The Heisman Trophy has been awarded 89 times since its establishment in 1935. The Heisman was initially named after New York City’s Downtown Athletic Club (DAC), and it went to the best college football player “east of the Mississippi.” In 1936, the trophy was renamed for John Heisman, and from that point on, the award went to the best college football player in the nation.
In the long history of the Heisman, only one player has won the award twice. That player was Ohio State’s Archie Manning, who captured the trophy in 1974 and 1975. Others have come close to claiming multiple Heisman awards — Paul Giel, Colt McCoy, Ken Dorsey, Bryce Young, and Glenn Davis — but no other player has achieved what Manning did in the mid-70s.
We will not have a two-time winner in 2025 either, as last year’s Heisman winner, junior Travis Hunter of Colorado, was the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, going to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Below we look at the early favorites to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy. Before we do that, be sure to check out the betting odds for the 2025-26 College Football National Championship.
Below are the early odds for the 2025 Heisman Trophy from three of the best College Football Betting Sites.
| To Win 2025 Heisman Trophy |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arch Manning (TEX) | +500 | +600 | +600 |
| Cade Klubnik (CLEM) | +800 | +800 | +900 |
| Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) | +850 | +800 | +800 |
| Jeremiah Smith (OSU) | +900 | +1100 | +1000 |
| LaNorris Sellers (SCAR) | +1600 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Julian Sayin (OSU) | +1700 | +1600 | +1600 |
| DJ Lagway (FLA) | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| John Mateer (OU) | +1900 | +2200 | +2500 |
| Drew Allar (PSU) | +2200 | +2500 | +1400 |
| Dante Moore (ORE) | +2700 | +2200 | +1800 |
| Carson Beck (MIA) | +2800 | +3300 | +2200 |
| Gunner Stockton (UGA) | +3000 | +4000 | +3500 |
| Ty Simpson (ALA) | +3300 | +3300 | +4000 |
| Austin Simmons (MISS) | +3500 | +3300 | +3500 |
| Sam Leavitt (ASU) | +3500 | +4000 | +2800 |
| Ryan Williams (ALA) | +3500 | +4000 | +3500 |
| Jeremiyah Love (ND) | +4000 | +4000 | +5000 |
| Nico Iamaleava (TEN) | +4500 | +7500 | +8000 |
| Marcel Reed (TAM) | +4500 | +5000 | +4000 |
| Devon Dampier (UTH) | +4500 | +4000 | +5000 |
A Manning has never won the Heisman Trophy. The closest any member of the famed football family came to winning the award was 1997. That year Peyton, the quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers, finished in second place to Charles Woodson of Michigan. Manning went into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Woodson followed him in 2018. Both players were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Arch Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the older brother of Peyton and Eli.
With Quinn Ewers going to the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the recent NFL draft, Manning will be the starting quarterback for Texas in 2025. Manning will be a sophomore this season. Texas gave him some reps last season. However, Manning spent most of the year supporting Ewers. How the team handled his workload should benefit Manning when he takes over this year.
Manning completed 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions in eight games in 2024. His completion rate was 67.8 percent.
In the first game of the 2024 NCAA football season, the Georgia Bulldogs trounced Cade Klubnik and the Clemson Tigers. Clemson lost that contest 34-3 and Klubnik went 18 for 29 for 142 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. His longest pass that day was for 36 yards and he was sacked twice.
Klubnik finished the year against Texas going 26 for 43 for 336 yards. He threw three touchdowns and one interception in that game, a losing effort (38-24) in the opening round of the playoff.
This year could be the season where Klubnik begins to get mentioned alongside former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He finished 2024 with 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and six interceptions while leading the team to the ACC championship.
The last man to start under center at LSU before Garrett Nussmeier earned the job was 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Nussmeier had a good year in 2024, throwing for 3,739 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He threw for at least 300 yards in seven LSU games and had two starts where he put up over 400 yards, with a season-high of 409 against South Alabama.
Nussmeier was projected as a potential late first-round or early second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but he announced in December that he was going to return to LSU in the hopes of delivering the school a national championship in his senior year.
See below the best online betting sites. You can read our comprehensive reviews to help determine the best option for your 2025 Heisman Trophy bets.
