Heisman Trophy Odds: Arch Manning Opens as Favorite Over Cade Klubnik, Jeremiah Smith Ahead of Week 0

It's never too early to start talking Heisman Trophy, so here's an opening look at the Heisman odds entering Week 0. College football fans are thrilled to have one of the best American sports back, but who will take over as the premier player this year?

We don't have a unicorn star on both sides again like Travis Hunter, so the initial focus will be on a lot of quarterbacks. Arch Manning opens as the favorite, with many hoping the success is in his blood as he begins his first official season as the starter in Austin. Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier are hot on his heels, and Jeremiah Smith is spotlighting as the highest-rated non-QB.

There aren't many candidates at play in Week 0, with only five total college football matchups. But some eyes will be on No. 22 Iowa State vs. No. 17 Kansas State in Dublin. Rocco Becht (+25000) and Avery Johnson (+4000) are on the early Heisman watch list in that matchup, but would need to rattle off some serious stats to climb into this race. Outside of that, let's break down the most notable Heisman candidates as we get ready to finally kick off the 2025 College Football season.

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Heisman Trophy Odds

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Heisman Trophy Odds Breakdown

Arch Manning (+700) Click here to bet on Arch Manning at FanDuel

Arch Manning is leading the pack here despite only arriving with 95 career pass attempts and two starts. The nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning is entering his third year at Texas as a redshirt Sophomore. He sat out in his first year on campus behind Quinn Ewers, and then started getting subbed in a year ago with a few big performances while Ewers was injured.

Now, he'll take the full reigns of a high-powered and expensive Longhorn offense. They allegedly spent between $35 and $40 million on this roster, and have a breadth of talent at every position. Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore Jr. are back at wide receiver, though they lost Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden to the NFL. There are also some questions about his offensive line, but they should get warmed up in no time. The real question is if they can survive against Ohio State in Week 1, where two of the top four candidates on this list will battle.

Cade Klubnik (+900) Click here to bet on Cade Klubnik at DraftKings

Cade Klubnik is back at Clemson for his senior season, and sees his Tigers ranking in at No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll. They found their way into the playoffs last year by shocking SMU in the ACC title game, but were promptly overwhelmed by the Texas Longhorns.

Dabo Swinney improved this roster in the offseason, and they should be ready to compete for an ACC title as clear favorites this time around. Their biggest test is against LSU in Game 1, with two of the top three Heisman contenders squaring off to start the season on Saturday, August 30th. If Klunik can guide them to an opening victory as -3.5 favorites in the battle of Tigers, they'll be home free for most of the season.

Garrett Nussmeier (+900) Click here to bet on Garrett Nussmeier at FanDuel

Garrett Nussmeier is looking to follow in Jayden Daniels' footsteps from 2023, winning the Heisman with an unreal stat line on the Tigers' offense, but not going all the way to the National Championship. I'm sure Nussmeier and his LSU teammates have that lofty goal, but they are a playoff bubble team at best right now. That may change as the season goes on, but a difficult SEC schedule may have them on the outside looking in. That doesn't mean Nussmeier can't win the Heisman, impressing a year ago with over 4,000 passing yards and 32 total touchdowns.

Jeremiah Smith (+1200) Click here to bet on Jeremiah Smith at FanDuel

Jeremiah Smith is the only non-QB in the top-five of the odds board, and one of the most interesting commodities in the Heisman race. Smith was an absolute star for Ohio State last year as they fought their way to the National Championship.

He had over 1,300 yards on the season and 15 touchdowns, with five of them coming in the playoffs. He also had five 100-yard games on the way. In the second round Rose Bowl matchup against Oregon, Smith danced across American television screens with two touchdowns and 187 yards receiving, most of it in the first half. He couldn't be touched by the Ducks defense in a blowout, formerly one of the highest-rated scoring defenses in the country.

A wide receiver hasn't won it since DeVonta Smith in 2020, but that shouldn't stop another Smith here. He is by far one of the most talented athletes in the country at any position, the only thing that would hold him back is the Ohio State sophomore QB, Julian Sayin. Sayin was a five-star in high school and is immensely talented, but only threw a few passes for the Buckeyes last year in relief, so it remains to be seen if he can manage this engine and get Smith the ball.

LaNorris Sellers (+1800) Click here to bet on LaNorris Sellers at DraftKings

The South Carolina Gamecocks are thrilled to have LaNorris Sellers back in 2025, one of the great breakout stars of last season. Many argued the Gamecocks should have snuck into the College Football Playoff, and their ferocious charge to end the season had them firmly in the mix. It was a few close losses to Alabama and LSU earlier in the year that held them out of the field, but Sellers and his teammates are back for another push in 2025.

Sellers had 2,500 yards through the air and almost 700 more on the ground, with 25 combined touchdowns. The Gamecocks gritted it out in some tough SEC games down the stretch, and should be ready to rumble this year coming in at No. 13 in the AP Poll. It'll be up to Sellers to carry this squad, and his dual-threat ability will certainly have him in the Heisman race.

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