Arch Manning Heisman Hype Was Completely 'Unwarranted,' Says ESPN Analyst
Desmond Howard calls preseason hype 'unwarranted' after Manning's struggles in Texas loss to Ohio State
Arch Manning did not have the best start to the 2025 regular season, after becoming the preseason betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy.
Manning went just 17-of-30 for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Texas Longhorns' 14-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. Though that undersells a bit how much Manning struggled in the first half of the game. For most viewers, it was obvious, as he sailed throws and made poor decisions, that he was nowhere near a Heisman favorite.
One of those viewers was ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard, a former Heisman winner himself. Here’s the funny part: the preseason hype around Manning as the Heisman front-runner was mostly created by … ESPN.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning walks off the field after the game against the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes on August 30, 2025, at Ohio Stadium. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ESPN Analyst Confused Where The Arch Manning Hype Came From
Howard, on Thursday's episode of "The Rich Eisen Show", said, "All of the hype and Heisman talk around him was unwarranted."
"He doesn’t deserve having his name in the same breath as that trophy."
Well, who started all that unwarranted talk, if not ESPN itself? Especially because ESPN’s relationship with the SEC often leads to some—shall we say—aggressive promotion of SEC players and teams? To be fair, it’s not just ESPN—most major media tend to push storylines and narratives. For example: Texas as the preseason No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.
Howard also claimed there’s a desire to stay in the good graces of the Manning family, as if Peyton and Eli would blackball anyone who said Arch needs to show development as a starter before being considered the Heisman front-runner.
"People don’t want to really criticize him, partially because he is a Manning," he added. "They want to stay in good favor with the Mannings, as they are a big name in our sport. So, what they do is make it seem like Matt Patricia, the defensive coordinator for Ohio State, just called this brilliant game that kept Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning off balance for four whole quarters."
Well, Patricia did call a great game, and Sarkisian and Manning were off balance. Texas was also a bit unlucky, outgaining the Buckeyes and ending a drive at the Ohio State 1-yard line. But none of that changes the fact that ESPN prominently helped hype Manning—and now is acting surprised by the hype.
And who knows—he may recover this season and win the Heisman anyway, because Heisman voters are too scared of retired NFL players.