The 2025 Heisman Trophy Race officially begins this weekend. This is who we’re eyeing as legit contenders as Week 0 of college football is quickly approaching.
As the 2025 college football season approaches, the Heisman Trophy discussion is heating up, and early favorites have already emerged, most prominently Texas quarterback Arch Manning. Despite modest game experience, the storied family pedigree and his polished recruiting hype have propelled his odds into the +600 range in early futures markets, which peg him with an implied win probability of around 14%
2025 Heisman Trophy Watch
5. Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame RB)
Notre Dame’s running back, Jeremiyah Love, figures prominently as a legitimate dark horse for the Heisman Trophy in 2025. Love topped our ranking of the Top-10 RBs in college football in 2025. He was the only FBS player to score a rushing touchdown in every game of the season in 2024 and posted 15 rushing TDs in the fall. While backfield splits may exist, his scoring consistency and offensive role elevate his Heisman value, a unique asset among ball carriers.
Jeremiyah Love’s footwork is unreal.
When re-watching his signature run against Penn State in the CFP, it’s easy to forget Love was injured.
Now that he’s not…look out. pic.twitter.com/m7HXFTAPF7
— Tom Zwiller (@TomZwiller) August 1, 2025
4. Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State WR)
Ohio State’s breakout receiver Jeremiah Smith has emerged as a standout non-QB candidate for the Heisman. Just like Love, Smith topped one of our preseason top-10 position ranking lists as he is ranked as our top WR heading into the 2025 campaign. After a national championship-winning freshman campaign, he posted record-setting numbers for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and consensus All-American honors. Smith’s value among non-QB candidates is unmatched, and he’s among the shortest odds (<12/1) in the market for this category. He will be a human highlight reel all season long.
I’ve never seen anything like this for a college football player.
Jeremiah Smith’s stardom has reached insane levels.
There are thousands of people at Polaris to get a picture.
Heard someone say “kids 19 years old and he’s my hero” pic.twitter.com/RWF07JpfDy
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) August 17, 2025
3. Cade Klubnik (Clemson QB)
A high-profile QB entrant is Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, whose late-season explosion and accuracy have boosted him to third in many early boards at times. He returns with the most impressive stats from the 2024 season. Klubnik also ranked No. 1 in our Top 1- College Football QBs list. At +900, the Klubnik is poised to lead Clemson to another ACC title, College Football Playoff birth, and he may just grab the Heisman Trophy on his way to doing both.
Was asked recently why I’m so high on Cade Klubnik.
He was phenomenal throughout 2024, but this playoff game against Texas was the icing on the cake.
Carved up the best secondary in America on the road in the biggest game of the season.
QB1.pic.twitter.com/YgmlrboFFg
— Max Chadwick (@CFBMaxChadwick) August 13, 2025
2. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU QB)
LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier has swiftly risen in Heisman discussions. After throwing for over 4,000 yards in 2024, his odds have tightened near Arch Manning’s in early markets. As a proven dual-threat quarterback in a high-powered offense, he’s firmly on the radar as a top challenger. If Nussmeier can deliver the Tigers back to the top of the vaunted SEC and into college football national championship contention, Nussmeier could very well be a 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist come December.
Helluva catch…but how about that ball placement from 13.
Garrett Nussmeier and all these weapons in the outside should make for some exciting #LSU Football👀 pic.twitter.com/0PoJh246MT
— Tingle & Co (@Tingle__Co) August 17, 2025
1. Arch Manning (Texas QB)
Well, there is no doubt that there is plenty of pressure on Arch Manning as he takes over the reins of the Texas Longhorns football program. Manning stands as the betting favorite for a reason. His gradual development under coach Steve Sarkisian and his celebrated football lineage make him a landscape-shifting figure. Former NFL MVP Cam Newton recently praised Manning’s cautious path, highlighting how growing under the watchful eye of the Manning family and coaching staff may prove the perfect foundation for long-term success. He has big shoes to fill as Texas has now reentered the conversation of perennial national championship contender, but many feel Manning could exceed those expectations in 2025.
1️⃣6️⃣ Days@ArchManning x @MichaelTaaffe4 pic.twitter.com/edrB6TKwoF
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) August 14, 2025
Why These Contenders Matter in 2025
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Quarterback Dominance: Historically, QBs dominate the Heisman. Arch, Nussmeier, and Klubnik represent the most traditional high-ceiling prospects.
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Extraordinary Non-QBs: Jeremiah Smith and Jeremiyah Love inject positional diversity into the race. Smith is particularly interesting as a receiver with Heisman-level production, while Love provides ground-game scoring heft.
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Narrative Weight: Manning’s name recognition, Nussmeier’s offensive ceiling, and Smith’s fresh new-star narrative each give these prospects a built-in media and voter pull.
As the season unfolds, the Heisman spotlight will shift based on performance and narrative moments. If you’re tracking the race before Week 0 kicks off on August 23, this quintet offers both structure and star power. Whether picking based on legitimate title prospects, explosive production, or positional novelty, there’s a compelling case to be made with each.
