The hype surrounding Arch Manning — nephew of two former NFL quarterbacks, Peyton and Eli Manning, and the grandson of an Ole Miss legend, Archie Manning — has been off the charts since 2022, when reporters staked out at the University of Texas campus just to get a picture of him making his first official visit.

It continued through his first two seasons with the Longhorns, even though he was a backup quarterback to Quinn Ewers, who has since turned professional. In those rare moments when Mr. Manning played, “It was like Beyonce had just taken the stage,” a columnist at OrangeBloods.com, Anwar Richardson, tells the Sun. “That’s how loud the crowd was.”

The latest member of football’s first family gets the chance to chart his own legacy on Saturday when the top-ranked Texas Longhorns visit defending national champion and third-ranked Ohio State at Ohio Stadium.

To say Mr. Manning’s ascension as a starting quarterback comes with enormous pressure is an understatement. For the Longhorns — a preseason no. 1 for the first time — hopes for a national championship rest largely on whether Mr. Manning can follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and uncles, each of whom won a pair of Super Bowls. Peyton Manning is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Arch Manning is expected to add to that legacy. “The anticipation is sky high that he’s going to be the best quarterback this program has seen,” Mr. Richardson said. “We’ll have to see how he handles the big-time games, how he handles the SEC and how he handles having a target on his back.”

Since his celebrated arrival from Isidore Newman High School at New Orleans, Mr. Manning has tried to be just one of the guys despite his famous last name. The mandate from his father Cooper, who played wide receiver at Ole Miss, and his uncles was to savor college life.

“His family has been adamant, telling him, ‘You need to enjoy being in college because this will be the most fun you ever have playing football, because it won’t be fun’” when you get into the NFL, Mr. Richardson said.

“Peyton knows what it’s like and how much fun it wasn’t his first year in Indianapolis. Eli knows how much fun it wasn’t those first few years in New York. They’ve told Arch to enjoy being a kid and enjoy yourself and not be in a rush.”

That’s why entering the transfer portal never entered the Mr. Manning’s mind despite being relegated to a backup role behind Mr. Ewers, who guided Texas to two consecutive appearances in the College Football Playoffs.

“I knew Texas was the place I wanted to be,” Mr. Manning said recently. “It was the city I wanted to be in, great education. I had friends. I was still developing and growing as a football player and as a person, so I never really wanted to leave.”

Mr. Manning played in 12 games over two seasons, making his only two starts last season, beating Louisiana-Monroe, 51-3, and Mississippi State, 35-13. He has completed 63 of 95 passes in his career with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.

“Anytime you can get reps in the game and make an impact to help your team win, it definitely builds your confidence for the following year,” he said. “I think I’m going to build on that.”

Head coach Steve Sarkisian is confident that Mr. Manning, listed as a sophomore because he played in fewer than four games in 2023, is ready to lead the Longhorns to prominence, starting with Saturday’s opener against the Buckeyes.

“He grew up in this era of seeing high-level football,” Mr. Sarkisian said. “He’s watched Super Bowls. He’s watched gold jackets getting put on. He’s been to playoff games. He’s been recruited at the highest level as the no. 1 player in the country, and he’s watched Quinn navigate through the ups and downs of being a starting quarterback at the University of Texas.”

He’ll also be backed by one of the best defenses in the country, and an offense that features Tre Wisner, the leading rusher in the SEC a year ago. “I think this is a championship roster,” Mr. Sarkisian said. “Now we’ve got to play like a championship team.”

Being Arch Manning is already a brand that has only been enhanced by his elevation to starting quarterback. His NIL valuation at $6.8 million is the highest in college sports, but he has tried to be just one of the guys, which his teammates and coaches appreciate.

“He’s a great teammate,” Mr. Sarkisian said. “If he stays true to himself that’s going to help him navigate these waters as they present themselves. We’ve got to do a great job of supporting him as coaches and as players. I think he’s prepared for the moment. Now it’s just time for him to go do it and enjoy doing it.”