Quinn Ewers returning to Texas, is co-leader on 2024 Heisman Trophy odds; Longhorns favored in non-conference showdown at champion Michigan

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers announced he will return to Austin next season despite being a potential 2024 first-round NFL draft pick, a huge development for the program – although it also means mega-touted recruit Arch Manning will sit for a second straight year unless he transfers. Ewers is a +750 co-favorite at FanDuel to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy with Georgia's Carson Beck, another QB who opted to spurn the NFL. Texas also got a slight bump to its national title odds at DraftKings, now +750 behind Georgia (+350) and Ohio State (+650).

Ewers spearheaded Texas' run to its final Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals, in which the Longhorns lost to Washington. He finished with 3,479 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and six picks. He also rushed 59 times, gaining 75 yards and scored five times. Ewers missed two midseason games due to injury, with Maalik Murphy (rather than Manning) starting those games against BYU and Kansas State. Murphy has transferred out. Manning has said he would not be leaving in the past, but would he really want to waste two full NCAA seasons?

The CBS Sports Big Board for the 2024 NFL Draft ranked Ewers as the No. 30 overall prospect, the seventh-best QB behind Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., JJ McCarthy and Shedeur Sanders. Those first four are going pro, while McCarthy hasn't decided (he seems likely to leave). Sanders is expected back at Colorado. Thus, Ewers could be among the top NFL QB prospects in next year's draft if he has a big season.

I'm not saying that Ewers returning will make it more likely that Texasd coach Steve Sarkisian will turn down offers from Alabama – and he's definitely among the favorites now that Dan Lanning has said he's staying at Oregon – but it can't hurt. Texas will probably be the second- or third-favorite to win the SEC behind Georgia for sure and potentially Alabama, depending on how many players the Crimson Tide lose to the transfer portal and who they hire as coach.

FanDuel is the first book I've found to release some 2024 NCAA Game of the Year odds and Texas is a 1-point favorite at defending national champion Michigan on Sept. 7. Both teams have a warm-up game the week prior, with the Longhorns hosting Colorado State on Aug. 31 and the Wolverines with a bit of a tricky home game the same day against Fresno State.

Michigan is losing a ton of talent off its title team, largely for eligibility reasons, and took another hit today when star linebacker Junior Colson told ESPN he's leaving school early for the NFL Draft. He finished with a team-leading 95 tackles this season, 30 more than the next closest player. Michigan is still waiting on whether coach Jim Harbaugh will return, but the odds favor him leaving for the NFL.

No other Texas 2024 game odds have been released yet. That trip to Ann Arbor is the only time Texas leaves the Lone Star State until it visits Vanderbilt on Oct. 26. The week before, Texas hosts Georgia.

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