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The first Saturday of the 2025 college football season kicks off with No. 1 Texas heading to No. 3 Ohio State in a matchup that will have all eyes watching, especially on the Longhorns sideline.
Arch Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl champions Peyton and Eli Manning, has been highly publicized this offseason as Texas’ offense will now run through him. The redshirt sophomore carries lofty expectations, but one former Longhorn believes he’s built for the moment.
Bijan Robinson, the Atlanta Falcons star running back, knows what it takes to succeed at Texas, and he’s confident that Manning understands exactly what must be done this Saturday and every week afterward to achieve the ultimate goal of a national title.
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Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 1, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
“His family, man, he’s been around it his entire life,” Robinson told Fox News Digital while promoting College Colors Day, which falls on Aug. 29. “So, this moment right here isn’t too big for him.”
Manning grew up watching his uncles grind through the trials of the NFL — seeing them fail in tough moments but also rise to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
TEXAS’ ARCH MANNING EXUDES CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SHOWDOWN WITH OHIO STATE
Peyton said earlier this offseason on “The Pat McAfee Show” that his father, Cooper Manning, prepared Arch to reach this stage in his football journey. As an uncle, Peyton said he’s merely acted as a guide when needed.
“I feel like there’s no moment that’s too big when you play at Texas,” Robinson said. “The outside world can make it huge, but when we’re there and on the field, God gave us all a gift to go out there and just produce and have fun doing it.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning answers questions from the media during SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. (Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images)
“So, with [Manning], I’m excited to see what he can do because his confidence is huge and he’s been around the game for so long. He’s been around Super Bowls with his uncles and stuff like that, man. This game won’t affect him at all, and I think he’s prepared for it and everyone around him is prepared for it.”
Playing in “The Horseshoe” in Columbus, Ohio, can be a daunting task, but Robinson is confident there will be plenty of Longhorns’ burnt orange in the stands.
“Lucky for us playing at Texas, there’s going to be a lot of Texas fans at that game,” Robinson said with a smile. “You’re going to see a lot of burnt orange. It’s pretty incredible that we travel so well. We’re the most hated team when we show up in the stadium. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, they’re going to find a way to hate us. But our fans travel extremely well. There are some games where we’ll have more Texas fans than the home team, which is pretty special.”
These days, Robinson looks out to a sea of red and black when he takes the field in Atlanta. But this weekend, he’ll be repping his old college colors — something he’s encouraging all fans to do this Friday.
Atlanta Falcons star RB Bijan Robinson, who played his college ball at Texas, believes Longhorns starter Arch Manning won’t be fazed despite starting the season on the road at Ohio State. (GETTY)
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Developed by collegiate brand licensing leader CLC, Aug. 29 marks College Colors Day, a nationwide call for fans to “Flip the Switch” and show support for their favorite college football team.
“For everybody that’s a fan, I feel like it’s really important to wear your colors and represent your school,” Robinson said.
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