The quarterback with two career college starts continues to get more respect than the guy who led all of FBS in total touchdowns last season.
BetMGM recently released updated Heisman Trophy odds for the 2025 college football season, and Texas quarterback Arch Manning had the best odds at +600 after opening at +900. Meanwhile, Oklahoma QB John Mateer's odds stayed steady at +2500 as the 14th-best odds. Plenty of names in front of Mateer make sense, but Manning leading the way has been head-scratching all offseason.
Arch Manning has best Heisman Trophy odds despite almost no experience
Although numbers clearly don't matter anymore, they still don't lie. Manning started only two games last season while backing up seventh-round NFL Draft pick Quinn Ewers. Mateer started every game for Washington State before transferring to OU this offseason. And before the argument is even made against Mateer's level of competition, Manning's starts came against Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State, which was the worst SEC team and didn't win a conference game last season.
Mateer led all of FBS with 44 total touchdowns last season. He threw for 3,139 yards and 29 TDs while rushing for 826 yards and another 15 scores. Manning has 13 career total TDs, less than Mateer ran for as a QB in one season. Clearly names trump numbers.
Those Heisman odds will definitely fluctuate, though, even as early as Week 1 after Manning leads Texas against Ohio State on the road. In a way, you feel sorry for Manning and the impossible expectations that have been set for him. A loss Week 1 could even have fans calling him a bust. Mateer has lofty expectations, too, but not nearly as extravagant, and they've at least been earned.
Ultimately, the two QB1s will get to go head-to-head in the Red River Rivalry on Oct. 11. These odds will be long forgotten if Mateer leads the Sooners to a win over Texas, other than by the ones who put hard-earned cash on Manning to win the Heisman. But it's not like any OU fans need advice to not make that mistake.
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