Arch Manning brings No. 16 back to Tennessee as Peyton roots for Texas QB: How Vols fans forecast reception

For the first time in almost 30 years, a Manning wearing No. 16 will take the field in Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

>The difference is that Arch Manning will be wearing a darker shade of orange than his uncle, Peyton, and he will get a much different reception from the home crowd.

>In the days leading up to No. 1 Texas vs. No. 14 Tennessee, there will be a lot of talk about the Manning family connections. After all, Arch's uncle is one of eight players in Vols history to have his number retired -- and it just happens to be the one that Arch himself wears.

>Peyton made some headlines over the summer when he admitted that his allegiance to Tennessee would be on hold for this game while he roots for his nephew's success, and Steve Sarkisian addressed the Manning of it all at his Monday press conference.

>The question is whether that actually matters in 2026. It's been 29 years since Peyton walked off the field at Neyland Stadium for the final time as a player, which means an entire generation of fans grew up without watching him play in a Tennessee uniform. Then again, as anyone even tangentially associated with Tennessee football knows, the last name Manning is inexorably linked to the Vols.

>How much does it mean that Arch Manning is walking into the stadium in which his uncle became a legend -- or that Peyton will be pulling for the other UT? How much should it mean?

>I spoke with a pair of Tennessee fans -- Jim Zasowski (class of 1982) and Shelton Sanders (class of 2015) -- who will be in attendance on Saturday, and they shared their perspective on Arch Manning leading Texas into Knoxville.

>At the Manning Passing Academy in June, Peyton Manning made his allegiance for this game very clear when asked about Texas visiting Rocky Top. Few things could get Peyton to keep his Tennessee orange in the closet 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."

>I asked Peyton Manning about 9/26, when Texas travels to Knoxville to play Tennessee. Who will Peyton root for?

Manning says, “I love my university… but nothing’s more important to me than my family.” @LockedOnSEC pic.twitter.com/SkISiTkPfS

>That answer drew some reactions from every corner of Vol Twitter. Some fans defended Manning's stance, while others felt he had turned his back on the Volunteers.

>Count Zasowski, the early-80s Vols grad, among those in the former camp. He estimates a vocal "10 percent" of fans were actually upset about Manning's comments and said he fully expected the Tennessee legend to support his nephew.

>"Did it surprise me to hear that?" Zasowksi said. "Absolutely not. ... I think the family does things right."

>Sanders also echoed those sentiments, adding that Manning's allegiance to the University of Tennessee has never been in question. It's hard to blame someone for choosing blood over school colors.

>"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 by Peyton's comments. They're a tight-knit group, and Peyton has undoubtedly served as a sounding board at various points throughout Arch's journey. Peyton can't be expected to throw that aside -- nor should he be.

>Since he stepped onto campus in Knoxville, Peyton Manning has been a tremendous ambassador for the University of Tennessee, and he's earned more than enough goodwill to get a day off if he wants to root for Arch's success.

>On Monday, Sarkisian spoke about how much this noise might affect Arch going into a big conference game. Without putting words in his quarterback's mouth, Sarkisian said Manning's focus is on what happens 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 much about it, but what about the rest of the college football world, particularly fans on Rocky Top? Zasowski said it will be a fun storyline to follow as noon on Saturday approaches.

>"I think it's kind of a cool thing," he said 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 weren't around to see Peyton building his legend at Tennessee? Even then, it's hard to avoid understanding the impact he had on the program.

>"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 that family connection, will Arch be received any differently than other opposing quarterbacks in Neyland Stadium? Because of the immense stakes involved 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.