March is here, and in college football, that means one thing—it’s time to rank quarterbacks. It certainly has brought the March madness early. The spring practice is in full swing, and with it come the annual debates about who deserves to sit atop the throne as the best signal-caller heading into the season. But this year, the conversation has taken a turn that few expected, and even fewer agree. One such being Texas Longhorns’ legacy QB, Arch Manning.
Is Arch Manning the best passer in CFB? One football analyst thinks so. CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli stirred the pot by naming Texas’ soon-to-be QB1 as his No. 1 quarterback for the 2025 season too. That’s right—the same Arch Manning who spent most of 2024 backing up Quinn Ewers and only saw meaningful action in four games. While Manning has undoubtedly been the biggest name in college since his high school days, many are questioning whether a player with just 9 touchdown passes deserves to sit atop such a prestigious ranking. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik came in 2nd in Fornelli’s rankings despite throwing for 27 more touchdowns than Manning. This had people head-scratching.
Fornelli defended his decision by pointing out the sheer star power of Manning’s name and the anticipation surrounding his first full season as Texas’ starter. “Of all the QBs on this list, Manning is the least accomplished on the field. He hasn’t led his team to a conference title or the College Football Playoff (though one can argue Texas doesn’t accomplish (those) things without him last year), but if you were to ask who the biggest name in the sport is at QB heading into 2025, it’d be Arch Manning. There’s been so much anticipation for his career since he was a high schooler, and this fall, we’ll all finally get to see him at the helm of the Texas offense.”
While Fornelli is correct in saying that Manning’s name carries weight, the biggest question remains—should hype outweigh production? The stats tell a different story. In 2024, Manning completed 67.8% of his passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions while adding four rushing scores. Solid numbers for a backup, but nowhere near the gaudy stat lines of others on the list. Meanwhile, names like Washington State’s John Mateer, who led the nation with 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns, didn’t even crack Fornelli’s top 10.
The backlash was immediate and intense. Many fans felt the ranking was a product of nepotism rather than merit. The Manning name has been synonymous with quarterback royalty for decades, but at what point does pedigree stop mattering? There’s no doubt that Arch Manning has talent, but with just a handful of games under his belt, some believe the praise is getting out of hand.
With Texas set to enter the SEC gauntlet, Arch Manning will get his chance to prove whether this ranking is justified or if it’s simply another case of media-driven favoritism. Until then, the skepticism isn’t going anywhere.
Push Back as Arch Manning Hype Hits Boiling Point
CBS certainly didn’t receive the plaudits they were hoping for. When On3 shared Fornelli’s rankings on Instagram. Fans flooded the comment section, roasting the idea of the $6.5M NIL Red Bull sponsor being ranked over battle-tested quarterbacks who have already proven themselves. The responses ranged from disbelief to outright mockery.
One fan kept it simple, stating, “This Arch hype has to calm down, can we see him play real competition first?” Sure, Manning looked good against Mississippi State and UTSA, but those aren’t exactly powerhouse defenses. Until he faces elite SEC competition, it’s hard to justify placing him above quarterbacks who have already thrived on the big stage.
Another fan put it even more bluntly: “How is a backup QB with hardly any experience #1 lol”. College football history is littered with five-star prospects who never lived up to their billing. Until Manning proves otherwise, many fans see this ranking as little more than an attempt to capitalize on his last name. Then there’s the statistical reality check. “Arch has played 2 games against MSST and ULM. He hasn’t proven anything yet,” one comment pointed out. And that’s the heart of the issue.
If a quarterback like Klubnik, who threw 27 touchdowns last season, isn’t ranked ahead of Manning, then what exactly are the criteria? It’s one thing to project potential—it’s another to outright ignore past performance in favor of hype. One particularly fiery comment went after the entire ranking list: “Every one of y’all need fired. John Mateer led the nation in TDs last year and isn’t in the top 10? Guys are over him who have never started a whole season? Y’all should go find new jobs.”
While a bit extreme, the frustration is understandable. The fact that a quarterback who led the country in touchdown passes was snubbed in favor of someone with less than 1,000 career passing yards is a hard pill to swallow for a fan base that values production over name recognition. There was at least one person who again brought out another 5-star comparison, writing, “Lagway Is Definitely Not 10 And Arch To High!!.” The Florida Gators talismanic freshman DJ Lagway was phenomenal, like Mateer, and he came last? Bonkers. Either way, the overwhelming response suggests that most fans aren’t buying it.
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