"Heisman: just a popularity contest": "Disband the award": CFB fans enraged as Week 4 Heisman Poll doesn't include Arch Manning, Nico Iamaleava & more

Following another weekend of college football action, On3 has released its Heisman Trophy poll with top names like Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava missing. The poll consists of the Top 10 player ranking voted by the outlet’s top analysts.

The poll was dominated by quarterbacks, with eight of the 10 players ranked being signal callers, including Florida State’s Tommy Castellanos at No. 2.

Meanwhile, different reactions from fans have trailed the poll, especially on social media platforms like X.

Blockxs wrote:

“Heisman: just a popularity contest.”

11 Verts also wrote:

“Disband the award.”

Nick Perkins commented:

“I’m pretty sure a Vanderbilt QB on a Heisman list in week 4 is listed somewhere in Revelations as a sign of the apocalypse.”

WildasaMink also commented:

“You guys both watched Joey Aguilar and Gunnar Stockton on Saturday, didn’t you?”

Pardon My Yak wrote:

“Gunnar Stockton has the 3rd best odds right now and didn’t even make your top 10.”

Obnoxious Georgia Fan commented:

“Joey and Gunnar put on an absolute show Saturday. Both proved the naysayers wrong, and both belong on this list.”

Texas’ Arch Manning was the leading candidate in many Heisman projections in the offseason. However, a dismal performance in Week 1 against the Ohio State Buckeyes saw his ratings dip. A resurgence against SJSU in Week 2 saw him throw for 295 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. He also added 23 rushing yards and a score on four carries as the Longhorns won 38-7.

More concerns as Arch Manning struggles again in Week 3

Worries about the Arch Manning living up to the hype surrounding him resurfaced again last weekend in Texas’ win over UTEP. He completed 11 of 25 pass attempts for 114 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

Although he was unstoppable on the ground with 51 rushing yards and two touchdowns in nine carries, his lack of consistency is concerning. It is clear there needs to be an improvement, a fact Manning himself agrees with. He said following the game:

“I’ve got to play better. A lot of quarterbacks - a lot of players - want to be great. I know I’m better than this.”

Before his next big test against Florida, Arch Manning has another chance to steady his form against Sam Houston on Saturday. October will see the Longhorns frequently on the road, with trips to Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi State.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Kayode Akinwumi