaum said on a recent segment. “No player—quarterback or otherwise—is facing the kind of scrutiny Arch Manning will see this season. He’s got the last name, he’s at Texas, they’re in the SEC, and they believe they can win it all. That’s a mountain of pressure.”

Arch, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, grandson of Archie Manning, and son of Cooper Manning, has been in the spotlight since he was 14. From highlight-reel throws in high school to being the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2023, his journey has been chronicled more like a royal ascension than a football career. After redshirting his first season and backing up Quinn Ewers last year, Manning is now the unquestioned leader of the Texas offense.

For many quarterbacks, following someone like Ewers—who helped lead Texas to a 12-2 record, a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance, and a win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa—would be intimidating. But for Manning, it’s simply the natural next step in what has been a meticulously managed rise. Now, with Ewers off to the NFL and Texas officially in the SEC, Manning doesn’t just step into a starting role; he steps onto the biggest stage of his life.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has full faith in his new quarterback, having built a high-octane offense tailored to maximize Manning’s cerebral understanding of the game and elite arm talent. Manning’s growth during practices and limited live reps in 2024 gave Sarkisian and the coaching staff the confidence that he could be “the guy” in 2025. But confidence behind closed doors is one thing. Living up to the hype with 100,000 fans watching every snap in Darrell K Royal Stadium—and millions more scrutinizing from afar—is something else entirely.

Finebaum’s assessment of Manning’s pressure isn’t just about who he is or who he’s replacing. It’s about where he is. Texas is no longer a Big 12 power aiming for relevance—it’s an SEC contender trying to plant a flag in the richest soil of college football. The move to the SEC heightens every moment, every game, every throw. With matchups this fall against Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, and LSU, Manning will be forged in the crucible of America’s toughest conference.

And the expectations? They’re as sky-high as the Tower on the UT campus. Texas fans, ravenous for a national title they haven’t sniffed since 2009, see in Manning the chosen one. He’s not just the quarterback; he’s the face of a program aiming to prove it belongs with the sport’s elite. That’s not just pressure—it’s prophecy.

But what does pressure really look like for Arch Manning?

For starters, there’s no easing into the schedule. Texas opens with a neutral-site showdown against Notre Dame in Houston, a game already being dubbed a playoff eliminator. Then there’s a Week 3 trip to Arkansas—no cupcake for a new SEC member—before diving into a punishing conference slate that includes road games at LSU and Alabama. There is no time to adjust, no margin for error. Manning must be brilliant from the jump.

There’s also the added scrutiny of the Manning name itself. Every performance, good or bad, is viewed through a legacy lens. When Arch steps onto the field, comparisons to Peyton and Eli are inevitable. It’s a blessing and a burden. He carries not only the expectations of Texas fans, but the symbolic weight of an entire football lineage.

Finebaum, who has covered SEC football for decades and watched the rise and fall of countless top-tier quarterbacks, isn’t predicting failure—just noting the stakes.

“Arch could end up being a Heisman finalist this season. He has the tools, the coaching, and the weapons,” Finebaum said. “But if he stumbles, the backlash will be louder than it is for anyone else in college football. That’s the reality.”

Manning will have no shortage of help around him. Texas returns one of the most talented wide receiver groups in the country, led by Johntay Cook II and DeAndre Moore Jr., and the offensive line is anchored by All-American Kelvin Banks Jr. The Longhorns also have a stable of dynamic running backs and tight ends, giving Manning the kind of arsenal that could light up SEC defenses. The scheme is quarterback-friendly, and Sarkisian’s play calling remains among the best in the nation.

Still, no matter how talented the supporting cast, the eyes will be on No. 16.

Manning’s personality may be his greatest asset when it comes to handling the pressure. By all accounts, he’s unflappable. Quietly confident, composed, and humble, he’s not the type to chase cameras or make bold proclamations. That temperament may prove critical when he throws his first interception or faces a ferocious Georgia pass rush on national television.

In an age of branding and bravado, Arch has let his play do the talking. But in 2025, silence won’t shield him from the noise. Every move will be analyzed, dissected, and judged. Finebaum’s statement may have raised eyebrows, but it was less a hot take and more an acknowledgment of the reality Manning now inhabits.

There’s also the NIL factor. Arch Manning has reportedly landed endorsement deals worth seven figures, and while he’s handled his business with professionalism, those deals amplify the expectations. In the eyes of critics and fans alike, a lucrative NIL portfolio must be backed by elite-level play. And for Manning, that bar is even higher.

The quarterback pressure cooker isn’t new. From Caleb Williams at USC to Bryce Young at Alabama, and even Quinn Ewers before him, modern college football quarterbacks live under an unforgiving microscope. But Arch Manning’s situation is unique. He isn’t just the most famous quarterback in college football—he’s the most watched, the most dissected, and the most mythologized.

And now, he’s the most pressured.

Texas fans will hope that pressure produces diamonds. If Manning can lead the Longhorns to an SEC Championship Game berth—or better yet, a College Football Playoff appearance—he’ll not only meet expectations, he’ll exceed them. If he falters, the noise could grow deafening.

In the end, Finebaum’s words serve as both a challenge and a warning. Arch Manning has been groomed for this moment. He’s the face of Texas football, the hope of a powerhouse program, and the symbol of a family legacy that’s as intertwined with American football as any name in history.

The road ahead will be brutal. The expectations will be unforgiving. But for Arch Manning, this isn’t just pressure—it’s destiny.

And the entire country will be watching to see if he can live up to it.