Arch Manning entered the 2025 season as the clear Heisman favorite. However, that has since changed after his disastrous season debut on Saturday afternoon in Columbus.
Manning went to Texas as one of the most highly-touted prospects ever, and after seeing little playing time over the last two seasons, is officially QB1 for the Longhorns. Texas received the top spot in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, and Saturday's season opener at No. 3 Ohio State was supposed to be Manning's coming out party.
Texas has a loaded roster, and playing on national television against the No. 3 team in the country, college football fans expected Manning to show out against the Buckeyes. Instead, it was a forgettable afternoon for Manning, who struggled all game long en route to a 14-7 loss for the Longhorns.
Manning ended the game with a modest 170 yards through the air while completing 17 of his 30 attempts. He threw for one touchdown and also threw an interception. The offense as a whole looked out of synch, and Manning wasn't able to complete passes down the field, which put his team in a tough spot.
DraftKings has Nussmeier and Klubnik as the Heisman frontrunners
According to DraftKings, Manning entered the new season as the Heisman favorite with odds of +650 to win the prestigious award. After a horrific Week 1 game against Ohio State, Manning's Heisman odds have ballooned all the way to +1400. Now, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier and Clemson QB Cade Klubnik share the top spot with odds of +700 each. Nussmeier has a massive opportunity to take control of the early Heisman race with a strong performance against Clemson.
Nussmeier and the Tigers are set to go up against a vaunted Clemson defense that features two potential top-10 picks in DT Peter Woods and EDGE T.J. Parker. CB Avieon Terrell is also among the best DBs in the country and could easily be a first rounder as well. It's a tough challenge, but Nussmeier's talent, experience, and plethora of elite receivers at his disposal gives LSU fans confidence heading into Saturday's top-10 matchup.
If Nussmeier shows out and leads LSU to a road win over the No. 4 team in the country, the LSU QB is sure to be the new Heisman favorite.