B/R's 2026 Heisman Trophy Odds and Rankings after Week 5
Jeremiah Smith is poised to leave Ohio State with a jam-packed trophy case. He's making a serious run at adding a Heisman Trophy to that collection.
Yes, two full months remain in the 2026 college football season. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is keeping pace. Alabama QB Keelon Russell is steadily bolstering his own résumé. The race is not close to finished.
But right now, we have an undisputed leader in Smith.
While the latest FanDuel odds are listed, the rankings are more subjective as a snapshot of this moment in the season.
Week 6 Heisman Odds
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- Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (-110)
- Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (+700)
- Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama (+700)
- CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame (+750)
- Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss (+1500)
- Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia (+3000)
- Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (+3000)
- Arch Manning, QB, Texas (+3000)
- Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State (+3500)
- Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State (+3500)
Odds via FanDuel.
On the Radar
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Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke: As the Blue Devils have notched a 4-0 start, Sheppard has totaled 714 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns. Duke, which has only ACC games remaining, plays at Georgia Tech in Week 6.
Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana: The transfer from TCU remains unblemished this season after throwing for 251 yards and four touchdowns in a 47-15 rout of Rutgers. Hoover has tossed 15 scores and committed zero turnovers for 5-0 Indiana, which travels to unbeaten Nebraska this Saturday.
Austin Simmons, QB, Missouri: Simmons is also an interception-less standout. He's passed for 1,287 yards and 13 touchdowns, most recently putting up 340 yards and two scores in a shocking 45-17 upset of Florida. Mizzou, now 4-1, is set to host Texas A&M.
Arch Manning, QB, Texas: Following an open weekend, Texas is heading to Dallas for its rivalry clash with Oklahoma. Although a win would keep the Longhorns in the championship race—and that is most important, of course—Manning will drift off the Heisman radar with another tepid box score.
Devon Dampier, QB, Utah: Dampier, similarly, had an extra week to prepare for what's next—which is Kansas. Utah leads 4-0 behind Dampier, who's thrown for 896 yards, rushed for 135 and scored 11 total touchdowns.
Next Players Up
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Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida: After a sensational day in a rout of Ole Miss, Baugh and Florida had a miserable afternoon at Mizzou. In the 45-17 loss, he mustered just 30 yards on 15 touches. Still, through five games, he's racked up 613 yards and an FBS co-leading 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia: Ho-hum, another comfy one. Stockton threw for 295 yards and three scores in a 38-14 win over Vanderbilt, pushing UGA to 5-0 ahead of a prime-time showdown with Alabama this Saturday.
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami: Clemson held Toney to 40 yards on five catches and a 19-yard run. Nevertheless, the 5-0 'Canes breezed to a 41-13 road victory. The major letdown was that Toney had a 58-yard touchdown called back due to a procedural penalty. Miami, off in Week 6, will return to host rival Florida State.
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State: Sayin completed 20-of-27 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns in a critical 31-14 win at Iowa. Smith deserves all the praise he's receiving, but don't forget Sayin's excellence. He's produced 1,530 yards and 13 scores this season. Ohio State, 4-1, has a trip to Maryland up next.
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: The rest of the Ole Miss schedule is a gauntlet overall, but a clash with Vanderbilt starts the journey. In theory, it should be a straightforward matchup for Chambliss and the Rebels.
5. Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State
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Bad day? For sure.
Alabama came to town and wrecked Mississippi State 56-23, neutralizing Kamario Taylor's running ability and forcing him into three turnovers. He finished with 258 hard-earned yards and three touchdowns as a passer.
So, the challenge is now the response. Taylor has an extra week to prepare for a tilt at 10th-ranked LSU, which has yielded just 5.9 yards per pass attempt.
Win there, and the Bulldogs are back on track.
Lose, however, and Taylor's gaudy numbers—1,609 offensive yards and 19 total touchdowns so far—won't carry as much weight as MSU's slipping record.
4. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
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North Carolina gave Notre Dame a scare to start the second half, but CJ Carr led three methodical scoring drives to seal a 37-26 win.
And exhale.
The victory pushed the No. 3 Fighting Irish to 5-0. Carr has quietly met expectations along the way. He's registered a 71.0 completion rate, throwing for 1,197 yards—at 9.7 per attempt—with 13 touchdowns to one interception. Carr has also chipped in three short rushing scores.
Notre Dame is a heavy favorite at home against Stanford in Week 6, but a showdown at unbeaten, eighth-ranked BYU looms the following Saturday.
3. Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama
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After a relatively quiet showing in Week 2's win at Kentucky, Russell has soared in the Heisman Trophy discussion.
The first-year starter has crested 300 offensive yards in three straight wins, throwing for three-plus touchdowns and running for another in each game. He totaled 301 yards and four scores at Mississippi State last weekend.
Good timing for a hot streak!
This weekend, Bama has No. 2 Georgia on the docket. Through five games, UGA's defense has ceded 5.7 yards per pass attempt—a top-10 mark nationally.
Russell is entering the biggest game of his young career on Saturday night.
2. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
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Rest in peace, absurd touchdown-to-incompletion ratio.
Entering the important Week 5 clash at Clemson, Darian Mensah had tallied 14 passing scores compared to only 12 uncaught attempts. He merely went 18-of-27 for 227 yards and a touchdown in the 41-13 road blowout.
That statistical anomaly aside, the game was uncomplicated. Mensah added 27 rushing yards and a score, propelling Miami to a 5-0 record.
Miami has an open Saturday ahead, then hosts Florida State in Week 7.
1. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
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We knew it was coming, but Jeremiah Smith is officially the most productive wide receiver in Ohio State history.
There's no shortage of recent superstars at the position.
In a 31-14 win at Iowa, Smith reeled in 11 passes for 206 yards and two scores. He became OSU's leader in both career receptions and touchdowns—two weeks after surpassing the program's all-time yardage mark.
Those accomplishments are nice, but they do not influence his Heisman standing.
On the other hand, Smith currently leads the FBS leaderboard with 44 catches, 823 yards and nine touchdowns. That certainly does the job.
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