Arch Manning opened the season with all the Heisman buzz that comes with a famous name and a top-ranked team. A month later, that momentum has faded fast.
According to one Heisman voter who spoke to USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer, Manning “isn't even in the conversation,” and the voter went a step further, saying the Texas quarterback isn’t among the SEC’s top five or six quarterbacks, let alone one of the nation’s premier Heisman candidates.
That sentiment showed up in Toppmeyer’s polling of 14 Heisman voters on their current top three. Manning didn’t appear on a single ballot.
That doesn’t mean he has played poorly. He has been solid and has flashed real talent.
But in a conference as deep as the SEC, solid doesn’t carry much weight.
Manning’s numbers reflect that middle ground. He ranks 10th among SEC quarterbacks in efficiency and 12th in completion percentage, and his 7-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio doesn’t match what several other contenders have put together.
Alabama’s Keelon Russell, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor each drew at least one top-three vote in the polling. Manning drew none.
One voter described him as a “suitable quarterback” while also questioning whether he has shown the kind of individual dominance a Heisman winner needs. Another was even more blunt: “At this point, I wouldn’t even have him on the All-SEC team,” the 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.”
That last part is where the door stays open. Texas is still No. 1, and the schedule is about to get much tougher.
After the rivalry game with Oklahoma, the Longhorns face five straight games against currently ranked SEC opponents. If Manning can stack strong performances against that stretch, his candidacy could change quickly.
As another voter put it, if Manning keeps producing against elite competition, he could still move into the top three. But that kind of rise will take more than wins. It will take the kind of “WOW” moments voters haven’t seen enough of yet.
For now, Manning is not just chasing the Heisman field. He may also be chasing the best player on his own team, depending on how voters see Texas’ offense over the next two months.
That’s where the race has gone in a hurry. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith has become the clear front-runner, collecting first-place votes from 12 of the 14 voters polled. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Alabama’s Russell are behind him.
Manning still has the most recognizable name in the race. But the Heisman doesn’t hand out points for pedigree. He’s going to have to earn his way back into the conversation, and he’ll need something spectacular to do it.
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For a rivalry game that often comes down to depth as much as star power, that kind of reinforcements matters. Texas is still navigating the usual injury uncertainty this time of year, with several players from both sides listed as questionable or unavailable, but the Longhorns at least appear to be moving in the right direction at the perfect moment. [Read more 🡒]