Over 10,000 student-athletes opted in to be part of a massive NIL deal with EA Sports College Football 25 earlier this year, but there was one giant omission with Texas QB Arch Manning opting out.
Now, just before the Big 12 Media Days are set to begin, the signal-caller with an impeccable pedigree has reversed course and opted back in, meaning he’ll be available to play in College Football 25.
With his Texas team leaving the Big 12 for the SEC this offseason and announcing his decision with a well-produced, scripted video, did Manning intentionally steal the spotlight from the Big 12 Media Days?
Arch Manning Will Be in EA Sports College Football 25
Manning announced his arrival in EA Sports College Football 25 dressed in shoulder pads and using a headset to receive tips from one of his two former NFL QB uncles, Eli Manning, whom he calls “Uncle E.”
Playing as himself on the Longhorns, Arch Manning rifled a throw down the middle for a touchdown in the back of the end zone of a simulated practice in College Football 25 before flashing a Horns Up to the camera and declaring, “I’m in the game.”
Manning initially balked at the opportunity to be in the game back in March, saying he was more focused on his on-field play. As a member of the prominent Manning family, his name does carry more cache than that of the average student-athlete, meaning the price tag on his Name, Image, and Likeness was likely the underlying issue.
Manning is currently Texas’ backup behind Quinn Ewers, but he’s on most gamers’ shortlists of the most desired backups to sub in. Now, with Manning and Co. coming to an agreement with EA Sports College Football 25, they’ll have the chance.
Did Arch Manning Steal the Big 12’s Thunder?
Texas and Oklahoma became official members of the SEC on July 1, leaving behind the Big 12 after years as the conference’s leaders. The Big 12 added four teams last year (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF) and four more this year (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah), ballooning the conference to 16 teams.
Anxious to ceremoniously unveil the conference’s facelift, the Big 12 Media Days were moved up to July 9 and 10, with a new, ritzier location in Las Vegas.
Exes are known to be petty, so it felt impeccably timed that Manning held onto this announcement until right before the Big 12 Media Days were set to begin. In fact, the video was launched on X/Twitter at 12:01 p.m. ET, just as Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark began his introductory speech.
It’s no secret that Texas’ and Oklahoma’s departure from the conference was contentious, so a move like this isn’t a total surprise. We likely won’t officially find out if Manning’s move was calculated or coincidence, but it’s hard to ignore the obvious evidence.
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