The Texas Longhorns obliterated UTSA in Week 3, winning 56-7 to move to 3-0 on the year and positioning themselves as arguably the top team in the SEC, and the country.
Normally that would provide a boost for the team’s starting quarterback, Quinn Ewers, who last week was our top candidate to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy award. However, Ewers had to leave the game early in the second quarter with a strained abdomen, and as of now it is unclear when he will return for Steve Sarkisian’s team…or if he will get his job back.
After Ewers left the team turned to Arch Manning, who promptly threw for four touchdowns on just nine completions, while also scampering 67 yards for a touchdown on the ground.
The end result is a team flush with quarterback talent and a massive shakeup in our Heisman Trophy power rankings. Ewers is not only no longer the favorite, he does not crack the top ten while we wait and see what his status is going forward. Meanwhile Manning does make the list, with a performance like that incredibly hard to ignore – especially considering his pedigree.
Ewers dropping cleared the way for a new name at the top of the rankings, although with plenty of season still to go this is anyone’s race as conference play begins in earnest around the country.
Here are the top ten candidates for the Heisman Trophy ahead of Week 4 action: