Ex-LSU coach makes bold Arch Manning comparison ahead of Texas' 1st game of 2025

https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/texas-arch-manning-lsu-joe-burrow-081925.jpg

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Joe Burrow completed one of the greatest college football seasons of all time when he set the single-season record for touchdown passes (60) on his way to a national championship in 2019.

Former Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe eventually broke the record when he threw 62 touchdown passes in 2021. But Burrow’s national championship season at LSU is something that appeared to have stuck with his former head coach Ed Orgeron.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Ed Orgeron and Joe Burrow

Then-LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron talks with quarterback Joe Burrow after a victory against the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Matthew Emmons/USA Today Sports)

As the sports world prepared for the upcoming college football season, Orgeron said he sees a bit of Burrow in Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.

“I had an opportunity to go to Texas and speak at their clinic,” he said on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take.” “And I watched practice. Now, we knew Arch Manning as a young kid from Louisiana. He liked Joe Brady. We watched him (as a recruit). But I watched his practice (at Texas). 

TITANS’ CAM WARD SPARKS PRACTICE FIGHT WITH JEFFERY SIMMONS AFTER MOCKING HIS SIGNATURE CELEBRATION

Joe Burrow in 2020

LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow against the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff national championship game. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports)

“And I’ll say this conservatively – and we recruited (current LSU quarterback) Garrett (Nussmeier) – Garrett’s a great player…. but Arch is as close to – or maybe as good as – Joe (Burrow) as I’ve seen. And I’ve never said that about anybody.”

Manning will have the eyes of the college football world and the NFL world watching him closely. He will get his first major test on Aug. 30, when the Longhorns play the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Not to mention, Texas was ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press top 25 college football poll.

Arch Manning in 2024

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning prior to the game against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I’m not really sure how they got these opinions because I’ve only played in, what? Two games?” Manning said recently. “I guess it’s nice of them to say, but it doesn’t mean anything. Talk is cheap, I’ve got to go prove it.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.