Marcel Reed's Heisman buzz dipped in Austin, but the Mannings noticed. The Aggies' quarterback is now a Manning Award finalist and still very much a national problem.
Marcel Reed's Heisman campaign might've taken a shot in Austin, but the Mannings clearly aren't holding one bad night against him.
Texas A&M's sophomore star was named a finalist for the Manning Award, the Sugar Bowl Committee's honor given to the quarterback they believe is the best in college football.
That’s not a "nice season" pat on the head.
That's Archie, Peyton and Eli's name on the line ... and Marcel Reed just got invited into that circle.
The timing is wild.
Reed is only a week removed from a frustrating showing in the loss to Texas, where he threw two late interceptions and failed to score through the air or on the ground for just the second time all year.
But zoom out from one rivalry game and the numbers scream why he's on that list.
Through the 2025 season, Reed has completed 209 of 338 passes (61.8 percent) for 2,932 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while adding 466 rushing yards and six scores on 89 carries.
It's the first full season of steady quarterback play the Aggies have had since Kellen Mond in 2020, and Reed has done it in a playoff hunt, not a rebuild.
More importantly, he's been that dude in the biggest moments.
The Nashville native led A&M to a massive road upset at Notre Dame, then authored one of the most ridiculous comebacks in program history ... erasing a 30-3 halftime deficit against South Carolina in a 31-30 win where he threw for a career-high 439 yards.
When the Aggies needed a grown-up at quarterback, Reed consistently punched up.
The Manning Award finalist list is a who's who.
Reed is joined by CJ Carr (Notre Dame), Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Drew Mestemaker (North Texas), Dante Moore (Oregon), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Gunner Stockton (Georgia). That’s playoff-caliber company.
The award, first handed to Matt Leinart in 2004, has passed through the hands of JaMarcus Russell, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels and last year's winner Cam Ward.
LSU leads with three winners, and Texas A&M's lone Manning Award came via Johnny Manziel in 2012.
If Reed finishes the job and takes home the trophy, he'd be the second Aggie quarterback to do it — and potentially the first to pair a Manning Award with a shot at a national championship in the College Football Playoff.
The Heisman narrative may have wobbled in Austin, but if you're on the Mannings' short list in 2025, you're still very much a problem for the rest of college football.