Heisman Trophy 2026: The 10 Contenders to Watch This Season
Updated: Oct 31
The dust has barely settled on Fernando Mendoza's Heisman Trophy triumph, and the race to succeed him is already underway. The Indiana quarterback, who won the 2025 award in a landslide with 643 first-place votes to Diego Pavia's 189 before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Raiders, leaves behind a vacant trophy and what promises to be a wide-open 2026 college football season. Three of last year's four finalists have moved on to the professional ranks, clearing the way for a new generation of stars.
Here is a look at the ten most credible contenders, based on odds from major sportsbooks including FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM as of spring 2026.
1. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
A surprise favorite among oddsmakers, the young Fighting Irish signal caller has emerged as the early frontrunner, typically listed around +750. In his first season as a starter, Carr was remarkably efficient, throwing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while completing 66.7 percent of his passes and posting a 168.1 passer rating, fifth best in the nation. Add three rushing touchdowns, and he accounted for 27 total scores.
The challenge for Carr is visibility. His breakout season largely flew under the radar due to a lack of high profile games down the stretch. That remains his biggest obstacle in 2026, as Notre Dame's schedule features relatively few marquee matchups. A road trip to BYU and a November 7 showdown with Miami may be his best opportunities to leave a lasting impression on Heisman voters.
2. Arch Manning, QB, Texas
The name alone is enough to dominate headlines. The grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning entered 2025 as the preseason Heisman favorite before experiencing an uneven start, throwing five interceptions in his first five games as Texas stumbled to a 3-2 record.
Then everything clicked.
Over the final six regular season games, Manning threw 12 touchdowns against just two interceptions and capped the year with a dazzling Citrus Bowl performance, accounting for four touchdowns against Michigan. He finished the season with 3,163 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions, plus 399 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns while leading Texas to a 10-3 record.
Listed around +750 to +800, Manning remains one of the most obvious contenders. Texas opens the season against Ohio State, and that matchup will provide an immediate measuring stick. Another early stumble could derail his campaign just as it did a year ago.
3. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
Chambliss may have the most remarkable story of any player on this list.
The former Ferris State quarterback arrived from Division II, where he won two national championships, and was not even the Rebels' starter entering the season. Everything changed in Week 3 after an injury to Austin Simmons. Chambliss took over and never gave the job back.
The results were spectacular. He threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only three interceptions while adding 527 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, finishing with 4,464 total yards of offense. He was named SEC Newcomer of the Year and won the Conerly Trophy while leading Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff semifinals before falling to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
A court ruling in February granted him a sixth season of eligibility, making him one of the most intriguing players in college football. With odds ranging from +900 to +1075, he has become one of the most attractive breakout candidates on the board.
4. Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
No returning player enters 2026 with a stronger Heisman résumé than Sayin.
The Ohio State quarterback finished fourth in the 2025 voting and received eight first place votes, making him the only returning finalist from last year's race.
His season was historic. Sayin completed a nation leading 77.0 percent of his passes, narrowly missing Bo Nix's FBS record, while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He guided Ohio State to a perfect 12-0 regular season record before a Cotton Bowl loss to Miami ended the dream.
With odds between +1000 and +1175, Sayin will have every opportunity to strengthen his candidacy. A road win at Texas in Week 2, followed by a potential undefeated showdown at Indiana, could elevate him from contender to favorite.
5. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Few decisions shocked the college football world more than Moore's choice to return.
Projected by many as a potential top two NFL Draft pick with nearly $50 million in guaranteed money potentially at stake, Moore elected to come back for one final season in Eugene.
His 2025 numbers speak for themselves: 3,565 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, a 71.8 percent completion rate that ranked fourth nationally, and two rushing touchdowns. He was named Orange Bowl Offensive MVP and led Oregon to the College Football Playoff semifinals before the Ducks were overwhelmed by Indiana.
There are two concerns. Moore threw 10 interceptions, a somewhat high total for an elite quarterback, and he must adjust to a new offensive coordinator after Will Stein departed for Kentucky.
Even so, Oregon remains loaded with talent. With odds ranging from +1100 to +1200, Moore enters 2026 as one of the strongest Heisman candidates in the country.
6. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
Do not be fooled by the jersey. Mensah was not at Miami in 2025. He was at Duke, where he emerged as one of the most coveted transfer portal quarterbacks in the country.
The numbers explain why. Mensah threw for 3,973 yards, 34 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, leading the ACC in both passing yards and passing touchdowns while ranking second nationally.
He did not arrive in Coral Gables alone. Mensah convinced former Duke receiver Cooper Barkate, who recorded 72 catches for 1,106 yards, to follow him to Miami. Paired with superstar receiver Malachi Toney, he now inherits arguably the most talented supporting cast of any transfer quarterback in college football.
With odds between +1025 and +1100, Mensah has all the tools to become a serious contender. The challenge will be proving that Miami's recent success represents the beginning of a sustained championship run rather than a one year surge.
7. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
The lone non quarterback in the top ten, Smith stands out in a field dominated by signal callers.
His sophomore season was spectacular. In just 13 games, Smith caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns, finishing among the national leaders in both categories. He earned unanimous All America honors, was named Big Ten Receiver of the Year, and became a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
He also finished sixth in the 2025 Heisman voting. Listed around +1200 to +1300, Smith faces the same obstacle every elite receiver faces: history. Heisman voters overwhelmingly favor quarterbacks.
Still, recent winners such as Travis Hunter in 2024 and DeVonta Smith in 2020 proved that truly exceptional players can overcome that bias. If Smith delivers another dominant season while Ohio State remains in the national title hunt, he could become the next receiver to challenge the quarterback monopoly.
8. Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana
Replacing a Heisman Trophy winner is never easy, but Hoover appears well equipped for the challenge.
The former TCU quarterback arrives in Bloomington after breaking the school record with 3,949 passing yards in 2024 and following it up with 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2025.
Now he takes over an Indiana program coming off the greatest season in school history under head coach Curt Cignetti.
With odds between +1200 and +1425, Hoover benefits from a proven offensive system and a roster accustomed to winning. The concern lies in his tendency to turn the ball over. He threw 13 interceptions last season and has 33 interceptions across 31 career starts.
If Cignetti can clean up those mistakes, Hoover has the talent and platform to replicate much of what Fernando Mendoza accomplished.
9. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
Stockton may not be a household name nationally, but he is hardly an unknown in SEC circles.
The Georgia quarterback completed his first full season as a starter by finishing seventh in the 2025 Heisman voting. He threw for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just five interceptions while completing 69.7 percent of his passes. He also added 462 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, the highest rushing touchdown total among SEC quarterbacks.
Playing for Georgia provides two key ingredients for a Heisman campaign: visibility and high stakes games.
With odds ranging from +1600 to +1800, Stockton will need to offset the loss of star receiver Zachariah Branch and become more explosive vertically. If he can do that while keeping Georgia among the national elite, he could climb rapidly up the Heisman ladder.
10. Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU
Leavitt followed head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU, a move that places him in one of the most demanding environments in college football.
His odds, ranging from +1875 to +2000, reflect both his upside and the uncertainty surrounding him. His 2025 season at Arizona State was cut short after seven games because of a foot injury. What continues to excite evaluators is his 2024 campaign, when he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff appearance while throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Across two seasons in Tempe, Leavitt accumulated 4,513 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, 749 rushing yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns.
If he can stay healthy and thrive in the weekly gauntlet that is the SEC, he has the talent to significantly outperform his preseason odds.
Dark Horses Who Could Shake Up the Race
No Heisman race is ever limited to the preseason favorites, and 2026 will be no exception. Several players further down the board possess the talent to force their way into the conversation by December.
Perhaps the most intriguing is Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell. The former five star recruit embodies pure upside, but his odds reflect uncertainty. With Ty Simpson off to the NFL, the Crimson Tide still has a quarterback battle to settle, and there is no guarantee Russell wins the job.
If talent wins out and Alabama returns to championship form, his rise could be meteoric.
At South Carolina, LaNorris Sellers is attempting to revive a Heisman campaign that completely unraveled. After entering 2025 as a popular dark horse thanks to a 2024 season that featured 2,527 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, and more than 600 rushing yards, Sellers struggled through a disappointing year in which the Gamecocks never found consistency.
His dual threat skill set remains ideal for the Heisman conversation. However, he enters yet another season with a new offensive coordinator, this time Kendall Briles and his Air Raid system, creating additional uncertainty.
Marcel Reed at Texas A&M deserves mention as well. Many have forgotten that he remained firmly in the Heisman race through Week 13 of the 2025 season while the Aggies were undefeated. A rivalry loss to Texas and an early playoff exit quickly erased his name from the headlines.
That forgotten status may make him one of the most attractive value picks on the board.
Then there is Miami receiver Malachi Toney, who exploded onto the scene as a freshman with 109 receptions, 1,211 yards, and 11 touchdowns, leading the nation in catches at just 17 years old. History remains against him. Only two freshmen have ever won the Heisman, and non quarterbacks continue to be the exception rather than the rule.
The Games That Will Shape the Race
What makes the 2026 season particularly fascinating is the number of head to head matchups between legitimate Heisman contenders. Several of the favorites will face one another directly, turning certain weekends into unofficial Heisman referendums.
The most anticipated showdown is the season opener between Texas and Ohio State.
For Arch Manning, it represents an immediate test against an elite defense, the type of stage where he stumbled early in 2025. For Julian Sayin, it is a chance to make a statement on the road in one of the biggest games of the year.
A Buckeyes victory could set up an eventual undefeated showdown at Indiana between the last two national champions, exactly the kind of high profile matchup that often defines a Heisman campaign.
CJ Carr faces a different challenge. Notre Dame's schedule lacks many marquee games, making every major opportunity crucial. His trip to BYU may actually be more important than the November rivalry game against Miami. A dominant performance in a hostile environment could firmly place him in the national conversation.
The reality is the same for every contender. In a race where perception matters nearly as much as production, performances in nationally televised games carry far greater weight than statistics accumulated against overmatched opponents.
Heisman finalists are often built in November under the brightest lights, not in September against lesser competition.
What the Trends Tell Us
Several clear patterns emerge when looking at the 2026 race.
First, the quarterback remains king. Only one of the last five Heisman winners played a position other than quarterback, and the overwhelming majority of the current favorites are signal callers.
Second, transferring has become the norm. Each of the last four Heisman winners changed schools at some point during their college careers, a trend perfectly represented by players such as Chambliss, Hoover, Mensah, and Leavitt.
Another notable factor is experience. Three players from the 2025 top seven return this season: Sayin, who finished fourth; Smith, who finished sixth; and Stockton, who finished seventh. That previous exposure could prove valuable in a race where familiarity often influences perception.
Finally, history advises caution when evaluating preseason favorites. Mendoza himself was not considered the clear frontrunner before launching one of the most memorable Heisman campaigns in recent years.
The next name engraved on college football's most prestigious trophy may once again belong to a player few are talking about today.
