The hype around Arch Manning is unlike anything we’ve seen in college football in quite some time.
The 21-year-old was always going to be a media sensation as a member of the Manning Football Dynasty, but it would have been borderline hyperbolic to predict there would be this much buzz around the quarterback as he entered his first season as a starter at the University of Texas.
Not only are the Longhorns one of the favorites to win the SEC and National Championship in 2025, but Manning sits atop the betting board to win the Heisman Trophy before Week 1.
The New Orleans native is +650 (DraftKings) ahead of Texas’ massive opener against Ohio State on Saturday.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Arch Manning | +650 |
| Garrett Nussmeier | +850 |
| Cade Klubnik | +900 |
| Jeremiah Smith | 10/1 |
| LaNorris Sellers | 16/1 |
Manning, who is the son of Cooper and nephew to Eli and Peyton, has only started two games in college, but the sophomore has given fans no reason to doubt his skill in that small sample.
Last year, in 10 appearances, including two starts, Manning completed 67.8 percent of his passes (61-for-90) for 939 yards with nine touchdowns against two interceptions. That grades out to a 184 quarterback rating.
Replicating that form over the course of an entire season, especially in the SEC, will be a gargantuan task, but there are enough believers out there that Manning is the most popular bet to win the Heisman by a decent margin.
According to BetMGM, Manning makes up 20.6 percent of the handle for the Heisman market, nearly doubling the next player, Garrett Nussmeier of LSU, who has attracted 10.9 percent of the dollars.
And while Manning is also the +425 favorite to win the Davey O’Brien Award, he is just the fifth-favorite to be selected No. 1 overall at the 2026 NFL Draft behind Nussmeier, Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik, and LaNorris Sellers.
Manning is +700 to go No. 1 overall at the draft in April.
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.