Peyton Manning says he’ll pull for nephew Arch when No. 1 Texas visits his alma mater, No. 14 Tennessee, on Saturday, despite his loyalty to the Volunteers. His father, Archie, made the same choice for Peyton when Tennessee played Ole Miss in 1996.
Peyton chose Tennessee over Ole Miss in 1994. Sportswriter Jimmy Hyams recalled intense backlash against Archie in Mississippi, including what he thought was a confrontation at a gas station. In the 1996 game at Memphis’s Liberty Bowl, Tennessee won 41-3; Hyams said Archie sat at the back of a skybox, difficult to spot.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning has led the Longhorns to a 3-0 start, including a 24-23 win over top-ranked Ohio State on Sept. 12. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel praised Arch’s command and resilience ahead of Saturday’s game.
