What a week of College Football it was! Oregon won at Happy Valley in the White Out over Penn State in 2 OT a night after Virginia did the same to Florida State, while Alabama survived a low-scoring second half to beat Georgia, and Ole Miss remained undefeated.
With all of the movement, I have a new top five and a new name at four of the five spots in the Week 6 Heisman Poll! Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the College Football schedule!
Vaughn Dalzell’s Heisman Trophy Week 6 Poll
Last Game: 248 passing yards on 29/39, 3 TDs at Penn State (30-24 2 OT win)
Season Stats: 1,210 passing yards, 74.6 comp %, 14 TDs, 1 INT
I was at the White Out in Happy Valley and after a 3-3 slow start to the game, the second half delivered an insane classic between Oregon and Penn State.
Dante Moore was incredible. Moore tossed 248 yards on 29 of 39 for three touchdowns and rallied to 14-point lead holding strong in OT when Penn State roared back and the crowd was a major factor. A road win at Penn State propelled him to the top spot and I even locked him in at +1100 odds to win the Heisman during the game.
Out of the bye week, Oregon plays Indiana, then Rutgers, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, USC, and Washington to finish the regular season, so I really like the chances the Ducks finish undefeated.
Last Game: Bye Week
Season Stats: 972 passing yards, 73.2 comp %, 8 total TDs, 3 INTs
Carson Beck and the Hurricanes were on the bye week and might need it against an irritated Florida State team off a 2 OT loss at Virginia.
Miami is in the drivers seat for the ACC and a win here would be the final straw needed for a playoff resume. This is the final ranked opponent on the schedule as of now for the Hurricanes three road games.
On Nov. 1, still a month away, Miami will leave the state for the first time when they go to SMU (Texas). Miami has yet to leave Florida and two road games to end the year at Virginia Tech and Pitt will be the only other times the Hurricanes leave the Sunshine State.
Last Game: 8 receptions, 81 yards, 19.0 ypc, 1 TD vs Ohio (24-6 win)
Season Stats: 28 receptions, 396 yards, 14.1 ypc, 5 total TDs
Jeremiah Smith was 19 yards shy of recording his third consecutive 100-yard game, but he did score a touchdown for a third-straight outing and five scores overall.
Smith is on a heater and the Buckeyes being No. 1 overall and undefeated forges him into a certified contender. Smith ranks 18th in yards (396), tied-10th in receptions per game (7.0), and is one of 30 players to have four receiving touchdowns.
Last Game: 276 passing yards on 24/38, 3 total TDs vs #5 Georgia (24-21 win)
Season Stats: 1,138 passing yards, 69.3 completion %, 13 total TDs, 0 INTs
Ty Simpson has 13 total touchdowns (11 pass, 2 rush) to zero interceptions on the season and has only taken four sacks. With 225-plus passing yards in every game and four-straight positive finishes in the rushing department, Simpson is as consistent as a first-year starting quarterback can be.
Coming off a 24-21 win over Georgia, Simpson was involved in all three of Alabama’s touchdowns, but the Tide did go scoreless in the second half.
Alabama hosts Vanderbilt in one of two ranked matchups this weekend, homecoming for Bama, and a revenge spot for a 40-35 loss last year.
Last Game: 314 passing yards on 23/39, 71 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT vs LSU (24-19 win)
Season Stats: 1,033 passing yards, 266 rushing yards, 7 total TDs, 1 INT
Trinidad Chambliss recorded his third-straight game of 300-plus passing yards and 60-plus rushing yards as Ole Miss is 3-0 in his three starts.
Chambliss has shined with seven total touchdowns (5 pass, 2 rush), a 64.2 completion percentage, 43 total carries, 974 passing yards, and 245 rushing yards with two sacks taken in those three starts. Chambliss has been one of the biggest surprises of the season with Austin Simmons sidelined.
Honorable Mentions
Last Game: 233 passing yards on 13/23, 2 TDs, 1 INT vs Iowa (20-15 win)
Season Stats: 1,208 passing yards, 73.0 comp %, 18 total TDs, 1 INTs
Fernando Mendoza moved from +950 to +1200, so clearly the temperature on his Heisman campaign is beginning to cool off after a 20-15 win at Iowa.
Luckily for Mendoza and the Hoosiers, they have a road date with No. 2 Oregon following the bye week. If Indiana pulls off the upset win, then Mendoza will be the new favorite for the Heisman for the second time in three weeks. If Indiana loses, the percentage of winning this award is basically zero.
Last Game: 207 passing yards on 15/22, 0 TD, 1 INT vs Auburn (16-10 win)
Season Stats: 1,076 total yards, 60.3 comp %, 10 total TDs, 2 INT
Marcel Reed had an uninspiring effort against Auburn with no touchdowns and one interception in a 16-10 home win. Texas A&M remains undefeated and atop of the SEC, but Reed’s odds dropped from +1400 to +2200.
The Aggies have two consecutive home games versus Mississippi State and Florida before three-straight road contests at Arkansas, LSU, and Missouri.
Last Game: 320 total yards on 18/21, 5 total TDs vs Sam Houston (55-0 win)
Season Stats: 888 total yards, 61.3 comp %, 14 total TDs, 3 INTs
Arch Manning is coming off a bye week and 55-0 shutout over Sam Houston prior to that. Texas begins a rough October as the Longhorns have zero home games over the next four weeks and have three true road games and one neural field contest.
Manning’s stock could rise in The Swamp as the Gators have fallen apart with three consecutive losses, but a loss to Florida would be devastating for his Heisman campaign.
Last Game: 57 rushing yards, 70 receiving yards, 4 total TDs vs Arkansas (56-13 win)
Season Stats: 341 rushing yards, 149 receiving yards, 8 total TDs, 79 total touches
Over the last two games, Notre Dame is 2-0 with 112 points scored and Jeremiyah Love scored six touchdowns in that span. Against Arkansas, Love had a career-high four total touchdowns, two on the ground and two through the air, en route to his third consecutive 100-plus total yard game.
Last Game: 321 passing yards on 26/34, 86 rushing yards, 6 total TDs, 1 INT
Season Stats: 1,211 passing yards, 294 rushing yards, 15 total TDs, 2 INT
Diego Pavia is coming off a monster six touchdown performance to go along with 400 total yards of offense in a 55-35 win over Utah State.
Pavia, a New Mexico State transfer is an unlikely candidate to win the Heisman, but if he can beat Alabama for a second straight season (308 total yards, 2 TDs in 40-35 win), Pavia’s Heisman case becomes a lot more legit!
Stock Up:
Last Game: 248 passing yards on 29/39, 3 TDs at Penn State (30-24 2 OT win)
Season Stats: 1,210 passing yards, 74.6 comp %, 14 TDs, 1 INT
Following a three-touchdown performance and win at Happy Valley during a White Out, the Oregon Ducks are my No. 1 team and Dante Moore is my Heisman favorite. The remaining schedule is a dream for as Oregon’s weathered its toughest test already.
Last Game: 276 passing yards on 24/38, 3 total TDs vs #5 Georgia (24-21 win)
Season Stats: 1,138 passing yards, 69.3 completion %, 13 total TDs, 0 INTs
A win over Georgia will move you into the top five of the Heisman race. While a first-year quarterback and a junior in class, Simpson has been apart of this Alabama team four years (2022-25). His decision-making and play style is reminiscent of all the info he soaked in from Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer in his time with the Tide.
Last Game: 314 passing yards on 23/39, 71 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT vs LSU (24-19 win)
Season Stats: 1,033 passing yards, 266 rushing yards, 7 total TDs, 1 INT
With 300-plus passing yards, 60-plus rushing yards, and a win in each of his first three starts, Trinidad Chamberliss has Ole Miss riding high and a viable threat to win the SEC following last weekend’s outcomes and upsets.
Stock Down:
Last Game: 300 total yards, 24/36 passing, 2 total TDs (24-17 win vs Auburn)
Season Stats: 1,215 passing yards, 190 rushing yards, 67.4 comp %, 11 total TDs, 3 INTs
John Mateer will miss the next three to four weeks with a hand injury that required surgery. Mateer will miss games versus Kent State, Texas, and likely South Carolina as a minimum following the surgery.
Last Game: 254 passing yards on 18/32, 2 total TDs, 2 INTs at Virginia (46-38n 2 OT loss)
Season Stats: 848 passing yards, 217 rushing yards, 64.3 comp %, 8 Total TDs, 3 INTs
Tommy Castellanos and Florida State took a hard 2 OT loss at Virginia on Friday night that kind of turned a lot of folks off from the Seminoles and their playoff push and moved his Heisman odds from +2500 to +8000.
What was expected to be a top 10 matchup and possibly top 5 between Miami and Florida State on Saturday, is now a less anticipated top 25 matchup as FSU holds one loss.
Last Game: 342 total yards on 26/34, 3 total TDs vs Tennessee (44-41 OT win)
Season Stats: 845 total yards, 70.8 comp %, 7 total TDs, 0 INTs
Gunner Stockton went from +1500 to +2800 following the three-point loss to Alabama. It was clear either first-year quarterback, Stockton or Ty Simpson would make the jump to top five in odds following a win in that rivalry — Stockton just happened to be the losing quarterback.
Last Game: 273 passing yards on 25/31, 3 TDs vs SE Louisiana (56-10 win)
Season Stats: 962 passing yards, 68.6 comp %, 6 TDs, 2 INTs
LSU’s offense mustered 19 points and their first loss of the season at Ole Miss. Garrett Nussmeier‘s odds dropped from +1600 to +3000 and is back closer to +4000 at other books. Nussmeier had his lowest passing yardage output of the season (197) and threw his second interception — both coming on the road.
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