Last week, it looked like the Heisman race had taken real shape, with a clear favorite at the top: Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, fresh off of a monumental defeat of LSU.
One week later, the Rebels were smacked down by Florida in the Swamp, and we’re back to a wide-open race.
Chambliss played fairly well against the Gators, but without Kewan Lacy in the backfield, the Rebs offense couldn’t keep up with a Florida attack led by another prime Heisman hopeful: running back Jadan Baugh. Elsewhere, Jeremiah Smith went nuclear against Illinois, Kamario Taylor kept his dream season going for Mississippi State and Alabama’s Keelon Russell showed us what all of the offseason hype was about.
Where do they rank in the Heisman race as we head into October? Find out below.
Injured list
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon (3–1)
Week 4: Beat USC, 41–27—8 for 10, 77 yards; one carry, 10 yards
Season: 69 for 99 (69.7%), 926 yards, nine TDs
In one of the ugliest moments of this young college football season, a sliding Moore took a huge blow to the head from Trojans defender Desman Stephens II, leaving the game with a concussion. Understudy Dylan Raiola would come in and lead the Ducks to a statement win, keeping Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes alive in the process. Moore shared positive news on Monday, posting to Instagram to thank fans for their prayers and well-wishes and to say that he’s made progress in his recovery. Of course, football and the awards therein are far less important than his health and ongoing recovery.
Stock down
17. Lincoln Kienholz, QB, Louisville (2–2)
Week 4: Lost to Wake Forest, 30–27—27 for 36, 324 yards, one TD; 13 carries, -19 yards, two TDs
Season: 75 for 109 (68.8%), 1,140 yards, seven TDs, one INT; 45 carries, 134 yards, six TDs
An unfortunate trend for Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals program continued on Saturday—a huge win (against SMU) followed by a bad loss. Kienholz himself flashed the good and bad that comes with his game. He put together solid passing numbers but his first interception of the season led to a Demon Deacons touchdown that pushed their lead to 24–10. Louisville would chip away at the lead, tying things up at 27 late in the third quarter, but Kienholz and the offense were shut out in the fourth, dropping the home game. Kienholz also suffered an injury late in the game that has his availability in question for Saturday against NC State. He can’t afford to miss any time if he wants to remain in Heisman discussions, and the Cardinals can’t take on much more water either.
16. Jayden Maiava, QB, USC (4–1)
Week 4: Lost to Oregon, 41–27—23 for 42, 326 yards, two TDs, one INT; six carries, one yard, one TD
Season: 110 for 157 (70.1%), 1,499 yards, 14 TDs, two INT; two rushing TDs
The Trojans had a chance to score a much-needed signature win for Lincoln Riley, and beat the rival Ducks for the first time since 2016. Instead, they fell to Oregon’s backup quarterback and are once again on the verge of falling out of the national consciousness by midseason, with a tough Big Ten slate on the horizon. Maiava is far from USC’s biggest problem, but he was outplayed by Raiola, whose only other passes this season were thrown against Portland State. Maiava completed just over half of his throws, connecting on some explosive plays but ultimately losing the shootout late as the Ducks scored touchdowns on four of their five full drives in the second half. Maiava’s numbers remain very good and if he and the Trojans rebound and get themselves back in the mix atop the Big Ten, he has room to move up. If not, his career may end as a good quarterback who wound up as the face of Lincoln Riley’s not-good-enough tenure.
Keep an eye on these players
15. Colin Simmons, edge, Texas (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Tennessee, 20–17—nine total tackles (5.5 TFLs), 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble
Season: 13 total tackles (9.5 TFLs), 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
Unfortunately Simmons’s gross sack celebration overshadowed the most dominant defensive performance we’ve seen this season, but he was as responsible as anyone for the Longhorns escaping Neyland Stadium with a win on Saturday. The 5.5-sack performance—now a school record after a review added a half-sack to his tally—gives him the national lead in that category. Defensive players need truly special seasons to even be under consideration for a trip to New York, but if Simmons can use this as a launching pad toward a 20-plus-sack campaign—and can keep his celebrations PG from here on out—he could find himself in the mix at the end of the regular season.
14. Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU (3–1)
Week 4: Beat Texas A&M, 35–6—17 for 23, 312 yards, two TDs, one INT; five rushes, 22 yards
Season: 74 for 116 (63.8%), 1,044 yards, five TDs, six INTs; 45 rushes, 220 yards, six TDs
Leavitt and the Tigers bounced back from the loss at Ole Miss about as well as anyone could’ve reasonably hoped, with an absolute thumping of the Aggies. This was Leavitt’s best all-around performance of the season, though there are still plenty of concerns. Once again, he turned the ball over, though it came late in the third quarter with LSU already up 28–3 off of a tipped pass. He also briefly left the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Leavitt plays with reckless abandon, and as a result, is always at risk of leaving the game. A hamstring issue may also limit his mobility, a huge part of his game. Still, this was a strong enough performance to keep him in the mix for another week.
13. Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Northwestern, 29–23—19 for 29, 201 yards, one TD; six carries, one yard, one TD
Season: 56 for 80 (70%) for 850 yards, 11 touchdowns; 14 carries, 21 yards, one TD
The defending national champions got their first serious test, from the Big Ten squad that recently passed them as the losingest program in the sport’s history. Hoover put together a fairly middling performance in which he was statistically outdueled by the Wildcats’ Aidan Chiles. It shouldn’t be a cause for concern quite yet, and this first game against a Power 4 opponent could be a good jumping off point for the Hoosiers as they work to get to midseason form.
12. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Oklahoma, 41–13—14 for 25, 171 yards, one TD, one INT
Season: 52 for 70 (74.3%), 754 yards, 10 touchdowns, one INT; 13 carries, 100 yards
The Bulldogs ran right through what is still thought of as a good Oklahoma offense, with the rushing attack controlling the game. Stockton wasn’t particularly explosive, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt through the air, but did a great job finding Talyn Taylor (four receptions, 110 yards, one touchdown). More will be asked of Stockton in games against better opposing offenses, and those games are the ones in which he can really increase his Heisman positioning.
11. Arch Manning, QB, Texas (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Tennessee, 20–17—14 for 19, 201 yards, one INT
Season: 73 for 115 (63.5%), 862 yards, seven TDs, three INTs; 32 carries, 82 yards
It may seem harsh to drop Manning a tier after a Longhorns road win against a ranked SEC foe, but this one belongs more to Will Muschamp’s defense, which sacked Vols freshman Faizon Brandon 10 times, than it does to Steve Sarkisian’s offense. Manning was pretty efficient, with over 10 yards per attempt, picked off but didn’t throw for a touchdown, and Texas was held to 262 yards of total offense. We just haven’t gotten the consistent excellence required for Heisman honors from Manning.
10. Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama (4–0)
Week 4: Beat South Carolina, 49–18—21 for 27, 365 yards, four TDs; eight carries, 35 yards, one TD
Season: 78 for 110 (70.9%), 1,129 yards, eight TDs, two INTs; 32 carries, 168 yards, three TDs
It’s becoming very easy to see the vision with this standout sophomore in his first year as starter. Russell is growing in front of our very eyes, following up a 320-yard, four-total-touchdown game against Florida State with a 365-yard, five-total-touchdown outing against the Gamecocks, earning him a spot in these rankings. Next up, a true showcase of two of the most talented gunslingers in the country, as Russell faces off against Kamario Taylor and Mississippi State.
True Heisman candidates
9. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Purdue, 49–10—14 for 22, 237 yards, three TDs, one INT; three carries, 10 yards, one TD
Season: 67 for 95 (70.5%), 963 yards, nine TDs, one INT; eight carries, 13 yards, two TDs
A week after he was held out of the end zone as a passer, Carr threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth in a dominant win over the Boilermakers. The light Fighting Irish schedule may work against Carr here unless he starts putting up prolific numbers; outside of a trip to BYU and home dates with Miami and SMU, Notre Dame should be able to coast through most of the fall.
8. Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State (3–1)
Week 4: Beat Illinois, 42–19—27 for 36, 367 yards, four TDs; seven carries, 29 yards, one TD
Season: 83 for 115 (72.2%), 1,206 yards, 10 TDs, one INT; 16 carries, seven yards, two TDs
Sayin was superb for the Buckeyes in their blowout win to start Big Ten play. In context of the Heisman race, however, he has a huge problem: All four of his passing touchdowns were to Jeremiah Smith, who had one of the best games of his untouchable college career against the Fighting Illini. I think Sayin will accept second fiddle in these rankings for the chance to play with a true generational talent.
7. Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke (4–0)
Week 4: Beat William & Mary, 62–7—nine carries, 116 yards, one TD; one reception, eight yards
Season: 91 carries, 644 yards, six TDs; 10 receptions, 70 yards, three TDs
Finally, some rest for Sheppard. Saturday’s win over the FCS Tribe marked his first outing with fewer than 23 carries. He still went well over the century mark with single-digit carries, and the Blue Devils cruised in a dominant win.
6. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Central Michigan, 52–3—six receptions, 120 yards, one touchdown
Season: 34 receptions, 564 yards, six touchdowns
Another Hurricanes win, another 100-plus-yard game for Toney, and another touchdown through the air—and almost had a second on a miraculous one-handed snag that was called off due to a penalty. Toney has scored in every game this season and continues to be the focal point of Miami’s offense.
5. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Central Michigan, 52–3—23 for 27, 338 yards, three TDs, four carries, 21 yards, one TD
Season: 94 for 106 (88.7%%), 1,211 yards, 14 touchdowns; nine carries, 52 yards, one TD
After a competitive game against Wake Forest, Mensah and the Hurricanes got back to demolishing an overmatched opponent, drubbing the MAC’s Chippewas. And one again, Mensah was nearly perfect, missing on just a few throws while tossing for three touchdowns and running for a fourth—his first score on the ground this season. Mensah went through September without a single interception. Saturday’s game at Clemson may prove to be the toughest test he’s gotten so far this season, though Miami has looked much more impressive than Dabo Swinney’s club.
The Heisman favorites
4. Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Missouri, 31–24—27 for 38, 360 yards, three TDs, one INT; 10 carries, seven yards
Season: 83 for 120 (69.2%), 1,192 yards, 14 TDs, two INTs; 37 carries, 185 yards, one TD
The Taylor train has shown no signs of slowing down. This week, he outdueled Austin Simmons in another SEC shootout, posting his fourth consecutive game of three or more passing touchdowns and his second game over 350 yards of the season. The Tigers kept him in the pocket and got to him for four sacks; that is a legitimate issue, a week after he was sacked three times against South Carolina. Even so, he delivered again and again, leading a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives to bring the Bulldogs back from a 24–17 deficit to win it.
3. Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida (4–0)
Week 4: Beat Ole Miss, 52–28—29 carries, 142 yards, three TDs; one reception, 12 yards
Season: 83 carries, 600 yards, 11 TDs; two receptions, 18 yards
Baugh has reached at least 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns in all four games this season, and given the level of competition this last weekend, it was his most impressive outing of the year. The Gators star is on pace for an 1,800-yard, 33-touchdown regular season. It’ll be tough to stay on that pace through a full SEC season, but those are the kinds of numbers that can allow a running back to break through for the Heisman.
2. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (3–1)
Week 4: Beat Illinois, 42–19—12 receptions, 217 yards, four touchdowns
Season: 33 receptions, 617 yards, seven TDs
Smith has been tremendous for the Buckeyes all season, but on Saturday against the Fighting Illini, he went supernova, hauling in four scores in a blowout win. His biggest play: a 72-yard catch-and-run that will likely haunt Illinois defensive back Mac Resetich for some time.
The way this one's started, Jeremiah Smith might break some more records today 🔥
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 26, 2026
The @OhioStateFB WR's 72-yard score gives him two 1Q TDs
Watch on FOX pic.twitter.com/bhyB3lbv7e
Smith admitted that he was laughing about putting Resetich on skates for those final 27 yards.
“When I did that, I just started laughing when that happened,” he said after the game. “I feel kind of bad for him.”
1. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Mississippi (3–1)
Week 4: Lost to Florida, 52–28—25 for 34, 298 yards, one TD, one INT; seven carries, 44 yards, two TDs
Season: 102 for 144 (70.8%), 1,222 yards, eight TDs, three INTs; 28 carries, 108 yards, four TDs
Chambliss and the Rebels took their first loss on their trip to face the Gators, a comedown game from their dramatic Week 3 win against LSU. The quarterback was still largely sharp as a passer, if not quite as dialed in as he was a week ago, and had to take on more of the offensive burden with star running back Kewan Lacy out. He led Ole Miss on the ground with 44 yards and two scores, but turned it over twice, with a fumble that led to Florida’s touchdown that put them up 38–21 and an interception on the Rebels’ final possession. It was the Gators’ unstoppable rushing offense that created separation against Ole Miss more than Chambliss’s mistakes, but this is a mark against him, just a week after he took control of the race. He still has the best “Heisman moment” of this young season with the win over LSU, but he hasn’t slammed the door yet, and the massive Week 4 performances listed above have a number of contenders hot on his heels. We shouldn’t be surprised—as I’ve written here in previous weeks, you rarely crown Heisman winners in September.
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