The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 1/1 Football’s Manning named Top 15 candidate for Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
10.08.2026 | Football
The senior quarterback has led Texas to a 4-0 start and two AP Top 25 victories this season.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 1/1 Texas Football senior quarterback Arch Manning has been named a Top 15 candidate for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation announced Thursday.
Manning was one of 27 FBS quarterbacks selected to the award's preseason watch list on Aug. 19. It was Manning's second-straight year earning a spot on the award's preseason watch list.
In 2024, former Longhorn Quinn Ewers was a Top 10 finalist for the award. Former UT quarterback Colt McCoy took home the award in 2009.
In four starts this season, Manning has led Texas to a 4-0 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the SEC with two AP Top 25 victories, including a 24-23 win over then-No. 1/1 Ohio State on Sept. 12. The New Orleans native has completed 73-of-115 passes (63.5 percent) for 862 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 215.5 yards per game. Also a threat with his legs, Manning is Texas' third-leading rusher after accounting for 82 yards on the ground (20.5 ypg).
Manning is 11-1 in his last 12 starts dating back to last season with six of those coming against AP Top 20 opponents, including four wins over Top 10 teams. In his last outing at No. 14/13 Tennessee on Sept. 26, Manning completed 14-of-19 passes for 201 yards to help UT secure its second ranked win on the season. In the Horns' 30-6 victory over UTSA on Sept. 19, Manning went 17-of-33 for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Manning was Texas' leading rusher with 50 yards on the ground on nine attempts (5.6 ypc). Following the win against No. 1/1 Ohio State on Sept. 12, Manning was named the SEC's Co-Offensive Player of the Week - his third career SEC weekly honor and first since Nov. 3, 2025. Manning completed 23-of-37 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown against the Buckeyes. Manning orchestrated three-consecutive touchdown drives to end the game (all at least 12 plays and 72 yards) and rally from a 23-3 deficit. On those three drives, he completed 13-of-18 passes to seven different receivers for 125 yards and one touchdown and rushed three times for 26 yards. Two of his completions came on fourth downs in Texas territory that kept two of the scoring drives alive. The Longhorns became the only team in the past 15 years to close a victory with three-straight touchdown drives of 12 or more plays. It marked the third-largest comeback win by any FBS team against an AP No. 1 team this century, while Texas became the first non-conference opponent this century to score 21-plus points in the fourth quarter against Ohio State (first overall team since Michigan in 2022). Manning has thrown a touchdown pass in four-consecutive games against a Top 5 opponent, the longest streak by an FBS quarterback since a six-game run by Ohio State's Will Howard in 2024. Manning has led four fourth-quarter comebacks in his career after doing so against Kentucky, Mississippi State and Michigan last year. Against the Buckeyes, Manning tossed a perfectly placed touchdown pass to WR Ryan Wingo with 14:19 remaining in the game that started the comeback and capped a drive in which he converted a fourth-and-9 to TE Emaree Winston from the Longhorns' 42-yard line. On the next drive, Manning found WR Emmett Mosley for a 12-yard gain on a fourth-and-6 from Texas' own 32 before the Longhorns scored a touchdown nine plays later to pull within 23-17. The final drive was highlighted by a 19-yard pass play from Manning to Mosley to reach the Ohio State 1-yard line before Texas punched in the winning score from there three plays later with 00:25 left. In UT's season opener against Texas State on Sept. 5, Manning completed 20-of-27 passes (74 percent) for 305 yards and four touchdowns. It was Manning's second career game with 300+ passing yards and four passing touchdowns and first since Arkansas in 2025.
The Golden Arm Award recognizes quarterbacks who demonstrate excellence both on and off the field. The award is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation alongside presenting partner A. O. Smith Corporation. The Foundation's mission is to promote the game of football while cultivating strong character, citizenship and academic commitment among young athletes.
As the season continues, the Golden Arm Award selection committee will evaluate the candidates based on their performance on the field as well as the character, leadership, sportsmanship, academic achievement and citizenship that have defined the award since its inception. The field will continue to narrow in the coming weeks before finalists are selected and one quarterback is named the 2026 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award recipient. The winner will be celebrated at the annual Golden Arm Award ceremony in Baltimore on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The Golden Arm Award has recognized many of college football's most accomplished quarterbacks throughout its history, honoring players who exemplify the qualities associated with its namesake, Johnny Unitas.
Manning and Texas travel to Dallas for the Allstate Red River Rivalry against the Oklahoma Sooners at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. The game will broadcast on ABC with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst) and Katie George (reporter) on the call.
The 2026 Golden Arm Award Top 15
Rocco Becht, Penn State
CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Devon Dampier, Utah
Noah Fifita, Arizona
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Sam Leavitt, LSU
Jayden Maiava, USC
Arch Manning, Texas
Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Dante Moore, Oregon
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Conner Weigman, Houston
Demond Williams Jr., Washington
