Overview

• Texas enters the season ranked No. 1 and opens Saturday at No. 2 Ohio State, putting early focus on Manning’s first start of 2025.
• Sportsbooks list Manning as the Heisman favorite at +650 on DraftKings, and BetMGM reports he accounts for about 20.6% of the market handle.
• Manning has only two career starts and roughly 95 pass attempts across two seasons, underscoring questions about his readiness.
• ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers said the hype "doesn’t match the tape" and predicted struggles at Ohio State, citing issues getting the ball out under pressure and against blitzes.
• Coach Steve Sarkisian said he is not asking for "superhuman" play, while Manning told reporters, "This is what I’ve been waiting for."