Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning is widely expected to be one of college football’s best players next season. Despite the massive hype surrounding him, one CFB analyst believes he has some competition. According to him, another SEC quarterback has the potential to be crowned as the best in the conference.
Pete Thamel Picks SEC Quarterback Over Arch Manning
Another quarterback who made headlines last season was LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. He joined the Tigers before the 2021 season and served as the backup for three seasons before being named starter during their 2024 campaign. He led the LSU Tigers to a 9-4 record and a Texas Bowl victory over Baylor.
On Wednesday’s episode of “The Colleg GameDay Podcast,” CFB analyst Pete Thamel chose Nussmeier as his First-Team All-SEC QB next season.
“I’ll take Garrett Nussmeier as my First-Team All-SEC quarterback here Valentine’s Day week. No problem there. On it,” Thamel confidently said.
Rece Davis disagreed with Thamel’s take. He went on to pick Manning as the better option while stating that the Longhorns would potentially be better than the LSU Tigers.
“I might lean Arch, though,” Davis said. “With the Sark numbers. Nussmeier, I think, is as good as anybody in the country. His arm talent is ridiculous. The throws are great. I guess what I’m saying is, I think Texas might be better than LSU next year, and that will help.
“That will help Arch, even if Nussmeier maybe puts up slightly better numbers if Texas wins more games. That might help,” Davis concluded.
Who will be the first-team All-SEC QB in 2025? @ReceDavis likes Arch Manning. I’m taking Garrett Nussmeier. Fun debate on @CollegeGameDay pod. We also dive in on No. 1 vs No. 2 in SEC hoops this weekend. https://t.co/fkFIc4T1vC pic.twitter.com/xOoK85FWu6
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 13, 2025
Both Manning and Nussmeier have the potential to win the Heisman Trophy next season.
The LSU quarterback had a great debut as a starter, recording 4,052 yards and 29 passing TDs. On the other hand, Manning got the chance to start a few games when Quinn Ewers was out with an injury. He put up 939 yards and nine passing touchdowns, along with four rushing scores for the Longhorns.
CFB Analyst Ari Wasserman Shares Advice for Arch Manning
On Tuesday, CFB analyst Ari Wasserman discussed the expectations for the Texas quarterback as the starter next season. On the “Andy & Ari Show,” Wasserman discussed how Arch will still be a star even if he does not perform at the same level as his uncles.
IS TEXAS BACK? Arch Manning Shares Motivation to Stay at Texas
“The Arch Manning doubt, I think, is bizarre, and maybe that’s just doubt because of his name, but he’s going to be good,” Wasserman said, “It’s not like he’s not gonna be good. Here’s the other thing: you don’t have to be Peyton or Eli to look good with the players around you. Even if he’s a 7 out of 10 QB, he’s still going to put up numbers,” he continued.
Manning will definitely be an interesting player to watch during the 2025 season. It will be interesting to see if he is the one to finally lead the Longhorns to its first national championship since 2005. Meanwhile, Nussmeier will attempt to lead LSU to its first College Football Playoff berth since 2019 when the Tigers won their most recent national title.
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