One of the most unusual facts coming into the 2025 season is that Arch Manning, a quarterback who has only started two games in his entire career, is the clear favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. There’s always been an incredible amount of hype surrounding the Texas Longhorns’ quarterback, not uncommon considering he’s the nephew of two of the best quarterbacks of the last two decades.
But even so, calling him the favorite for the Heisman Trophy seems like a stretch. However, if someone knows that preseason hype is meaningless, it is Manning himself. On Tuesday, during the SEC media days, the signal-caller told the press:
“I’m not really sure how they get these opinions. Cuz I’ve only played, what? Two games? But I guess it’s nice of them to say, but it doesn’t mean anything. Talk is cheap, I gotta go prove it.”
Arch Manning on the Heisman hype and championship talk around him:
“It’s nice of them to say, but it doesn’t mean anything. Talk is cheap, I gotta go prove it”
(via @TreyWallace_) pic.twitter.com/V2ALtIj1zt
— Arch Manning Highlights (@ArchHighlights) July 15, 2025
According to BetMGM, Arch Manning has odds of +600 to win the Heisman Trophy. That makes him the clear favorite at the moment, a position in which he has been for most of the year. His closest competitor is LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, who has odds of +850.
Last year, Manning played half a game against UTSA after taking over for an injured Quinn Ewers. He then started in games against Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State. Texas won all these games, and in the process, Manning recorded 939 passing yards with nine touchdown passes and two interceptions. He also rushed for 108 yards, with four touchdowns in 25 carries.
ESPN analyst doesn’t consider Arch Manning an elite talent in the SEC
Not every analyst has jumped on the Arch Manning hype train. ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers, the brother of NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, spoke during the SEC media days to debunk the narrative.
“I have him as the fifth, let me repeat that, the fifth-best quarterback in the SEC,” Rodgers said. “The hype train is out of control, and what are we basing this on? We are basing this on games last year against UTSA, Louisiana-Monroe, and Mississippi State.”
“Look, I love Arch, I think he has a very high floor, but I don’t think he’s an elite talent when it comes to his arm, his arm ability, his ability to manipulate the pocket, to make guys miss, to change his arm angle,” he added.
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Truth be told, only the season will tell us about the true ability of Arch Manning. Thankfully, the wait is now only a few weeks long, and we will soon know.
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