B/R's 2026 Heisman Trophy Rankings after Week 1

While the Heisman Trophy is never won in September, a hot start to the college football season is nevertheless a welcome sign.

In 2026, many of the expected contenders eased into the campaign. Whether it was against a lower-division opponent or Group of Six program, a bunch of key players had a gaudy opening week.

But the competition is quickly set to rise, especially for Texas and Ohio State.

This early in the campaign, any ranking is heavily contingent on the intent. You could try to predict the season, focus on actual on-field production alone or land somewhere in between. This is essentially the third option.

Week 1 performance matters to this order, but some notable preseason candidates are still mentioned even if they weren't downright amazing in their opener.

Week 1 Standouts

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Rocco Becht

Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida: If the Gators rise behind first-year coach Jon Sumrall, it's fair to anticipate Jadan Baugh is a key reason. He opened the campaign with 160 yards and three touchdowns in a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic.

Rocco Becht, QB, Penn State: In three seasons as Iowa State's starter, Becht peaked at three touchdown passes. So, naturally, his debut at Penn State featured four scores as Penn State blanked Marshall 45-0. Becht has a couple favorable games on the horizon with Temple and Buffalo up next.

Mason Heintschel, QB, Pitt: The competition qualifier exists here, but throwing for 453 yards and seven touchdowns in a rout of Miami (Ohio) is pretty darn impressive. Heintschel should face a stiffer test at home against UCF in Week 2.

Xavier Gilliam, DT, Tennessee: True freshman QB Faizon Brandon accounted for five touchdowns in a 56-9 triumph over Furman. On the defensive side, though, the Vols saw Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam amass five tackles for loss and three sacks. Obviously, that's not sustainable. But he deserves a mention.

Rapid-Fire QBs

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Keelon Russell, Alabama: In his first career start, Russell threw for 256 yards and added 86 yards with a touchdown on the ground. He showed composure and explosiveness in a 48-10 blowout of East Carolina.

Gunner Stockton, Georgia: Stockton had a near-perfect afternoon as Georgia blew out Tennessee State 63-3. He completed 15 of 16 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns, only playing one possession in the second half.

Josh Hoover, Indiana: The transfer from TCU impressed in his IU debut, ending the 52-16 win over North Texas with a 13-of-16 line for 231 yards and four scores.

Sam Leavitt, LSU: Unfortunately for Leavitt, he tossed an interception on LSU's first drive. Fortunately for Leavitt, that was the lone blemish. He passed for 230 yards, scampered for 113 and accounted for three touchdowns in a 51-10 smackdown of Clemson.

CJ Carr, Notre Dame: Carr, a preseason front-runner, didn't exactly shine in prime time. A garbage-time touchdown boosted his 19-of-29 line, which included 239 yards and two scores. He was good, not great. But it's plenty early.

Julian Sayin, Ohio State: No problems for Sayin in Week 1. While the Buckeyes stormed past Ball State 56-3, he hit 21-of-25 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns while adding a fourth score on the ground.

Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: Following a quiet opening half with two giveaways, Chambliss erupted to nudge Ole Miss past Louisville 41-38. He threw for 336 yards, rushed for 60 and totaled four touchdowns.

Jayden Maiava, USC: Through two games, Maiava has connected on 48-of-54 attempts with six total touchdowns and zero interceptions. That, my friends, is good.

5. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

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Early on? Yikes. It's a good thing the game doesn't end after 15 minutes.

After a scoreless first quarter, Dante Moore settled in and helped Oregon dig out of a surprising 10-point hole to Boise State. The offense rattled off five straight scoring drives en route to a 34-27 victory.

Moore completed 28-of-37 attempts for a career-best 387 yards, tossing three touchdowns with no turnovers.

"I thought Dante, from my seat, played extremely well," Oregon coach Dan Lanning told reporters afterward.

Considering how many other mistakes the Ducks made, Moore's play was the main reason they escaped the scare against Boise State.

4. Arch Manning, QB, Texas

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Arch Manning opened the 2025 campaign as the most-hyped quarterback in the country, and September was very unkind to him.

This year, he's off to a much better start.

Manning hit 20-of-27 passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Longhorns to a 59-7 rout of Texas State.

Yes, the red-zone interception he threw was a horrid decision. He either tried to squeeze a ball into triple coverage or didn't anticipate that two defenders could close the window so quickly. There's no excusing that.

Overall, though, Manning opened with a strong performance. He'll be tested next weekend in a prime-time showdown at home against Ohio State.

3. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami

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After bursting onto the radar at Tulane and propelling Duke to an ACC title, Darian Mensah has already proved his worth.

Week 1, however, showed a glimpse of what he might be able to accomplish with Miami this season. The supporting cast for Mensah—even as the 'Canes rebuild their offensive line—has elite upside.

Miami smoked Stanford 42-6 behind a massive debut from Mensah. He completed 27-of-30 attempts with 401 yards, five touchdowns and zero turnovers.

Expect another gaudy stat line in Week 2, as well.

Thursday night, the Hurricanes host lower-division Florida A&M. Mensah presumably won't play all game, but Miami will likely be throwing early and often.

2. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

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Jeremiah Smith did exactly what you'd expect from him opposite Ball State.

During the first half, he racked up eight receptions for 151 yards and two scores. Smith straight-up dominated one touchdown drive, reeling in five passes and capping the possession in the end zone.

Smith (metaphorically) kicked back and watched the last 30 minutes while Ohio State cruised to a 56-3 win. The team wanted to ensure his health for Week 2.

In short: That was a smart move. The trip to Texas is far more important than adding a few catches for award purposes.

And it's a pretty nice opportunity for a Heisman moment, too.

1. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami

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I'm not entirely certain what Stanford was trying to prove, but an evening full of one-on-one coverage for Malachi Toney didn't work out well.

That is putting it delicately, too.

Miami's star sophomore had 12 receptions for a program-record 234 yards, scoring three touchdowns, striking the Heisman pose after each one. Toney didn't play in the fourth quarter, either.

As mentioned with Mensah, Thursday's game against Florida A&M should be friendly. Miami will probably pepper Toney with touches right away.

I might suggest you consider a second man in coverage, FAMU.