Peyton has made his preference known.
Former University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning revealed who he will be pulling for on Sept. 26, when the University of Texas comes to Neyland Stadium for the first time. The Longhorns are quarterbacked by Arch Manning, the son of Cooper Manning, Peyton’s older brother.
“Nothing is more important than your family,” Manning said Friday. “Obviously it’s going to be a huge SEC game. My dad dealt with this while I was in college when Tennessee played Ole Miss.
“Look, I love my university and my alma mater and will pull for them unconditionally, but nothing is more important than being with my family.”
Manning was asked about the UT-UT matchup during a press conference at the Manning Passing Academy, which started before Manning’s junior season with the Volunteers in 1996. It was held back then at Tulane University in New Orleans but is now at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
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The Tennessee-Texas game will have a noon kickoff and will be televised by either ABC or ESPN. The three previous pairings between the two were at the Cotton Bowl, but the Vols and Longhorns now reside in the same conference and will collide twice every four years.
“When you have a nephew play — I pull very hard for him every single Saturday, so that’s pretty much a no-brainer,” Manning said. “Everybody knows pretty strongly where my allegiances lie on all other Saturdays.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.