Paul Finebaum Compares Arch Manning To Heisman Trophy QB

Paul Finebaum Compares Arch Manning To This Heisman Trophy Winner

Updated –Jul 1, 2025

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ESPN’s Paul Finebaum has high expectations for Arch Manning and compared him to this Heisman-winning quarterback.

Paul Finebaum Showers Arch Manning With Praise

"Arch Manning is the best college football quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006."

—@finebaum on Arch Manning 👀 pic.twitter.com/vTm9buTfKX

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 1, 2025

Finebaum was a guest on Tuesday’s edition of Get Up.

Host Dan Graziano asked Finebaum about his expectations for Manning. Finebaum has the utmost confidence in the Texas quarterback.

“The absolute roof,” Finebaum said when asked about Manning’s expectations. I think there’s a reasonably good chance that Arch Manning will be sitting on the front row in New York at the Heisman ceremony. That’s assuming that his team does what it’s supposed to do and compete for not only the SEC, but the national championship, and I really believe they will.”

Manning spent the last two years behind starting quarterback Quinn Ewers. After appearing in two games as a freshman, Manning played in 10 games a season ago.

Manning started and won two games for Texas in 2024 after Ewers was injured early in the season.

Manning completed 61 of 90 passes (67.8%) for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions in 10 games. Manning was also an effective runner, accumulating 108 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Many pundits, including Finebaum, believed Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian should have made Manning the starter, especially during the biggest game of the season.

“I think Steve Sarkisian, who is one of the most amazing play callers I’ve ever seen, made a critical mistake late in the year. He was way too loyal to Quinn Ewers, who was banged up and was really ineffective,” Finebaum explained. “Had Arch Manning been instituted in the second half of that [playoff] game, like Nick Saban did a couple years ago with [Tua] Tagovailoa, I think there’s a reasonably good chance that Texas would’ve beaten Ohio State and won the national championship. They’re very capable of doing it again this year.”

Paul Finebaum Makes Comparison To Heisman Trophy Winner

Peyton Manning says Arch has been working hard and he’s excited to get down to Austin to watch Texas pic.twitter.com/kOg3d6P2P1

— Arch Manning Highlights (@ArchHighlights) July 1, 2025

Manning has only appeared in 12 games over his first two seasons. Despite his lack of experience, Finebaum believes Manning is the best quarterback in college football since 2006.

“I believe, also, that Arch Manning is the best college football quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006,” Finebaum explained.

That’s significant praise for Manning, considering Tebow won two national championships and the 2007 Heisman Trophy.

Auburn’s Cam Newton, Stanford’s Andrew Luck, and LSU’s Joe Burrow might have some beef with Finebaum. Regardless, Manning could be the player to win Texas its first national title since 2005.