Is This the Week Arch Manning Finally Arrives?
The question hanging over Austin for two years has been whether Arch Manning can win the big one. After two seasons with losses to Ohio State, the pressure is immense. In Week 1, Manning and the Texas Longhorns did exactly what was expected, dismantling
Texas State 59-7. Manning was superb, throwing for 305 yards and four touchdowns. But this was a tune-up. Now comes the real test: a Week 2 primetime showdown against No. 1 Ohio State. The Buckeyes handled Texas 14-7 last year in Ohio, a game where Manning struggled. Now, with a year of improvement and an offense loaded with weapons, this is his chance for revenge and to prove he can lead Texas to a championship. A win solidifies him as a Heisman frontrunner; another loss to a top rival and the whispers about his big-game performance will become shouts.
Is Michigan Already on Upset Alert?
Michigan entered the season as a top-20 team with a new coach in Kyle Whittingham, tasked with stabilizing a program rocked by scandal. The question was whether the talent on the field could overcome the off-field drama. After Week 1, that question is much, much bigger. The Wolverines needed a controversial replay that put one second back on the clock and a subsequent Hail Mary to escape with a 13-12 victory over Western Michigan. It was a stunningly poor performance where they were outplayed for long stretches. Now, No. 9 Oklahoma comes to Ann Arbor for a huge Week 2 matchup. The Sooners, who crushed UTEP 51-0, will have watched that game film and will be confident they can expose a Michigan team that looked entirely vulnerable. What was supposed to be a tough non-conference test now looks like a potential season-defining disaster waiting to happen for the Wolverines.
Can Anyone Actually Challenge the Top Tier?
Every season starts with a handful of teams seen as the undisputed title contenders. Week 1 was supposed to test that. Instead, it mostly confirmed it. No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 11 LSU all won in blowouts, looking every bit the part of a champion. Ohio State and Georgia put up a combined 119 points. LSU demolished Clemson 51-10 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. Meanwhile, other hopefuls either struggled or got a harsh reality check. No. 2 Oregon survived a scare from Boise State, winning 34-27 but showing enough weakness to raise doubts. And Clemson, a perennial power, looked completely outmatched. The gap between the absolute elite and the next tier already looks massive. Week 2 offers a few chances to challenge this—most notably Texas vs. Ohio State—but after the opening salvos, the championship race might already be a very exclusive club.
Who Is This Year's Heisman Surprise?
While familiar names like Arch Manning and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin dominate Heisman talk, Week 1 opened the door for some unexpected contenders. The biggest splash came from Miami quarterback Darian Mensah, who threw for 401 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-6 rout of Stanford. That performance immediately launched him to the top of many Heisman odds boards. His top receiver, Malachi Toney, had a monster game himself with 234 receiving yards and three scores, putting a pass-catcher squarely in the conversation. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith also made his case with 151 yards and two touchdowns. The Heisman is often won in September with big performances in marquee games. While the quarterbacks of Texas and Ohio State will have the brightest spotlight in Week 2, a new class of contenders has already announced its presence.
