Week 3 shook up the Heisman conversation, and four quarterbacks have separated themselves from the pack after another weekend full of rivalry heat, big-stage wins and eye-catching performances.
Arch Manning sits at the top for Texas, and the leap he’s made since last season has been hard to miss. When he took over as the Longhorns’ full-time starter in 2025, the early stretch was rocky.
The 22-year-old dealt with accuracy problems, shaky pocket awareness and a lack of conviction in his game. That version of Manning is not the one showing up now.
He is 10-1 over his last 11 games dating back to last season, a run that includes wins over then-No. 14 Vanderbilt, then-No.
7 Texas A&M, then-No. 18 Michigan in the 2025 Citrus Bowl and No.
1 Ohio State. In that span, the Louisiana native has thrown for 2,676 yards, 21 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
He’s only getting sharper.
Right behind him is Trinidad Chambliss, who keeps building his case as one of the most electric players in the country. The Ole Miss quarterback delivered a huge night against former head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU on Saturday, throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns while completing 68.8 percent of his passes.
Chambliss is ninth in the nation in passing statistics and is the only SEC quarterback to clear 900 total passing yards so far. After Ole Miss knocked off No.
7 LSU, the Rebels are likely headed for the top five in the next AP Poll.
Darian Mensah has made his first season at Miami look almost absurdly clean. The former Duke quarterback was perfect to start, going 24-for-24 in Friday night’s 33-20 win over Wake Forest.
That performance broke the ACC consecutive completion record previously held by former Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco in 2012. For the season, Mensah is 71-of-79 with 11 touchdowns, zero interceptions and an 89.9 percent completion rate.
The 21-year-old has been the most efficient passer in college football, even if Miami hasn’t faced top-tier competition yet. That changes soon, with Clemson on 10/3 and Florida State on 10/17 looming as the next real tests.
Kamario Taylor rounds out the top four, and the Mississippi State freshman is turning heads fast. The 19-year-old helped the Bulldogs improve to 3-0 with a 41-34 road win over South Carolina after Mississippi State fell behind by 16 points.
Taylor threw for 251 yards and four touchdowns while completing 69.2 percent of his passes in the comeback. Through three games, he has 832 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception.
He’s also been a major factor on the ground, piling up 178 rushing yards at 6.6 yards per carry. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Taylor is already drawing comparisons to Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III.
Mississippi State’s next chance to keep the momentum rolling comes against Missouri next weekend.
In Other News...
LSUs Quarterback Situation Just Got Dragged Into A New Controversy
Sam Leavitts performance in LSUs loss to Ole Miss was already going to be part of the postgame conversation, but the attention around the Tigers quarterback has since shifted away from the field. A social media account believed to be linked to his father, Jared Leavitt, posted controversial comments about Muslims, quickly drawing concern from LSU fans and media and adding an uncomfortable layer to an already scrutinized situation.
So far, there has been no official response or apology from the account or from LSU, leaving the issue hanging as Leavitt prepares for the next stretch of games. For a quarterback trying to settle things down on the field, the off-field noise is the last thing LSU needs, especially with the program now facing questions that have little to do with wins and losses. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Sparks Ole Miss Sideline Buzz With Unexpected Game-Day Appearance
Pat McAfee showed up on the sideline for Ole Miss-LSU on Sept. 19, and his presence quickly became one of the more talked-about details around the game. He was seen standing next to Mary Kate Cornett, the Ole Miss student who had previously been drawn into a false rumor McAfee discussed on his show, a saga that had already spilled well beyond the football field.
Cornett had once considered legal action against McAfee before the matter was resolved outside of court, which made their shared appearance in Oxford all the more notable. Neither has publicly addressed what it meant, and for now the image of the two together is left to linger without an explanation from either side. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Took A Rivalry Shot LSU Fans Wont Forget
Ole Miss left its mark on the rivalry with LSU in a 32-24 win that came with a little extra theater after the final whistle. The Rebels not only handled business on the field, but also leaned into the moment by playing "Callin Baton Rouge" as LSU players walked off, a nod that was sure to land with plenty of bite for a SEC crowd that knows exactly what that song means.
Trinidad Chambliss added to the night with a strong performance against his former coach, Lane Kiffin, giving Ole Miss another layer of satisfaction in a game that already carried plenty of edge. Between the postgame gesture from fans and players and the way the Rebels closed it out, this was the kind of win that sticks around long after the score is forgotten. [Read more 🡒]