Peyton Manning Previews Potential Texas vs. Tennessee Matchup in 2026

While the two teams won't see each other during the 2025 regular season, 2026 could be the year of their first SEC conference battle.

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Now that Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has claimed the starting position for the upcoming season, he will officially become the fourth quarterback in his family to start at the collegiate level.

His grandfather, Archie Manning, and his uncle, Eli Manning, both spent their college years with Ole Miss, while his other uncle, Peyton Manning, played for the Tennessee Volunteers. 

Although Arch isn’t scheduled to face Ole Miss or Tennessee during the 2025 regular season, it’s likely that he will meet at least one of these programs at some point in his college career. Specifically, should he choose to forego the NFL draft in favor of playing for the Longhorns in 2026, many believe that Texas and Tennessee will see each other on their conference schedules. 

Tennessee freshman quarterback Peyton Manning (16), making his first start, is being pressure by Washington State defender Chad Eaton (90). Manning completed 7 of 14 passes for 79 yards in leading the Vols to a 10-9 victory over No. 17 ranked Washington State before a homecoming crowd of 95,556 at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 1, 1994. / Mike DuBose / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a conversation with The Sporting News' Bill Bender, Peyton spoke about where his affiliation would lie in the event that his alma mater does go up against his nephew’s program.

"I haven't gotten that far," Manning said. "I pull hard for my Tennessee Volunteers every single week, but I'll be pulling hard for my nephew this year."

Despite the fact that the two family members bleed different shades of orange, they remain connected through both their actual blood relation and the fact that they approached their college decision process in similar ways.

"I'm proud of Arch," Peyton Manning told Sporting News. "He went to Texas because that's where he wanted to go. He wanted to go to school there. That was the reason I went to Tennessee."

Peyton's choice to go to Tennessee instead of Ole Miss created a platform for Arch to branch out too, and fans will soon get to see how that pans out for the new starter.

Choosing a team in the possible 2026 battle between Texas and Tennessee still remains far out for Peyton, and his main priority right now seems to be supporting his nephew as he takes the field as the Longhorns’ QB this season. 

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