Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning Current Favorite for Heisman Trophy

What could Arch Manning's Heisman Trophy-winning Season look like?

Before Colorado's Travis Hunter's Heisman campaign a year ago, the previous three Heisman winners were quarterbacks in LSU's Jayden Daniels, USC's Caleb Williams, and Alabama's Bryce Young. Statistically, all three quarterbacks threw for 40 or more touchdowns while throwing close to 4,000 passing yards and throwing fewer than 10 interceptions.

Manning has now waited for his turn to lead the Longhorns, sitting for his first two years, and now he has the opportunity to be the starting quarterback for the Longhorns. For a Heisman-winning season, Manning would need to be at or around those three major statistical categories once the regular season comes to a close.

Manning has the opportunity to set the tone in week one agsint the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. The Buckeyes have lost a majority of their starters on defense from a year ago, but still feature unanimous All-American defensive back Caleb Downs, who will not make it easy for Manning on the back end.

In his first game as the Longhorns' starting quarterback, if Manning walks out of one of the more hostile environments in college football with a good performance and a win, it could set the table for the rest of the season.

The Longhorns travel to Sanford Stadium in Athens late in the season on Nov. 15 to take on the Georgia Bulldogs, which will undoubtedly shape both teams' SEC championship chances. The Longhorns lost to the Bulldogs twice a season ago and now will have to travel to their home stadium, where they are riding an impressive 32-game win streak at home. A big game from Arch Manning that leads the Longhorns to a win could solidify him as the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.

Texas ends the regular season with the Lone Star Showdown finally back in Austin after the first game in the rivalry series renewal was played in College Station, where Manning scored a big rushing touchdown. With a huge rivalry game and possibly a ticket to the SEC championship game like it was a year ago a big performance from Manning could put a stamp on his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.

The Longhorns' 2025 season will be defined by how far Manning has come as a player in his two years in waiting and as he develops through the season, but if Manning plays how many people have always expected, he could be in New York City hearing his name called as the Heisman Trophy winner come December.