Arch Manning’s moment in the Heisman Trophy spotlight, for the time being, is in the past. However, in his stead, two other SEC quarterbacks have made strong statements in the first couple weeks of the season.
On Monday morning, ESPN’s David Hale released his “Heisman Five” through Week 2 of the college football slate. Hale featured 5 passers in his rankings, with Oklahoma‘s John Mateer (No. 1) and LSU‘s Garrett Nussmeier (No. 5) bookending the list.
Here’s Hale’s analysis on Mateer, which includes a jab at Ohio State:
Against one of the nation’s best defenses, Mateer accounted for 344 total yards and three touchdowns in an Oklahoma win over Michigan, shocking fans throughout Columbus, Ohio, who had no idea such a thing was possible.
Hale also shared some thoughts on Nussmeier’s start to the 2025 season:
Nussmeier had a less-than-exciting performance in a 23-7 win over Louisiana Tech, throwing for 237 yards, one touchdown and a pick. It was part of a trend of SEC teams struggling to put away lesser competition Saturday, as Georgia and Texas A&M also waited until late in the second half to secure their wins. At least they’re all not Florida
Nussmeier’s presence in these rankings has more to do with the efficiency he showed in the Tigers’ victory over Clemson in Week 1 than dominant production. If he can light up Florida on Saturday night, though, he could push himself up the list.
After Week 2, Mateer and Nussmeier are the consensus leaders in Heisman Trophy betting odds as well.
