$5.4 million QB Leads 'Most Explosive Offense' in College Football

A former No. 1 overall quarterback prospect is expected to lead the most explosive offense in college football in 2026.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) rushes with the ball for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

A nearly six-and-a-half-month wait lies between the middle of February and the beginning of the 2026 college football season.

With the offseason in full swing, the media has begun to project which storylines are worth monitoring ahead of the 2026 season. Once again, Arch Manning and Texas are receiving hype as potential College Football Playoff National Championship contenders.

The 6-foot-4, 219-pounder was a five-star prospect when he joined the Longhorns' 2023 signing class. Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy were ahead of Manning in the room that season, so his appearances were limited to the Longhorns' blowout victory over Texas Tech and the final snaps of its Big 12 Championship win over Oklahoma State.

Murphy transferred to Duke in the 2024 offseason, so Manning slid up to the role of Ewers' backup. An injury to Ewers against UTSA gave Manning the opportunity to start a pair of games, and the Longhorns continued to feature him in run packages once Ewers returned. Manning completed 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions and ran for 108 yards and four more touchdowns.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass in the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Manning entered the 2025 season with the weight of the world on his shoulders; the media was projecting the Longhorns to win the SEC Championship game and Manning to win the Heisman Trophy. Texas started the season at 3-2, winning a trio of games against Group of Five teams that finished a combined 7-29 and losing at both Ohio State and Florida.

However, some gritty SEC wins in October snowballed into a 7-1 finish capped with a Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan. Manning finished 2025 with 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 399 yards and 10 more touchdowns.

What Texas could accomplish following Manning's surge at the end of 2025 has earned him a place in the Heisman Trophy discussion once again. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports unveiled his projections for the top 10 most explosive offenses in college football heading into the 2026 season on Sunday. Texas was the No. 1 offense in Crawford's projections.

"Arch Manning is coming off the best outing of his career after outdueling Michigan's Bryce Underwood in the Citrus Bowl, a postseason showing that mirrored the second-half surge that accelerated his development," Crawford wrote. "If Manning takes another step, this Texas offense could rival the best of the Sarkisian era on the Forty Acres -- a stretch that already includes consecutive CFP semifinal appearances."

Texas boasts a revamped offense for Manning to work with in 2026. The Longhorns purged their entire running back room to bring in a pair of four-star transfers in Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State). Additionally, Texas brought in five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman (Auburn), a complement to the already dangerous Ryan Wingo in the passing game.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) and Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images