Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier and Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney cracked the Heisman Trophy odds top 10 entering Week 8, replacing Julian Sayin, Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor after a chaotic Week 7.
Legree jumped to fifth at +2000 after his seventh straight 100-yard game, and Bachmeier sits sixth at +2400 after beating Notre Dame. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is still the favorite but drifted from -220 in last week’s tracker to -120.
Bachmeier has a lot of work to do to move up further in the odds. The Cougars are undefeated, but don't have much left in their schedule besides a Nov. 7 matchup against No. 11 Utah. Heisman voters need to continue to see him and BYU winning in big moments like last night's win over the Irish.
Legree's rapid ascent in the college football world is still relatively under the radar. The freshman out of Baltimore, Md., has already produced a stunning 1,040 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in seven games. The 5-10, 172 wideout is delivering 22.6 yards per reception. He's had at least 100 yards and one touchdown in every contest.
1. WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (-120)
- Last week: W 19-15 at Indiana. 4 catches for 68 yards, 1 TD
- Next: Bye; at USC, Saturday, Oct. 31
As if there was any doubt. Well, maybe there is a little bit now. Smith’s price moved after Ohio State lost quarterback Julian Sayin to a right shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. Coach Ryan Day said Sayin will miss “several weeks,” and true freshman Luke Fahey will start in his place.
Regardless of Sayin's playing status, Smith is the clear frontrunner and could only be convincingly challenged by Miami's Darian Mensah and the Hurricanes running the table. The overwhelming narrative built during Smith's career is that he is the best player in college football.
Smith caught a 38-yard touchdown from Sayin on fourth down early in the fourth quarter for a 19-7 lead. It was his 39th career touchdown catch, tying Michigan’s Braylon Edwards for the Big Ten record. Indiana appeared to take the lead late on a fourth-and-4 throw to Nick Marsh, but Marsh’s left foot came down out of bounds, ending the Hoosiers’ 22-game winning streak.
“We wish Julian a speedy recovery,” Smith said. “But next man up. Fahey did a great job today.”
“When Luke’s in there, we just may need to do things just a little bit differently, but the bye week gives us a chance to regroup,” Day said.
The 6-1 Buckeyes visit USC and host Oregon on Nov. 7.
2. QB Darian Mensah, Miami (+300)
- Last week: W 43-35 (2OT) vs. FSU. 326 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
- Next: vs. Pitt, Saturday, Oct. 24
Mensah shortened from +1000 to +300 after Miami survived its rival in double overtime and losses by the nation’s top two teams opened a path to No. 1. His 3-yard touchdown pass to Toney won it, and Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Florida State on the final play.
The Duke transfer’s third-quarter interception was his first at Miami, ending a streak of 153 passes without one. Toney finished with 11 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns and threw the 2-point conversion to Cooper Barkate, moving the sophomore into the top 10 at +2700.
“This is what great teams do, find a way to win,” Mensah said.
“This rivalry is bigger than me,” Toney said.
Miami is 6-0 and 4-0 in ACC play with a Nov. 7 trip to Notre Dame ahead.
3. QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (+650)
- Last week: W 31-3 vs. Missouri. 241 yards, 3 TD. 1 rush TD
- Next: at Texas, Saturday, Oct. 24
Chambliss moved from +1500 to +650 after throwing touchdown passes of 10 yards to Caleb Odom, 21 to Horatio Fields and 17 to Caleb Cunningham, then adding a 5-yard run. It was his first time throwing three touchdowns in consecutive FBS games.
He started 2-of-7 against the wind and finished with a season-high 16 incompletions. Still, Kewan Lacy and Makhi Frazier each topped 100 rushing yards as Ole Miss ran for 257.
“He wasn’t perfect either, but I’m glad he’s on our side,” Ole Miss coach Pete Golding said.
The 5-1 Rebels visit a Texas team coming off a 27-24 home loss to Florida.
4. QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame (+1500)
- Last week: L 28-24 at BYU. 261 passing yards
- Next: Bye; at Navy, Saturday, Oct. 31
Carr drifted from +1000 to +1500 as Notre Dame’s 16-game winning streak ended in Provo. He drove the Irish inside the BYU 10 in the final seconds, including a fourth-down throw to Micah Gilbert, but his last pass fell incomplete in the end zone.
“I thought we moved the ball well and just didn’t end up punching in some of those red zone opportunities we had,” Carr said.
Bachmeier threw for 224 yards and hit tight end Walker Lyons for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:47 left. The Murrieta, California, native also ran for two scores and caught a 15-yard touchdown on a double pass. Notre Dame offered him out of high school before adding another quarterback.
“Out of high school, Notre Dame disrespected me and my family pretty badly,” Bachmeier said. “I wasn’t going to lose to those guys.”
The 6-1 Irish host Miami on Nov. 7, while BYU visits UCF on Oct. 24.
5. WR Jesse Legree, Oregon State (+2000)
- Last week: W 48-30 vs. Washington State. 8 rec. for 108 yards, 2 TD
- Next: Bye; at Fresno State, Saturday, Oct. 31, at 11 p.m. ET
Legree entered Week 7 outside the top 10 and left it in the top five. His 90-yard catch-and-run from Braden Atkinson was Oregon State’s first 90-yard reception since 2003, and he added a 5-yard score in the third quarter.
The Baltimore native extended his school record to seven straight 100-yard games, the first FBS player to do so since South Alabama’s Caullin Lacy in 2023. He has 1,040 yards and 14 touchdowns, two shy of Brandin Cooks’ program record set in 2013.
The 5-foot-10 freshman’s production has built a Heisman Trophy case that voters haven’t been able to ignore. Oregon State is 5-2, 3-0 in Pac-12 play and has won five straight.
Next 5
6. QB Bear Bachmeier, BYU (+2400)
7. WR Malachi Toney, Miami (+2700)
8. QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (+5000)
9. QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia (+6000)
10. QB Josh Hoover, Indiana (+7000)
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