Heisman Race Midseason Check-in: Separating Contenders From Pretenders After Week 6

Through six full weeks of play (plus the appetizer that was Week Zero in late August), the 2026 college football season is taking real shape. With its win at Alabama, along with former No. 1 Texas’s stunning loss to Oklahoma, Georgia is now the nearly undisputed top team in the country. The Crimson Tide and a bevy of one-loss SEC teams are firmly in the mix, as are the best teams in the Big Ten—Ohio State, Indiana … UCLA?—though the other Power 2 league doesn’t appear to have the same strength at the top and middle tiers this season. 

The race for the Heisman Trophy is also taking shape. We’ve cycled through a number of favorites, as is so often the case in September and early October. CJ Carr and Arch Manning opened the year atop the odds lists, Trinidad Chambliss jumped to the front of the line after a dramatic win over former coach Lane Kiffin and LSU, and now, after a truly dominant start to the season, Jeremiah Smith is in pole position with eight more weeks of regular-season games left. 

There is plenty of time for things to change, but it is time to buckle down and separate the wheat from the chaff in this race. Going through our long list of Heisman hopefuls (and acknowledging a couple of late additions after big Week 6 games), we’re taking a look at the contenders and pretenders in Heisman contention.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (5–1): Contender, Heisman favorite

Week 6: Beat Maryland, 45–16—four receptions, 93 yards, two TDs
Season: 48 receptions, 916 yards, 11 TDs

No one else in the country would catch four passes for 93 yards and two scores and have it look relatively underwhelming. That’s what happens when you’re Jeremiah Smith and you’re coming off the best two-game stretch of your already Hall of Fame–worthy college career. This game wasn’t without its highlights though, as Smith made a one-handed grab on a ball thrown behind him look like a routine play, immediately dodging a tackler and adding another chunk of yardage after the catch.

It is typically difficult for a wide receiver to serve as the true engine for a great offense, but that is the case here; Smith has hauled in more than 41% of quarterback Julian Sayin’s completions and more than half of Ohio State’s total receiving yardage and touchdowns through the air. This probably isn’t a playoff-worthy squad without Smith’s contributions.

Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State (5–1): Pretender

Week 6: Beat Maryland, 45–16—13 for 21, 242 yards, four TDs, one INT; seven carries, 11 yards
Season: 116 for 163 (71.2%), 1,772 yards, 17 TDs, two INTs; 32 carries, 17 yards, two TDs

Another solid day at the office for Sayin: a third straight game with at least three touchdowns, some tremendous connections with Smith and a no-drama win against a bottom-tier Big Ten foe. Smith’s presence remains the biggest problem for Sayin’s Heisman campaign, and his biggest asset out on the field, the easiest trade the quarterback will ever have to make. Still, it becomes hard to see him as a true contender for the award as a result, even if his raw numbers ultimately get him an invite to New York.

Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama (5–1): Contender

Week 6: Lost to Georgia 20–17—16 for 30, 185 yards, one TD; nine carries, 41 yards
Season: 110 for 162 (67.9%), 1,599 yards, 12 TDs, two INTs; 46 carries, 225 yards, four TDs

Russell was ice cold to start the game against the Bulldogs, one played in the remnants of a hurricane that blew through the Gulf Coast on Saturday, but as the first half wore on, he unleashed some monster throws, and made plenty of plays with his legs, reminding those at Bryant-Denny Stadium of his electric talent. Georgia seemed determined to keep the ball out of his hands down the stretch, running the ball over and over and limiting Alabama to just three second-half possessions. On one of them, Russell looked to have Rico Scott in the end zone before he was run over by Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden, but no penalty was called, to the dismay of coach Kalen DeBoer and Tide fans around the country. 

A touchdown—or another opportunity for one—might’ve changed the game and made this a defining game for Russell. Instead, he suffers the first loss of his young career as starter, though it shouldn’t dampen the enthusiasm for his game much.

Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke (4–1): Pretender, through no fault of his own

Week 6: Loss to Georgia Tech, 28–25—27 carries, 99 touchdowns, two TDs; seven receptions, 91 yards
Season: 118 carries, 743 yards, eight TDs; 17 receptions, 161 yards, three TDs

Sheppard did it all once again for the Blue Devils, but his all was not enough to avoid a tough loss to a struggling Yellow Jackets team in Atlanta on Saturday. He was a bell cow once again, adding a team-high seven receptions and 91 yards to his typically impressive workload on the ground, though he was held to a mediocre 3.7 yards per carry by a Georgia Tech defense that had been gashed by opposing running games all year long. It was not the kind of massive performance that Duke was hoping for as it looked to keep an unexpected perfect record rolling, and if the Blue Devils don’t put together a special season, it is hard to see Sheppard getting the narrative ballast necessary to break through for the Heisman, even if he is still having a truly incredible season.

Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Mississippi (4–1): Contender

Week 6: Beat Vanderbilt, 52–17—20 for 30, 213 yards, three TDs, one INT; four carries, five yards, one TD
Season: 122 for 174 (70.1%), 1,435 yards, 11 TDs, four INTs; 32 carries, 113 yards, five TDs

Ole Miss gets back in the win column with a trip to Nashville. It was a relatively ho-hum game for Chambliss by his lofty standards; the Rebels jumped all over the Commodores early, and controlled the game on the ground with 196 yards and three scores, leaving no need for his heroics. Chambliss spread the ball around to nine different receivers and three different touchdown recipients. Even with the comfortable win, he wasn’t thrilled with the outing.

“Second half, I wasn’t on top of my game,” Chambliss said. “I have to finish it off and play all four quarters. Doesn’t matter if we’re up 42–10 at half. Still play the whole four quarters and finish out the game. There’s a lot of improvement for me, based off accuracy and ball location, and also reads and stuff.”

Things will ramp back up for Mississippi next week with a home game against red-hot Missouri, and his former teammate Austin Simmons—an excellent opportunity for Chambliss to reintroduce himself in the Heisman race.

Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida (4–2): Pretender, and basically eliminated

Week 6: Lost to South Carolina, 38–19—15 carries, 59 yards, one TD; two receptions, 11 yards
Season: 110 carries, 672 yards, 12 TDs; seven receptions, 46 yards

A Heisman running back has to bring it just about every week. The start of Baugh’s season was special, and he’s one of the best Gators in recent memory, but the last two weeks should effectively end his hopes for a trip to New York; he was limited to just 72 yards on 27 carries in losses to Mizzou and the Gamecocks.

Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State (4–1): Contender, if he stays healthy

Week 6: Bye
Season: 102 for 154 (66.2%), 1,448 yards, 17 TDs, four INTs; 43 carries, 159 yards, one TD

Taylor and the Bulldogs got a much-needed rest after suffering a tough first loss of the season to the Crimson Tide. With a win over Missouri looking better by the day, plenty of opportunity lies ahead of Taylor and his team, starting with next week’s trip to LSU … if he’s healthy enough to go, after ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that his status is “in flux” after an injury suffered earlier this month against Alabama.

Arch Manning, QB, Texas (4–1): Pretender, probably won’t recover from that pick-six

Week 6: Lost to Oklahoma, 27–24—19 for 31, 260 yards, three TDs, two INTs; seven carries, 20 yards
Season: 92 for 146 (63.0%), 1,122 yards, 10 TDs, five INTs; 39 carries, 102 yards

Manning is occasionally brilliant. We saw it down the stretch last year, in the Longhorns’ comeback win against Ohio State and even in spots during Saturday’s loss to the Sooners. The word on Manning entering the weekend was that he often looks more comfortable freelancing and playing loose, but that approach seemed to get him into trouble against Oklahoma. Midway through the fourth quarter, he threw a bad pick-six to Sooners safety Peyton Bowen which gave the Sooners a lead. He responded with a nice game-tying touchdown drive, but a second fourth-quarter interception on the Horns’ final drive sealed the game 

There is a huge gap between occasionally brilliant and consistently great, and the young Manning family scion hasn’t quite bridged it. He may yet; he’s been better in 2026 than he was in ’25, but he’s not quite a top-caliber quarterback in a crowded field this season. And while his entrance into the 2027 NFL draft is being treated as a certainty, those who suggest that he could use one more year of seasoning in Austin may be right.

Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (5–0): Contender

Week 6: Bye
Season: 112 for 133 (84.2%%), 1,438 yards, 15 touchdowns; 12 carries, 79 yards, two TDs

One of the nation’s most prolific quarterbacks was able to take it easy this week with the bye. Next week brings a game circled on every Hurricane’s calendar, with Florida State coming to town. The Seminoles are coming off of yet another ugly loss and will be desperate for a win, one that could go a long way toward saving their coach’s job—but given how some other quarterbacks have fared against the Seminoles defense, Mensah has a chance to pour on some numbers.

Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (5–0): Pretender

Week 6: Bye
Season: 34 receptions, 564 yards, six TDs; one carry, 19 yards

The bye came at a good time for Toney, who has been dealing with some nagging injuries over the last few weeks, missing time in the Canes’ wins over Clemson and Wake Forest. That is trouble for Toney in the Heisman race, as any minor slump will drop him far behind the pace being set by Jeremiah Smith, who will also benefit from facing a tougher schedule in the Big Ten then the Canes will in the ACC down the stretch. Toney needs some wild performances 

As with Mensah, Toney has a chance to reassert himself in the Heisman race against Miami’s embattled rival Florida State next week.

CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame (6–0): Contender, but in need of a signature performance

Week 6: Beat Stanford, 58–7—14 for 20, 181 yards, three TDs; five carries, 41 yards
Season: 102 for 144 (70.8%), 1,378 yards, 16 TDs, one INT; 17 carries, 69 yards, three TDs

Once again, the Fighting Irish let the running game lead the way against an overmatched opponent. Notre Dame picked up 361 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, led by Jonaz Walton’s 181 yards. Carr had the same number through the air, with three touchdowns and no interceptions before Noah Grubbs came in to run out the clock. It is difficult to know where Carr stands given the weak Irish schedule so far, but that changes next week, with a trip to BYU, by far ND’s biggest game of the season so far, against a fellow undefeated, top-10 program. If Carr can put together a signature performance against the Cougars, he’ll be right in the heat of this race. If he’s merely O.K., even in a win, he’ll be running out of time to impress voters.

Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU (4–2): Pretender

Week 6: Lost to Kentucky, 35–34—25 for 34, 275 yards, two TDs, one INT; 15 carries, 39 yards, one TD
Season: 117 for 173 (67.6%), 1,496 yards, 10 TDs, eight INTs; 60 rushes, 259 yards, seven TDs

This season isn’t going the way many in Louisiana envisioned when they spent tens of millions of dollars on a flashy new coaching staff and roster. That isn’t necessarily Sam Leavitt’s fault—his numbers on Saturday were solid, but not good enough to beat Will Stein’s pesky Wildcats in regulation, before the first-year coach’s now-famous overtime gumption came into play. As LSU is well on the outside looking in of the SEC and College Football Playoff races at this point, so too is Leavitt with the Heisman.

Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia (5–0): Contender

Week 6: Beat Alabama, 20–17—18 for 22, 249 yards, one TD, one INT; six carries, 12 yards, one TD
Season: 95 for 124 (76.6%), 1,298 yards, 14 touchdowns, two INTs; 26 carries, 134 yards, one TD

If you had to show someone one game to sum up the Gunner Stockton experience, this might be it. Stockton hit big play after big play, averaging a gaudy 11.3 yards per attempt against a very good Crimson Tide defense. He ran for a huge score and extended other plays with his legs. He threw one interception and could’ve had at least one more, but it did nothing to shake his confidence—and he was deadly accurate otherwise. Stockton won’t have the best numbers for a quarterback at the end of the season, but he’s the heart of what looks like college football’s best team. If other contenders fall and this comes down to the leading contender from the best team, as can happen in the Heisman race, Bennett’s hat will be in the ring.

Colin Simmons, edge, Texas (4–1): Pretender, because defenders remain underappreciated

Week 6: Lost to Oklahoma, 27–24—four tackles (three TFLs), two sacks
Season: 17 total tackles (12.5 TFLs), 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery

The Longhorns were inconsistent across the board against the Sooners, unable to put Brent Venables’s struggling program when they led 17–7 into the third quarter, and unable to keep John Mateer and the offense out of field goal range on the game’s final drive, when the embattled Oklahoma quarterback hit Isaiah Sategna III on two huge passes to set up Tate Sandell’s game-winning kick. Simmons, for his part, was as disruptive as ever, taking down Mateer twice, but it is tough for a defender to make much Heisman momentum without otherworldly numbers and an excellent narrative. Simmons’s numbers are great, if not historic, but if Texas starts to tumble, it will make it nearly impossible for him to contend.

Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana (6–0): Contender

Week 6: Beat Nebraska, 20–17—12 for 22, 263 yards, two TDs
Season: 88 for 129 (68.2%) for 1,364 yards, 17 TDs; 22 carries, 42 yards, one TD

Hoover and the Hoosiers were playing from behind for most of the day, and at times they looked destined to be on the wrong side of Matt Rhule’s first truly great win with the Huskers. But Indiana—even without many of the stars who led them to the national championship a year ago—remains calm, cool and collected in these situations, waiting for their spots. Hoover may have connected on only 12 passes Saturday, but he hit on a number of huge plays, including passes for 37, 44 and 75 yards to Nick Marsh, the latter two of which went for touchdowns. And now halfway through the regular season, Hoover is yet to throw a single interception.

Jamal Roberts, RB, Missouri (5–1): Contender, sleeper

Week 6: Beat Texas A&M, 27–6—34 carries, 222 yards, two touchdowns; three receptions, eight yards
Season: 147 carries, 828 yards, eight TDs; 11 receptions, 82 yards

Months ago, a Tigers running back being mentioned in the Heisman would not have come as a surprise … Ahmad Hardy was considered one of college football’s best at the position. Unfortunately, he’s yet to suit up this season, as he continues his recovery from a May shooting. In his stead, his running mate Jamal Roberts has been unstoppable for a surprising Mizzou squad. He followed up on a 211-yard, three-touchdown outing in a drubbing of Florida by putting up his second consecutive 200-plus-yard game against the Aggies. He’s eclipsed 125 yards in four of six games so far, and should have a chance for another strong outing against Ole Miss next week, a team that gave up 142 yards and three scores to Baugh earlier this year.

Austin Simmons, QB, Missouri (5–1): Pretender, victim of his own running game

Week 6: Beat Texas A&M, 27–6—14 for 28, 147 yards, one TD, one INT; four carries, 24 yards
Season: 107 for 165 (75.2%), 1,434 yards, 14 TDs, one INT; 17 carries, 26 yards

A week after Simmons painted a masterpiece in a blowout win over Florida, his Tigers picked up another solid win over a struggling Aggies squad, though this one was way more about the defense and running game, as Roberts carried the ball 34 times for 222 yards and a pair of scores. His first interception of the season aside, Simmons didn’t do much to hurt Mizzou’s chances, though he now has two of these games where he was underwhelming, albeit in winning efforts. That is going to make it difficult to keep pace against some of the other incredible offensive weapons in the hunt. 

Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State (4–1): Contender

Week 6: Beat UCF, 42–28—19 for 28, 304 yards, two TDs; two carries, two yards, one TD
Season: 114 for 169 (67.5%), 1,575 yards, 13 TDs, five INTs; 15 carries, 108 yards, two TDs

Weeks removed from his ugly Cowboys debut against Tulsa, Mestemaker has been as advertised, and has Oklahoma State in the mix atop the Big 12. The Knights have had one of the conference’s better defenses through the start of the season and Mestemaker & Co. had little trouble dicing them up for 414 yards, with the passing game averaging a robust 10.9 yards per attempt. If the Pokes keep winning and contend for the Big 12 title at the end, the former high school backup may find himself in New York.

Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State (4–2): Pretender, but unbelievable

Week 6: Beat San Diego State, 66–14—10 receptions, 191 yards, three TDs
Season: 38 receptions, 932 yards, 12 touchdowns

Wide receivers already have the odds stacked against them for this award, even if Jeremiah Smith may win it this year. Wide receivers from Group of 6 programs have virtually no shot. And still, Legree deserves a mention here, because his story is absolutely incredible. A lightly recruited player out of Baltimore, Beavers coach JaMarcus Shephard took a flier on Legree after landing the job in Corvallis, Ore., on a tip from his soon-to-be GM Eron Hodges. Legree had just started playing offense toward the end of his high school career after starting as a defensive back. 

Now, as a true freshman playing for a first-year coach on the opposite coast, Legree has better numbers than Smith after immolating the Aztecs defense on Saturday. He hasn’t been held under 100 yards in a game this season, he’s scored at least one touchdown every week, and his team has sneakily become Boise State’s top competition in the reconstituted Pac-12. Only two players nationally have higher yards per reception numbers than Legree’s 24.5, but neither of them have more than 14 catches on the season. Even if it is just about impossible for him to ultimately win the award, he certainly earns mentions among the rest of the field here. 

PODCAST: Listen to Sports Illustrated’s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, hosted by Pat Forde, on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s college YouTube channel or on SI TV.