Two weeks into the college football season, the Heisman Trophy picture already looks a lot different than it did a week ago.
At the top of the board, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah still holds the lead in the conversation. The Duke transfer has been electric through two games, completing 41 of 45 passes for 653 yards and eight touchdowns.
That includes a three-touchdown outing in Miami’s 77-7 win over Florida A&M. The Hurricanes have not run into much resistance yet, but Mensah’s start has been impossible to ignore.
Miami heads to Wake Forest in Week 3.
The weekend in Austin, though, created two new storylines in the race.
Jeremiah Smith kept climbing despite Ohio State’s 24-23 loss to Texas. The Buckeyes receiver put together another huge performance, catching eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Through two games, he has 315 receiving yards and three scores, and after back-to-back 150-yard performances, he has pushed himself near the top of the Heisman odds.
Arch Manning also gave the race a jolt in Texas’ comeback win. His first half was quiet, and the stat line wasn’t eye-popping - 196 passing yards and a touchdown - but he delivered when it mattered most.
Manning guided three fourth-quarter scoring drives as the Longhorns erased a 20-point deficit against the No. 1 team in the country. Texas now turns to UTSA on Saturday night before diving into a nine-game SEC schedule.
There are other names still hanging around the mix. Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr stayed in the conversation after throwing four touchdowns in a 52-0 win over Rice. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is also in the picture after tossing five touchdowns against Western Kentucky and sitting at +2500.
Another quarterback worth watching this weekend is Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss. The Rebels host LSU in a matchup between undefeated teams, and Chambliss gets a prime early-season stage with 561 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception through two games.
He’ll also be on Texas fans’ radar later in the season, since Ole Miss visits Austin on Oct. 24.
The season is still young, but after Week 2, the Heisman race already has a much sharper edge. And it looks like it’s only going to keep shifting from here.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisians Two ESPN Interviews Have Texas Fans Saying The Same Thing
Steve Sarkisian left Columbus with a marquee win and, for Texas fans, a couple of television moments that were almost as memorable for how they unfolded as for what was said. During the Longhorns comeback against Ohio State, ESPN caught Sarkisian in two awkward sideline spots, first at halftime with Laura Rutledge and then again after the game with Holly Rowe, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how chaotic a big road win can feel in real time.
The halftime interview never really got going because of technical issues, and Rutledge later clarified what went wrong while noting Sarkisian handled the delay patiently. The postgame exchange took a different turn, ending abruptly when Sarkisian shouted and headed off to celebrate with his team, leaving Rowe with a visibly different reaction and plenty of attention on the contrast between the two interviews. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Weighed In As Holly Rowe Faced A Heartbreaking Week
Holly Rowe had a painful week away from the football spotlight after announcing the death of her mother, Diane Buck Rowe-Gandre, and later sharing that the family held a private graveside service in her honor. Rowe described a tribute filled with personal touches, from released butterflies and purple colors to music and Dr. Pepper, offering a glimpse into how her family said goodbye while the college football world kept moving around her.
The timing only added to the unease around Texas after a viral AI-generated video depicted Steve Sarkisian slapping Rowe, coming on the heels of a real postgame moment when Sarkisian walked away from an interview with her. Arch Manning was asked about the controversy during a press conference and later apologized for his reaction, a reminder of how quickly an ugly online moment can spill into the wider conversation around the Longhorns. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Suddenly Has A Coaching Issue Hanging Over UTSA Week
A fresh off-field issue landed on Texas this week when co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen was arrested Wednesday evening on a misdemeanor DWI charge. Head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed the arrest and said the program is still gathering information while monitoring the situation, an unwelcome development as the Longhorns turn their attention to UTSA.
Nansen was not at practice after the arrest, and his status for the upcoming game remains unsettled. For a defense already in game-week preparation mode, the uncertainty adds another layer to a week that was supposed to be focused on cleanup and rhythm, not staffing questions on the sideline. [Read more 🡒]