The Texas Longhorns social media page revealed some big news about Arch Manning. He was named to the Davey O’Brien Awards Postseason Great 8.

The Davey O’Brien award goes to the best quarterback in college football, given out by The Davey O’Brien Foundation. In 2025, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was named the winner of the O’Brien award, but the Great 8 illustrates the top eight quarterbacks in postseason play, whether that’s through a bowl game or the College Football Playoff.

The Postseason Great 8 included Manning, Mendoza, Miami’s Carson Beck, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Utah’s Devon Dampier, Oregon’s Dante Moore, TCU’s Ken Seals, and Houston’s Connor Weigman were a part of it.

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Manning earned it because of his performance in the Citrus Cheez-it Bowl. Against No. 17 Michigan, he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, while also contributing a career high 155 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, leading Texas to a 41-27 win.

Manning became the only FBS or NFL quarterback in 30 seasons to have a game with more than 200 passing yards, more than 150 rushing yards, multiple passing touchdowns, multiple rushing touchdowns, no sacks and no turnovers while averaging 15 yards per rush. He had a massive 60-yard run for a touchdown to seal the win too, tying Vince Young for the third longest run by any Longhorn player in a bowl game.

Many people were hoping that Manning would win not just the Davey O’Brien award, but the Heisman trophy in 2025, but he struggled at the beginning of the season. However, he rebounded his play tremendously, and in total, he had 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He will be on the Heisman watchlist in 2026 with Texas investing heavily in the portal, including getting him wide receiver Cam Coleman from Auburn.