It took a while for Christmas to show up in Austin, but the Mannings didn’t wait to start celebrating. After Arch Manning’s opener fizzled out quietly, the New Year has given him a fresh start. And this time it’s loud.

On Wednesday, Arch quietly leaned into his family legacy once again. At Orlando, he beat the Michigan Wolverines in a 41-27 contest, earning the Citrus Bowl MVP honor. While the Texas Longhorns faithful wept with joy, Manning followed in the footsteps of his uncle, the Tennessee legend Peyton Manning, as the MVP honoree— one that he is not eager to earn again.

“I think he (Peyton Manning) played in it twice,” the QB shared post-win. “I don’t wanna have to play it twice.”

For the Tennessee Vols, Peyton Manning is a legend who led the program to its first SEC Championship and more. Among the many titles and achievements adorning his shelf, he played the Citrus Bowl twice. Beating both Ohio State and Northwestern in consecutive years, he holds two Citrus Bowl wins, earning MVP honors for the 1996 season. However, nephew Arch does not wish to go back to playing a bowl game.

Not just that. The numbers put an interesting spin on it. Arch Manning ran more (155 yards) against Michigan in the Cheez-It Bowl than Peyton did across the entire 2002 season (148 yards).

He’s not throwing shade, but rather it’s a promise that next season, the Texas Longhorns are in for the national championship race. A playoff berth is treasured more than a bowl win, and rightly so. Arch is determined to make it big this time. With a No.1 preseason hype train, his season opener was no less than a disaster. Critics and pundits alike bore down on him for a 7-14 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

As weeks passed on, his inconsistent performance, contributed to by a buckling O-line and poor WR corps, earned him college football’s ire. But in the face of adversity, Manning continued to improve. His season opener did not go as expected, but he concluded the 2025 season with a big bang after throwing two touchdowns and sprinting for two more scores.

The first quarter kicked off on a sluggish note, 3-10. But the next 45 minutes had the Texas Longhorns in full gear. In the last 15 minutes, the offense recorded two consecutive touchdowns followed by a field goal. 41-27. And the victory was theirs to cherish.

What followed was an energetic Texas bunch, marching off the field in victorious triumph, dunking HC Steve Sarkisian in a “Cheez-it” shower.

Peyton Manning gets candid on Nephew Arch

Born into the Manning legacy, Arch Manning arrived at the Texas Longhorns, burdened with the same expectations to make it big in Austin. The young signal caller chose a different path. While his grandad, Archie, and uncles went to Ole Miss and Tennessee, respectively, he wanted to play for Steve Sarkisian.

“Most kids that are highly recruited, if they don’t play in their first or second year, they usually transfer out,” Peyton Manning said in August 2025. “It’s why I went to Tennessee, I wanted to go to school there. It’s why Arch went to Texas, because he wanted to go to Texas and play for Steve Sarkisian.

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“I’m real proud of him for staying, and I’m looking forward to watching him.”

As Arch brings home the Citrus Bowl MVP honor, Peyton Manning couldn’t be prouder of his nephew. With the latest win, he concludes his 2025 season with ten wins. The journey up ahead is far challenging, but he is taking it one step at a time.