Texas Longhorns junior quarterback Arch Manning is the biggest name in college football, but he’s not considered a contender for the sport’s premier award.
Ahead of Texas’ rivalry game against the 2-2 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, USA Today’s Blake Toppmeyer polled 14 Heisman Trophy voters to assess Manning’s chances of winning the award. None put the Longhorns signal-caller on their ballot. Ohio State Buckeyes junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith emerged as the clear favorite in the survey.
Heisman voters get a first-, second- and third-place vote. Multiple voters clarified Manning wouldn’t be close to one of those spots.
Heisman voters talk Arch Manning
“I don’t even think he’s in the conversation,” one voter told Toppmeyer for the story published Wednesday.
They added Manning isn’t one of the five to six best QBs in the SEC, let alone one of the five to six best players in college football. Others wouldn’t go that far, but they agreed he’s a “fringe top-10 candidate.”
Manning has put the No. 1-ranked Longhorns (4-0) in early position to reach the College Football Playoff, with victories over Ohio State (24-23) and the Tennessee Volunteers (20-17). But he hasn’t looked like a clear Heisman front-runner in those wins.
“He may be a winner,” another voter said, “but he’s not overly impressive as an individual elite player.”
Through four starts, Manning has averaged 215.5 passing yards per game and posted a 6.1 touchdown percentage (percentage of TDs thrown when attempting a pass). That doesn’t cut it for a Heisman contender. For context, former Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza (now with the Las Vegas Raiders) recorded 220.9 passing yards per game and a 10.8 touchdown percentage when he captured the award in 2025.
Mendoza was also more accurate than Manning. The Hoosiers standout completed a stellar 72 percent of his passes, while the Texas star has completed 63.5 percent.
The Heisman ceremony isn’t until Dec. 12 in New York City, giving Manning more time to improve his resume. The Longhorns schedule offers multiple opportunities for him to produce signature moments that would put him back in the Heisman race.
The Longhorns host the No. 16 Florida Gators (Oct. 17) and the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels (Oct. 24) after facing Oklahoma. Both SEC squads feature Heisman contenders. Gators junior RB Jadan Baugh ranks fifth in the nation in rushing yards (613), while Ole Miss senior QB Trinidad Chambliss ranks 15th in QBR (82.4).
Staying undefeated will also help Manning. Voters love a winner.
“At this point, I wouldn’t even have him on the All-SEC team,” another voter said of Manning. “That said, his best shot is for Texas to stay at No. 1. A lot of voters always want to vote for the best player on the best team.”
One could easily argue junior edge-rusher Colin Simmons (7.5 sacks, No. 2 in FBS) is Texas’ best player. The Heisman, however, has increasingly become a QB award. Thirty-nine QBs have won it.
Manning probably won’t become No. 40 unless he goes on a tear. He’s the most famous name in college football, but that won’t sway Heisman voters. They want steak, not sizzle. The QB has been solid, but he hasn’t cooked up filet mignon yet.
