The College Football season is right around the corner and it’s time to start talking Heisman hopefuls. Every week of the season I breakdown the Heisman race with my top five rankings, plus whose stock is up and whose went down. To start the season, let’s go over my top 10 rankings for the 2026 Heisman!
All betting odds are courtesy of DraftKings. It’s worth noting that odds do not impact my order, but are noteworthy. Let’s get started!
2025 Stats: 3,163 pass yds | 36 total TDs | 399 rush yds | 61.4 comp%
Arch Manning had a rough start to his 2025 season after opening the year as the Heisman favorite. Being the favorites didn’t last two weeks into the season. In Manning’s first two starts against P4 opponents, Texas took two losses against Ohio State and Florida. Manning completed 55.9% of his passes (33/59) with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Manning ended the year with a bang. He dominated Michigan in The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl with four total touchdowns in the 41-27 win, including a 60-yard scamper on the ground, the second-longest of his career (67). His expressions and mannerisms suggest he was ready to turn the corner. Texas will have the best offensive line of the Steve Sarkisian era, two new running backs, Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown, and top it off, Texas has a top five receiving corps because of their trio: Ryan Wingo, Emmett Mosley, and Cam Coleman.
Manning is capable of 40 total touchdowns and 4,000 plus yards after 3,562 total yards and 36 touchdowns in his sophomore season. If Texas beats Ohio State in Week 2, Manning will be in the Heisman’s drivers seat for most of, if not all season.
2025 Stats: 87 rec | 1,243 yds | 13 total TDs | 14.3 ypc
Jeremiah Smith was the best receiver in the country last year, but finished second in Fred Bilentnikoff Award voting to Makai Lemon. This season, Smith will battle Miami’s Malachi Toney for the award as the two are frontrunners.
Smith missed one game last season against Rutgers, but put up top 10 numbers across the board. Smith caught 87 passes (7th) for 1,243 yards (4th), and 12 touchdowns (T-6th).
This season, Ohio State goes to Texas and USC, plus hosts Oregon and Michigan as top 25 matchups. Smith will have plenty of chances to showcase his Heisman case this year, but his quarterback, Julian Sayin could take away some of his votes.
2025 Stats: 3,973 pass yds | 34 pass TDs | 66.8 comp% | 6 INTs
Darian Mensah got a bag this offseason to be the next quarterback at Miami. It was a great choice to leave Duke after shocking the conference and winning the ACC Championship — this Hurricanes roster is stacked. Mensah will have one of the best running back rooms in the country highlighted by duo Mark Flecther Jr. and CharMar Brown, plus Malachi Toney at wide out, who as a true freshman last year and a top five receiver in the nation.
The Hurricanes went out and hit the portal hard at receiver and offensive line. At wide receiver, Miami recruited Cooper Barkate from Duke, Mensah’s top receiver, South Carolina’s No. 2 receiver, Vandrevivus Jacobs, and West Virginia’s leading wide out, Cam Vaughn.
Miami goes to Clemson and Notre Dame this season as the toughest tests. It’s very possible the Hurricanes finish the regular season undefeated or with one loss and it’s looking more likely Miami can win its first-ever ACC Championship with this roster.
2025 Stats: 3,610 pass yds | 32 pass TDs | 77 comp% | 8 INTs
Julian Sayin finished fourth in Heisman voting last season earning eight first place votes, 118 second place votes, and 172 third place votes (432 total). Sayin threw for 3,610 yards and 36 touchdowns on a ridiculous 77 completion percentage.
Sayin had the best receiver room in the country last year led by Jeremiah Smith, and the fourth overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, Carnell Tate. It was hard not to be successful.
This year, not much changes. Smith is back, so is Brandon Innis (36 rec, 271 yds, 3 TDs) and the Buckeyes have the No. 1 incoming high school recruit in the country at receiver, Chris Henry. As the leader and quarterback of the most talented roster in the country, Sayin should finish top five in Heisman voting once again.
2025 Stats: 3,397 pass yds | 30 total TDs | 3 INTs | 527 rush yds
One of the most exciting players of the 2025 College Football Playoff was Trinidad Chambliss, who didn’t even start the season as the starter for Ole Miss. Chambliss was surrounded by drama this offseason as he went to court over another year of eligibility and won the battle.
Chambliss returns for his final year in college football and it has much higher expectations after 4,464 total yards and 30 touchdowns. This season will arguably have more challenges. The Rebels hit the road at Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma this year, plus have home games against Louisville, LSU, Auburn, and Georgia.
Chambliss finished eighth in Heisman voting last season with 23 total votes, including two first place votes. Ole Miss will be have to be darn near perfect under Pete Golding for Chambliss to win the Heisman, but having an offensive line with 92 combined starts and Kewan Lacy in the backfield is a solid start.
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2025 Stats: 3,565 pass yds | 32 total TDs | 71.8 comp% | 10 INTs
Dante Moore’s 2025 Heisman odds flatlined versus Indiana a week after his odds skyrocketed following an epic OT win at Penn State. Moore had an interesting 2025. In the final six games of last year, Moore completed 73.4% of his passes (138/188) for 1,681 yards (280.1 ypg), 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Moore was efficient, but turnovers became an issue with four in the College Football Playoff and at least one in each game.
Oregon starts the season with a home game versus Boise State, then a road trip to face an upgraded Oklahoma State team. The Ducks go to USC, Illinois, Ohio State, and Michigan State this season, plus Oregon hosts UCLA, Nebraska, Michigan, and Washington. The Ducks will alternate time zones in seven-straight games to end the season, another factor that could impact Moore and this team.
2025 Stats: 3,472 pass yds | 31 total TDs | 65.9 comp% | 13 INTs
Josh Hoover becomes one of the most anticipated transfers of the offseason after joining the reigning champion, Indiana Hoosiers. Hoover was criticized by his former coach Sonny Dykes for turning the ball over repedetedly at TCU. Hoover did throw 33 interceptions over three seasons, but also tossed 71 touchdowns, including 56 over the last two years.
Hoover almost cracked 4,000 passing yards in 2024 with the Horned Frogs and while the Hoosiers aren’t the air raid offense TCU is, Hoover can have a Heisman worthy year by racking up wins and keeping the interceptions down.
Indiana has a three week stretch that will make or break their season. From October 10 to 24, Indiana will go to Nebraska, then host Ohio State followed by a road trip to Michigan. That’s a brutal stretch, but a 3-0 record in that span almost guarantees a perfect regular season and pole-vaults Hoover to a Heisman giving Indiana back-to-back winners.
2025 Stats: 2,885 pass yds | 22 total TDs | 11 INTs | 431 rush yds
John Mateer started 2025 with two ranked wins over Michigan and Auburn, which pushed him to atop of the Heisman conversation. However, in that win over Auburn, Mateer was injured and his season was never the same.
Mateer was rushed back against Texas and threw three interceptions in a 23-6 loss to Texas. He also tossed three interceptions in a 17-13 win against LSU and no touchdowns with one interception in a 33-27 win against Tennessee. While he mounted some late heroics in a few games and Oklahoma earned a College Football Playoff bid, Mateer will have to step up his game to win the Heisman, but it’s possible.
I would project Mateer for a 20-10 season regarding passing and rushing touchdowns and total at least 3,000 yards. I have to admit though, Oklahoma goes through a gauntlet. Michigan, Georgia, and Florida, plus a neutral site outing with Texas. The Sooners host Ole Miss and Texas A&M in two of the last three weeks of the season too. Oklahoma will go through the ringer if the Sooners want to make the playoffs back-to-back years.
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2025 Stats: 2,741 pass yds | 27 total TDs | 66.6 comp% | 6 INTs
As a true freshman, CJ Carr exceeded expectations with Notre Dame, but it wasn’t all peanut butter and jelly. Notre Dame started the season 0-2 with losses to Miami and Texas A&M. Carr had four total touchdowns and two interceptions with over 500 passing yards. After that, Notre Dame ripped off 10-straight wins, but was left out of the College Football Playoff due to either who they beat or who they lost to (half empty/half full kind of thing).
This season, Notre Dame goes to BYU and hosts Miami as the two headliners. Outside of those games, Notre Dame has a neutral site game with Wisconsin, road trips to Purdue, North Carolina, and Syracuse, plus home contests versus Michigan State and SMU, plus more. It’s really not a difficult schedule and the Fighting Irish should hit 9-10 wins, but what Notre Dame does against BYU and Miami will determine Carr’s Heisman case and the Irish’s playoff hopes.
It’s also worth noting that without Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, two 2026 NFL first-round draft picks at running back, Carr will have to carry this team and take that next step as a leader for Notre Dame.
2025 Stats: 109 rec | 1,211 rec yds | 113 rush yds | 11 total TDs
Malachi Toney was the best true freshman in football last year. Reggie Wayne owns the Miami all-time record for receptions at 173 and Toney had 109 as an 18-year-old. With Darian Mensah at quarterback, Toney will be set to obliterate some of the Hurricanes receiving records this year and compete with Jeremiah Smith for the Fred Biletnikoff Trophy.
DraftKings Betting Odds Top 10 | Vaughn Dalzell’s Top 10 |
1. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (+700) | 1. Arch Manning, Texas (+750) |
2. Arch Manning, Texas (+750) | 2. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (+1400) |
3. Dante Moore, Oregon (+1100) | 3. Darian Mensah, Miami (+1150) |
4. Darian Mensah, Miami (+1150) | 4. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (+1200) |
5. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (+1200) | 5. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (+1300) |
6. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (+1300) | 6. Dante Moore, Oregon (+1100) |
7. Josh Hoover, Indiana (+1300) | 7. Josh Hoover, Indiana (+1300) |
8. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (+1400) | 8. John Mateer, Oklahoma (+2500) |
9. Gunner Stockton, Georgia (+1900) | 9. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (+700) |
10. Sam Leavitt, LSU (+2000) | 10. Malachi Toney (+3800) |
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