BATON ROUGE — As soon as LSU football quarterback Garrett Nussmeier announced last December that he was returning for his senior campaign in 2025, he was considered an early Heisman Trophy contender for this season.
In his first year starting for the Tigers, Nussmeier had a strong junior campaign, throwing for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while helping lead LSU to nine wins, including a victory over Baylor in the Texas Bowl to punctuate 2024.
With the additions Brian Kelly and the LSU coaching staff have made to the team via the transfer portal, LSU is expected to compete for a College Football Playoff spot and Nussmeier figures to put up better stats to possibly lead the Tigers to the CFP.
Expectation outside of Baton Rouge this year is for Nussmeier to play well and be in the mix for college football’s top individual player award. Oddsmakers at most sportsbooks list the LSU signal caller with the second-best odds to take home the Heisman comes seasons end.
Who is Nussmeier competing against for the Heisman? Let’s look at who the oddsmakers think could win it in 2025.
Arch Manning, Texas quarterback
Texas sophomore quarterback Arch Manning certainly has the name power as the nephew of both Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning.
Arch is listed as the Heisman favorite in the preseason, but this will be his first year as the full-time starter for the Longhorns. There is recent precedent for first-time starting quarterbacks winning the award, most recently Bryce Young at Alabama in 2021.
His running ability has stood out for Manning when he got playing time last season behind Quinn Ewers and his multi-faceted game is expected to have him in the running for the Heisman Trophy while captaining Texas, which is the preseason No. 1 team.
Arch Manning stats (2024): 61-of-90, 939 yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs, 25 rushes, 108 yards, 4 TDs
Arch Manning Heisman odds: +600 (odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Cade Klubnik, Clemson quarterback
Clemson appears set to have a big season and senior quarterback Cade Klubnik is a big reason why.
Klubnik almost single-handedly willed Clemson into the 2024 College Football Playoff field at the end of season, leading his team to the ACC Championship over SMU in a wild game that ended with Clemson kicking the go-ahead, 56-yard field goal with seconds left on the clock.
He threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns against SMU. In the first round of the CFP against Texas, Klubnik had a decent performance, throwing for 336 yards and three scores with one interception but the Tigers fell short, 38-24.
Cade Klubnik stats (2024): 308-of-486, 3,639 yards, 36 TDs, 6 INTs; 119 rushes, 463 yards, 7 TDs
Cade Klubnik Heisman odds: +900 (odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State wide receiver
The first non-quarterback on the Heisman Odds is star Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. After a breakout freshman campaign for the national championship winning Buckeyes in 2024, Smith has become one of the more recognizable players in college football.
Smith was one of the cover athletes for EA Sports’ College Football 25 video game and has more than one million followers on social media.
One could argue that Smith had the second-best highlight reel from last season, only behind Heisman Trophy Travis Hunter from Colorado. The Ohio State star looks to one up himself in 2025.
Jeremiah Smith stats (2024): 76 receptions, 1,315 yards, 15 TDs
Jeremiah Smith Heisman odds: +1100 (Fanduel)
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina quarterback
There’s no question that LaNorris Sellers is the best signal caller that Shane Beamer has had during his tenure as the Gamecocks coach. As a freshman, Sellers did things that few freshmen quarterbacks have done in South Carolina history, i.e. beating rival Clemson.
South Carolina, albeit a long shot, was in the conversation of perhaps sneaking into the CFP field last season — because of how Sellers played.
The 6-3, 240 pound sophomore is the truest dual threat quarterback neat the top of the Heisman odds heading into the 2025 season. Will that be a difference maker for him in the Heisman race if he leads the Gamecocks to their first College Football Playoff berth this season?
LaNorris Sellers stats (2024): 196-of-299, 2,534 yards, 18 TDs, 7 INTs; 166 rushes, 674 yards, 7 TDs
LaNorris Sellers Heisman odds: +1600 (odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Drew Allar, Penn State quarterback
Penn State was just a few plays away from making the College Football Playoff championship game last season, fallling to Notre Dame, 27-24, in the semifinals at the Orange Bowl.
Before the playoffs began, Allar announced he was coming back for his senior season with the Nittany Lions. With how close the team was to playing for a NCAA title, many experts had the big, 6-6, 235 signal caller among the top players for the 2025 season.
Allar is a multi-year starter for James Franklin and Penn State and has thrown for more than 6,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career. If PSU can win the Big Ten this season, Allar will surely be one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.
Drew Allar stats (2024): 262-of-394, 3,327 yards, 24 TDs, 8 INTs; 96 rushes, 302 yards, 6 TDs
Drew Allar Heisman odds: +1800 (odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Ty Simpson, Alabama quarterback
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has developed some Heisman Trophy finalist quarterbacks in his short career coaching on the Division I level, most notably former Washington QB Michael Penix, Jr. a couple of seasons ago.
Ty Simpson hasn’t officially won the starting quarterback job for the Crimson Tide, but all signs point toward the junior assuming the reins of DeBoer’s offense in Tuscaloosa. If he does win it, 2025 would be Simpson’s first year as a full-time starter. But many, including the sportsbooks, are expecting a lot from him in Alabama’s system.
It’s been a very limited view of Simpson and what he can do in the time he’s gotten over the last couple of seasons. And the one start he got two years ago at South Florida was an ugly outing. How much Simpson has developed could make him a Heisman contender come season’s end.
Ty Simpson stats (2024): 14-of-25, 167 yards
Ty Simpson Heisman odds: +2000 (odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.