AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Longhorns returned to class Monday as the nation’s top team for the first time in 16 years, and the star is the talk of college football. Backup quarterback Arch Manningwho could well lead the team for one or two more games.

And while some Longhorns noted that national championships are won in January and not September, the older players admit that they like to see No. 1 next to the iconic Longhorn logo.

Just four seasons ago, Texas was 5-7.

“This is great for guys who grew up as Texas fans,” said senior tight end Gunnar Helm. “It’s an honor to be part of the team that got us back to No. 1.”

It wasn’t easy to get there.

Texas (3-0) was last ranked No. 1 for a three-week period in the 2008 season. The Longhorns were ranked No. 2 in 2009 after losing the national championship game that season. Those two years ended a decade-long streak of 10-win seasons, including the 2005 national title.

Then came five losing seasons and eight more with four or more losses. “Texas is back!” memes mocked the Longhorns on social media. Texas did not win another Big 12 title until 2023, its final season in the league.

And the 2021 season, which finished 5-7 and was coach Steve Sarkisian’s first in Austin, is still a breeze for many on the current roster.

Being No. 1 “means a lot to me because I was 5-foot-7,” said senior center Jake Majors. “I went through that toughness.”

Sarkisian was an assistant at two programs that were No. 1 in USC and Alabama. He will take over the No. 1 ranking, but on Monday he immediately pointed to the bigger picture in the new era of College Football Playoff.

Texas earned its first CFP spot last season, but lost to Washington in the national semifinals.

“The polls used to be very important because they determined who got to play and who won the national championship. Nowadays, you have to earn it,” Sarkisian said. “I think it’s good to show what we’re capable of, but we have to earn it. The mission is far from over.”

Junior safety Michael Taaffe emphasized that the Longhorns are focused on the final result and not on the ranking at the end of September after three games. The goal is to become like the undisputed Texas national champions of 1963, 1969 and 2005.

“If we just settle now, we won’t become legendary,” Taaffe said. “Our goal is to become legendary.”

The other rumor about Texas is all about Manning.

Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers had attracted attention as a Heisman Trophy contender after leading Texas to a key road win at Michigan, but then had to leave the game against UTSA in the second quarter due to a non-contact abdominal strain.

That opened the door for a nearly flawless performance from Manning in front of 100,000 fans and a national television audience on ESPN. The former five-star recruit from the famous football family threw four passing touchdowns and a 67-yard TD run in a 56-7 victory.

Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning.

Texas was expected to beat UTSA easily, but Manning was so sharp in his big moment that he helped the Longhorns gain national attention and headlines the night before – while No. 1 Georgia struggled to beat Kentucky.

Then came the Longhorns’ jump to first place.

Manning will likely make his first career start this week against Louisiana-Monroe (2-0), but Sarkisian would only name Ewers “questionable” for the game.

Texas begins its first SEC schedule on Sept. 28 against Mississippi State. Ewers missed several games over the past two seasons due to shoulder and sternum injuries.

Sarkisian said he didn’t need to do anything special to accommodate the growing national interest in Manning, his burgeoning fame and its potential impact on the team, or on Ewers, a starter in his third year.

“I don’t do anything. Arch is just another guy on our team,” Sarkisian said. “And the reason I can do this is because Arch is like this every day. Arch is a selfless teammate. He cares about the guys on the team, he cares about Quinn.”

Manning did not meet with the media on Monday. After Saturday night’s game, Manning called Ewers one of his best friends on the team.

“I just learned so much from him,” Manning said. “He was my man and I hope he’s OK.”

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