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When Arch Manning steps onto the field at Neyland Stadium this Saturday, he will be the first Manning in almost 30 years to wear the No. 16 jersey in that iconic venue. However, the younger Manning will don a darker shade of orange than his uncle Peyton once did, and the reception from the home crowd is expected to be far less welcoming.
As No. 1 Texas prepares to face No. 14 Tennessee, the Manning family legacy will be a dominant storyline. Arch's uncle is one of only eight Volunteers to have his number retired, and it is the same No. 16 that Arch now wears. Peyton made waves this summer by admitting his allegiance to Tennessee would be paused for this game as he roots for his nephew, a sentiment echoed by Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian during his Monday press conference.
But does that family connection still resonate in 2026? It has been 29 years since Peyton last played at Neyland, meaning a whole generation of fans never saw him suit up for the Vols. Yet the Manning name remains deeply woven into Tennessee football lore. How much does it matter that Arch is playing in the stadium where his uncle became a legend—or that Peyton will be cheering for the other UT? Two Tennessee fans, Jim Zasowski (class of 1982) and Shelton Sanders (class of 2015), who will be in attendance on Saturday, shared their views on Arch leading Texas into Knoxville.
Family First
At the Manning Passing Academy in June, Peyton made his stance clear when asked about Texas visiting Rocky Top. Few things could keep Peyton from wearing his Tennessee orange on a fall Saturday, but family is one of them. "Nothing is more important than your family," he said. "My dad dealt with it when I was in college, and Tennessee played Ole Miss. I love my university and my alma mater and pull for them unconditionally, but nothing is more important to me than my family. When you have a nephew playing, I pull very hard for him every single Saturday. That's pretty much a no-brainer that you're pulling for your nephew to play well. Like I said, everyone knows pretty strongly where my loyalties lie on all other Saturdays."
Peyton's comments sparked a range of reactions from Vol Twitter. Some fans supported his position, while others felt he had betrayed the Volunteers. Zasowski, an early-80s grad, is among those who defended Manning. He estimated that only a vocal "10 percent" of fans were actually upset and fully expected the Tennessee legend to support his nephew. "Did it surprise me to hear that?" Zasowski said. "Absolutely not. I think the family does things right." Sanders agreed, adding that Manning's loyalty to Tennessee has never been in question. "We all know Peyton's stance and take on Tennessee," Sanders said. "He loves the university. He loves the state. But family comes first, and that's where you put your support. And so I don't blame one bit."
Anyone familiar with the Manning family shouldn't be shocked. They are a tight-knit group, and Peyton has been a sounding board for Arch throughout his journey. Peyton cannot be expected to set that aside—nor should he. Since arriving in Knoxville, Peyton has been a tremendous ambassador for the university, and he has earned enough goodwill to take a day off if he wants to root for Arch's success.
How Will Arch Be Received?
On Monday, Sarkisian addressed how the noise might affect Arch going into a big conference game. Without speaking for his quarterback, Sarkisian said Manning's focus is on the field. "Honestly, I don't think he's gonna care too much about that," Sarkisian said. "Don't take anything away from Peyton. I don't think he's thought much about how he's playing at Tennessee. I'm sure it'll be a cool moment for the family. I don't think Arch cares that much. I think he cares about playing really good for his teammates and being connected with his team."
Perhaps Arch isn't thinking about it, but what about the rest of the college football world, especially fans on Rocky Top? Zasowski said it will be a fun storyline as noon on Saturday approaches. "I think it's kind of a cool thing," he said. "First of all, the name carries a ton of weight in Knoxville, obviously. And I think it's just great for college football, to be honest with you." What about younger fans who never saw Peyton play at Tennessee? Even then, his impact is hard to miss. "I think it does," Sanders said when asked whether a Manning playing in Neyland resonates with fans his age. "I mean, just because of how much Peyton meant to Tennessee and how much he still does mean to Tennessee. I'm not old enough to remember him playing but have obviously watched multiple highlight reels with John Ward in the background."
Given the family connection, will Arch be received any differently than other opposing quarterbacks at Neyland? With immense stakes between two undefeated SEC teams, Arch will hear it from the 102,000 fans in attendance, but it won't be personal. "I think it's booing Texas," Zasowski said. "Anybody coming in ranked No. 1 into Neyland is going to hear it from the crowd. I don't think it'll be necessarily directly against him. I think it'll just be fans fired up to beat Texas. That, to me, is the number one thing. That's where my excitement is. You got a No. 1 team coming in. You got a high-profile quarterback."
That's exactly the point. When was the last time the No. 1 team in the country rolled into Knoxville as anything less than a sizable favorite? The Vols are looking to knock off the top-ranked team for the first time since 1985 and just the third time in program history. The opposing quarterback is going to get an earful in that situation—regardless of his last name—and that's exactly how it should be.
Originally reported by cbssports.