B/R's 2026 Heisman Trophy Rankings after Week 2
The headline of the weekend belonged to Texas, which engineered a preposterous comeback to beat top-ranked Ohio State.
As a result, Arch Manning solidified his place as a key contender in the fledgling 2026 Heisman Trophy race. He overcame a quiet opening half and guided the Longhorns to an improbable win.
But he isn't atop the early rankings.
Instead, that honor remains in the hands of Miami quarterback Darian Mensah because of his near-perfect two-game run.
The rankings of this weekly update are subjective but consider a mix of preseason expectations—a factor that steadily diminishes in the opening month of the regular season—and on-field production to date.
On the Radar
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Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State: In the first half against Texas, it seemed like Sayin and star receiver Jeremiah Smith would dominate the game. Instead, a quiet second half doomed OSU in its 20-point collapse. Sayin finished with 278 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception in the 24-23 loss.
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State: He was amazing in the Week 2 upset of Oregon. Mestemaker threw for 317 yards, rushed for 109 and accounted for three touchdowns in a stunning win. Also, he's tossed four interceptions in two games with a loss to Tulsa on the résumé. There is plenty left to prove here.
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: Was that an embarrassing day or a signal of bad things to come? Moore completed just 14-of-29 passes in the loss at Oklahoma State, mustering 191 yards and two scores. He sticks on the radar, but only because it's so early in the season.
KJ Duff, WR, Rutgers: I feel a need to mention Duff, who's racked up 17 catches for 333 yards and five touchdowns. Short of Rutgers assembling a jaw-dropping turnaround—and, well, no—he won't contend for the Heisman. But that's a ridiculous two-game stretch for a strong NFL draft prospect.
Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU: After throwing for 430 yards with three touchdowns and two picks in the opening win at Florida State, Jennings padded his stats nicely opposite FCS team UC Davis. He put up 337 yards and five scores through the air. Jennings and SMU head to No. 23 Louisville in Week 3.
Rapid-Fire QBs
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Gunner Stockton, Georgia: Conference play begins for Stockton in Week 3 as UGA travels to Arkansas. The senior successfully padded his stats during routs of Tennessee State and Western Kentucky, hitting 28-of-32 passes with 436 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Josh Hoover, Indiana: Hoover, meanwhile, has a third chance to bump up those numbers—and in Week 3, that's opposite a WKU defense that Stockton just wrecked. Hoover, who didn't play in the second half of IU's shutout over Howard last weekend, has completed 19-of-27 attempts for 376 yards and eight scores.
Sam Leavitt, LSU: Five interceptions in two games? Not exactly Heisman material. Still, he's passed for 574 yards, scampered for 135 and totaled seven touchdowns with a noteworthy win over Clemson. Leavitt is entering a critical back-to-back of showdowns at Ole Miss and home to Texas A&M.
Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State: The electric dual-threat has stuffed the stat sheet in two blowout wins. He threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns while adding 59 rushing yards and a score against Louisiana-Monroe, then put up 227 passing yards and three touchdowns with 86 yards on the ground at Minnesota. Taylor leads MSU into South Carolina on Saturday.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame: Carr shredded an overmatched Rice secondary as Notre Dame cruised to a 52-0 rout. Completing 16-of-20 passes, he ended with 253 yards and four touchdowns. Michigan State is up next.
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: Chambliss followed a solid evening in the tight win over Louisville with an crisp showing opposite Charlotte. He went 23-of-26 with 225 yards and two scores. The bigger story is Chambliss and Ole Miss host Leavitt and LSU—coached by former Ole Miss boss Lane Kiffin—in Week 3.
Rocco Becht, Penn State: During wins against Marshall and Temple, the Iowa State transfer has connected on 34-of-45 attempts with 537 yards and seven touchdowns to zero interceptions. Becht may have another big game on the horizon as Penn State hosts Buffalo.
5. Jayden Maiava, QB, USC
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Thanks to USC opening its season in Week 0, Jayden Maiava has compiled the most impressive stats in the country at this point.
Altogether, he's completed 67-of-83 passes for 896 yards—a sharp 10.8-yard average per attempt—with 10 touchdowns and a lone interception. Maiava has also scored once on the ground, leading the Trojans to a 3-0 start.
That, of course, was the expectation with games against San Jose State, Fresno State and Louisiana. USC should be 4-0 after playing at Rutgers this week, too.
The real tests are looming soon.
Beginning in Week 4, the Trojans host Oregon and Washington before traveling to Penn State. What happens during that stretch will have a significant impact on Maiava's place in the Heisman hierarchy.
4. Arch Manning, QB, Texas
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Remove the emotion of Texas' wild comeback to shock Ohio State, and Arch Manning didn't have an incredible day overall.
While hitting 23-of-37 passes, he passed for 195 yards—just 5.3 per attempt—with one touchdown. The interception took a freaky carom and wasn't his fault, although he slightly overthrew a likely touchdown in the first place.
Yet when the Longhorns needed a spark, he excelled.
Beginning with a key fourth-down conversion late in the third quarter, Manning went 11-of-15 for 127 yards with a score through the end of the game. His mobility made a key difference down the stretch, too.
Propelling a 20-point surge to beat the nation's top-ranked team is a heck of a bullet point on a Heisman résumé.
Texas is set to host UTSA in Week 3.
3. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
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Following his record-setting performance in the opening demolition of Stanford, Malachi Toney had another solid day.
Toney reeled in four passes for 96 yards and a touchdown as Miami steamrolled lower-division Florida A&M 77-7. He added a 22-yard punt return, then stayed on the sideline for the whole second half.
Wake Forest, he's your problem now.
Given that Purdue just threw for 329 yards against Wake's secondary, Toney may have another explosive performance in store on Friday night.
Toney enters the contest with 16 receptions for 330 yards and four scores.
2. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
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The result didn't go Ohio State's way. Jeremiah Smith, nevertheless, was clearly the most talented player on the field.
Smith nabbed three passes on the Buckeyes' first touchdown drive, snared a 43-yard reception to set up a field goal and punctuated a dominant opening half with a 19-yard touchdown. He ended with eight catches for 164 yards and that score.
The loss stings. Objectively true.
However, the danger zone in Heisman Trophy voting historically is around three losses. I'll reassess if OSU crumbles, but that's not a factor today.
Smith, who's posted 16 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns, narrowly edges out Toney due to peak competition level.
1. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
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Almost perfect. Again.
Darian Mensah completed 27-of-30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns during the Week 1 demolition of Stanford. Then, against FAMU, he went 14-of-15 with 252 yards and three scores.
So far, Mensah leads the nation with a 91.1 completion rate, is second at 14.5 yards per attempt and tied for third with eight touchdown passes.
You could literally ask for more, but—practically speaking—he's been flawless.
While road games must always be respected, Friday's trip to Wake Forest looks favorable on paper for Mensah, Toney and the 'Canes.
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