Heading into the 2025 college football season, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is getting lots of hype. While he is only entering his first season as a starting quarterback, there are many who believe that he is the top contender to win the Heisman Trophy.
On Wednesday, insiders Heather Dinich, Louis Riddick and Paul Finebaum appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up.” On the show, they all gave their preseason picks for who will win the Heisman Trophy. Dinich went first, picking Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to win the award. Riddick went next, predicting that LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier will walk away with the Heisman at the end of the season.
Paul Finebaum wrapped up the discussion and explained why he thinks Arch Manning will beat out both Jeremiah Smith and Garrett Nussmeier for the Heisman Trophy.
“You know what the answer is? It’s Arch Manning, and here’s why,” Paul Finebaum said (Timestamp 3:30). “It’s not because I’m in love with the guy. It’s because he’s going to win that first game on the biggest stage in college football this year. And all of a sudden, it’s going to go from Archmania to, it’s going to transcend the sport of college football. And he has so many other big moments during the season. And the Heisman is often won by those moments.
“It doesn’t matter what the position is. It matters what kind of hype you get. So, when he has other games later in the season, like at Georgia, and if he should win those games, he’s going to move on to New York very effectively and easily.”
Arch Manning Is the Preseason Betting Favorite To Win the Heisman Trophy
In their discussion on Wednesday, neither Dinich, Riddick, nor Finebaum went off the board in making their Heisman Trophy predictions. All three of Jeremiah Smith, Garrett Nussmeier and Arch Manning are viewed as top contenders to win the award.
According to FanDuel, Manning is the favorite with +700 odds. He is followed by Nussmeier and Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, who are tied with +900 odds. Jeremiah Smith is in the No. 4 slot with +1100 odds. There is then a sizable gap before the No. 5-ranked contender, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, with +1600 odds.
While Manning, Smith and Nussmeier are three of the top Heisman contenders in the preseason, things will likely change drastically once games start to be played. If any of them have a slow start, their odds will fall quickly. There will also likely be some unexpected contenders that emerge in the early weeks of the season.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
