"Peyton & Eli ain't got that": CFB fans gush over Arch Manning's aura after his fired-up celebrations break the internet
Arch Manning is one of the biggest social media stars in college sports, despite not being the starter for Texas yet. Much of that concerns his famous late name and relationship to his Super Bowl-winning uncles, Eli and Peyton Manning.
His popularity has been reflected in his ever-increasing NIL valuation, which is set at $4.8 million (per On3) and has him second overall in all student-athlete valuations.
A video surfaced on X showing Manning celebrating with his teammates during Saturday's 17-7 victory over Texas A&M. The video was praised by fans for the amount of energy the signal-caller seems to put into the sport.
One person said that he never saw anything like it in either Eli or Peyton Manning:
"That’s Cooper Manning son and Archie grandson that’s why lol. Peyton and Eli ain’t got that."
On the other hand, someone asked for some respect for the Manning brothers:
"lol what ?? They Super Bowl champs u f*cking clown shut ur b**ch a** up."
"They all grew up in New Orleans, I think they have a little culture," one fan commented.
Others think this level of energy will help him in his career:
"Manning's take is really interesting! When culture and skill meet, the results can be dangerously impressive."
"Arch gonna be good, but he’s gonna make mistakes too. Some fans(not you) act like he won’t and that ain’t how it goes. Can’t be perfect, but can you win games? Quinn does and he will too. Arch definitely lets the swag hang tho, whereas Quinn’s more even keeled," another wrote.
"He’s got the respect of the dawgs on the team, he’s a real one," another added.
Arch Manning instrumental in Texas's 17-7 victory over Texas A&M
While Arch Manning didn't throw the ball once during Saturday's victory over the Aggies, he was a key part of the third-ranked Longhorns' win. Early in the game, Manning was introduced for a one-off situation in which he carried the ball into Texas A&M's end zone scoring the first touchdown in a 15-yard run. He carried the ball two more times and recorded 14 rushing yards.
Here's what coach Steve Sarkisian said about his performance at halftime:
"Quinn is moving well in the pocket, he's taking advantage of some shots downfield and he's being efficient. And Arch, he's got a great athleticism so we're just trying to use him as a little changeup."
The touchdown was significant because the game ended 17-7, and without it, just three points separated the two schools. Texas scored no points in the second half, but Texas A&M scored one touchdown. If Manning had not scored early in the game, Texas may have lost.