ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers Ranks No. 1 QB in College Football Entering 2026

“ArchMania” was the talk of the SEC heading into the 2025 college football season.

Following Texas’ College Football Playoff semifinal exit in 2025, the Longhorns were expected to take a step forward at quarterback with Arch Manning succeeding Quinn Ewers as the new starter.

Instead, Manning showcased uninspiring performances for much of the first two months of the season, and the Longhorns needed to win their final seven games of the season in order to reach the 2026 College Football Playoff.

Texas ultimately missed out on the College Football Playoff, but Manning’s confidence improved down the stretch.

The Longhorns won seven of their final eight games, and Manning ended the year with 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes and seven interceptions to go along with 399 rush yards and 10 rush touchdowns.

Manning is poised for a breakout season in 2026, but not everyone is convinced he is the best quarterback going into this season.

Jordan Rodgers does not believe Manning is the best quarterback entering the 2026 season

Former Vanderbilt quarterback and ESPN college football analyst Jordan Rodgers discussed who he believes is the best college football quarterback entering 2026 on a recent edition of ESPN’s “Get Up.”

While Rodgers is confident in Manning’s ability to take a step forward, he believes a better quarterback is elsewhere in the SEC.

“Arch was the best quarterback at the end of the regular season, but the best quarterback in the College Football Playoff and the best quarterback going into this season, in my opinion, is Trinidad Chambliss,” Rodgers said.

“What he did in that Playoff, he was the best player; 362 yards against Georgia, he almost single-handedly beat Miami to advance to the national championship. He might’ve been a first-round pick if he had chosen to come out.”

The case for Chambliss as the best quarterback in college football

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder transferred to Ole Miss from Division II Ferris State in the 2025 offseason, a place where he combined for 3,279 pass yards, 31 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 1,323 rush yards and 29 rush touchdowns in the previous two seasons.

Chambliss instantly produced for the Rebels when he started over Austin Simmons against Arkansas. His All-SEC Second Team campaign featured 3,937 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions in addition to 527 rush yards and eight rush touchdowns.

The ability to instantly provide offense with new surroundings is a rare gift for a quarterback; it served Chambliss well in 2025, and it will need to serve him well again in 2026.

Doak Walker Award finalist Kewan Lacy, the interior of the offensive line and wide receiver Deuce Alexander are the proven commodities around Chambliss in 2026.

From a player personnel standpoint, the Rebels will have two new starters each at offensive tackle and wide receiver. Additionally, former East Carolina offensive coordinator John David Baker takes over as the playcaller for Ole Miss following Charlie Weis Jr.’s departure.