Peyton Manning is expected to be on hand for Tennessee's SEC opener against Texas on Sept. 26 at Neyland Stadium, one of the marquee matchups of the Week 4 college football slate.
But the Volslegend will have more than just his alma mater to watch.
Manning will also see his nephew, Texas quarterback Arch Manning, play up close as he makes his first appearance at Neyland Stadium. Not only will it be the Longhorn quarterback's first start in one of the SEC's toughest road environments, but it will also mark his first trip to Rocky Top — believe it or not.
"I'm definitely excited to play in a hostile environment, SEC
road game," the Longhorns signal-caller said earlier this week. "That's what it's all about."
Arch Manning says he’s never been to Knoxville before, and that he’s excited to have the opportunity to play against Tennessee. @ontexasfootball pic.twitter.com/6jxHN6DZ2f
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) September 21, 2026
Through Texas' first three games of the season. The highlight thus far for Manning has been the comeback he orchestrated in Week 2 against Ohio State at home, when he led the Longhorns on three scoring drives in the fourth quarter to erase a 20-3 halftime deficit.
"Smart. Got really good command and control of what's going on," Heupel said of Manning this week.
And so, with Texas making its first trip to Neyland on Saturday, curiosity has risen about whether Tennessee and Heupel were in on Manning during his recruiting.
Here's what to know:
Did Arch Manning consider Tennessee during recruitment?
Though his uncle is Tennessee royalty and he held a scholarship offer from the Vols, Manning ultimately focused his recruitment elsewhere within the SEC.
As USA TODAY Sports' Blake Toppmeyer noted in 2022, the SEC programs that were consistently primary contenders for Manning, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite ranking, included Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Mississippi.
Like Tennessee, Ole Miss also had strong family ties working in its favor. Manning's grandfather, Archie Manning, and uncle, Eli Manning, both starred in Oxford and remain among the most accomplished quarterbacks in Rebels history.
Manning committed to Texas in June of 2022. He chose the Longhorns over the likes of Alabama and Georgia, though it was believed to be a two-horse race between the Bulldogs and the Longhorns.
"Committed to the University of Texas," Manning said in a social media post.
Committed to the University of Texas. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/jHYbjBaF5K
— Arch Manning (@ArchManning) June 23, 2022
But because Manning did not really consider Tennessee, Heupel and the Vols centered their attention on Nico Iamaleava, the No. 2-ranked quarterback and No. 3 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. Iamaleava, in fact, committed to the Vols before Manning committed to the Longhorns.
Iamaleava, of course, would last just two seasons at Tennessee before his ugly split with the Vols that was centered around an NIL dispute.
Did Arch Manning have an offer from Tennessee?
Yes, Manning did receive a scholarship offer from Tennessee during his recruiting process. As noted by the Knoxville News Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, Manning did not make an official visit to Tennessee during his recruitment.
Arch Manning 247 rankings
Below is a look at how 247Sports Composite ranked Manning in the 2023 recruiting class:
- Stars: Five
- National ranking: No. 1
- Positional ranking: No. 1
- State ranking: No. 1
Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Arch Manning never seriously considered Tennessee despite Peyton Manning's legacy
