Former SEC QB Has Doubts About Arch Manning vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

“The hype doesn’t match the tape,” Rodgers said. “There are good things, and there are some good things. The tape, to me, doesn’t tell you you’ve got a first-round draft or a top-ten or number-one-overall draft pick or a Heisman hopeful.” 

Over the past two years, Manning has given college football fans a small sample size of what he has to offer as a passer. In 2024, he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 969 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He also boasted a 179.0 passer rating. On just 95 career attempts, what he has been able to accomplish has been nothing short of impressive. 

“I think he’s going to go into Ohio State and he’s going to struggle,” Rodgers said. “Because he hasn’t played anybody. The last time we saw him against a really good defense was Georgia. He looked out of place. He looked really good against UTSA, Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State, the worst defense in the SEC.”

Saying that Manning looked out of place against Georgia is not entirely ridiculous, given that it was his first career appearance against a ranked team. In the game, he completed 50 percent of his tosses for 19 yards. He was also sacked twice. In his second appearance against Georgia in the SEC Championship, Manning did not attempt a pass but recorded a five-yard rush to set the Longhorns up for a field goal in overtime. 

Against UTSA, Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State, Manning looked phenomenal. In that three-game span, he threw for over 800 yards, eight touchdowns, and ran for nearly 100 yards and a touchdown. While those three games may not be against the most formidable opponents, it is undeniable that the flashes were there. 

“I think there’s still a lot for him to grow and a lot we need to see,” Rodgers said.