Columbus, Ohio Since Texas and Ohio State now have their starting quarterbacks, a new rivalry is about to begin on August 30.
The former top quarterback and player in the 2023 recruiting class, who has spent the last nine months watching a media frenzy grow so large around him that even his own grandfather is weighing in on his prospects, will be walking into Ohio Stadium next Saturday. even though his remarks were totally unexpected.
Yes, Arch Manning told reporters, “I don’t know where he got that.” He apologized for that in a text message. However, at the moment, I’m simply taking things day by day.
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Last week, Archie, Manning’s grandfather, made the hasty decision to deny the notion that he would be a one-and-done quarterback at Texas. He told the Texas Monthly that it wasn’t even a possibility because it wasn’t realistic and didn’t fit into the family’s well considered plan for the newest Manning that everyone is obsessed with.
The fact that the world is prepared to award Manning and Texas every trophy imaginable in 2025 does not alter that strategy.
“Arch won’t do that,” Archie remarked. He will be in Texas.
The remarks aren’t entirely incorrect, even if they weren’t required. Even though we all believed that Manning was departing, this would not be the first time he decided to stay in college for another year. Both of his uncles, Eli and Peyton, did it in and were still selected first in their respective draft classes.
For want of a better phrase, it’s okay to just move all of the focus from Pittsburgh in 2026 to Washington, D.C. in 2027. The man on the other sideline, however, enters the picture at that point.
In Columbus, Julian Sayinis is the official quarterback. Since Arch transferred from Alabama two weeks into his undergraduate career due to Nick Saban’s retirement, that has been the expectation. Since he was too preoccupied with fighting Lincoln Kienholz to persuade Ryan Day that the position should be his, he hasn’t spent the last nine months observing the excitement surrounding him like Arch has.
Since Day publicly selected him, the buzz has increased from zero to one hundred, even though he now only receives a nine-day buildup.
Manning’s and Sayin’s credentials are almost the same. Additionally, he was the best quarterback in his class of recruits, which also included players like DJ Lagway of Florida and Dylan Raiola of Nebraska, who were given more opportunities as true freshmen because they weren’t attending programs of the same caliber. He has the ability to become Day’s next great OSU quarterback because of his arm talent.
According to Day, he is intelligent, composed, able to see, has wonderful timing, and has truly developed command over time. You can observe the characteristics. You can see how accurate it is. You watch as the ball swiftly leaves his grasp. However, the capacity to lead the attack, guide us into the best play, make wise choices, discard it when necessary, and eventually look after the football.
However, when necessary, he can maneuver the ball into confined areas. He has a keen sense of the pocket. He has made progress in all of those areas during the preseason, as we have observed.
Both quarterbacks are eliminated from consideration on August 30 inside Ohio Stadium. They cease being the result of their name’s recruitment rankings and brief appearances that sparked speculation about their potential. A rivalry that might bind them for the remainder of their football careers takes the place of such notions.
Both teams have the opportunity to make early statements about what their teams could be during that season opener, which also serves as the first step toward earning the Heisman Trophy in the future. But that’s for the present. There is a larger discussion going on.
These two may debate who the best quarterback in the country is for the rest of their collegiate careers. If Arch’s ruling is enacted into law, it appears that this discussion could come to an end in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Since it’s only Week 1, it doesn’t carry quite the same weight, and an extended postseason has made losses like this less devastating. However, this makes it even more enjoyable to embrace the opposite side of hyperbole.
This contest has a similar vibe to a previous Clemson vs. Ohio State Fiesta Bowl game. It was Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields back then. Two former five-star athletes who fought for the top spot throughout high school continued to do so in college. With Fields winning a rematch in the Sugar Bowl the following year and Lawrence winning in 2019, they would go 1-1 over the following two years.
Because Manning and Sayin are a year apart, they did not experience the same high school conflicts. However, given that this is a home-and-home match and may not be their only encounter, it just adds to the entertainment value of the college clashes.
On August 30, two former five-star quarterbacks who are poised to lead two of college football’s most illustrious teams and translate years of hype into tangible output will showcase the NFL’s future inside Ohio Stadium.
As if there weren’t already enough reasons to discuss this game.
