Arch Manning’s Heisman Hopes Take a Hit

It looks like Arch Manning has significantly diminished his chances of clinching the Heisman Trophy this season. One might even wonder what his famous uncles, Peyton and Eli, would think about his performance last Saturday.

The Texas quarterback had a tough outing, throwing two interceptions in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma, a team that wasn’t even ranked at the time. The Longhorns entered the game boasting a No. 1 ranking but ended up losing 27-24 in what’s known as the Red River Rivalry. That’s quite a fall from grace.

The first interception came when the score was tied at 17, leading to a pick-six that shifted the momentum in favor of Oklahoma, who then went ahead 24-17 with just over ten minutes left. Manning was scrambling to his right and, in a moment of panic, threw a careless pass that was easily intercepted by defensive back Peyton Bowen, who returned it for a touchdown.

To his credit, Manning managed to connect on a 15-yard touchdown pass shortly after, tying the game with just over six minutes remaining. However, he followed that with another interception—this time an ill-advised throw to Oklahoma defensive back Courtland Guillory with only 19 seconds left on the clock. It was a perplexing decision on a second-and-ten play from the Sooner 49-yard line, where he had a chance to set up a game-winning field goal.

Instead, Oklahoma took advantage, quickly advancing to the Texas 39-yard line. Tate Sandell then kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired, sealing the Longhorns’ fate.

Manning finished the game with numbers that, at first glance, might not seem terrible: 19 completions on 31 attempts, totaling 260 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. But his Heisman odds have plummeted; as of Sunday morning, he’s tied for the 12th-best odds at +10000, while Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith sits comfortably as the frontrunner at -210.

Interestingly, Smith is also favored to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft at +230. Manning, along with Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, follows closely at +420.

ESPN’s recent quarterback rankings for the upcoming draft have Manning fifth, trailing behind quarterbacks from Oklahoma State, Miami, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame. It’s quite a turn of events for a player who had high expectations riding on him.