Okay, so Fernando Mendoza absolutely ran away with the 2025 Heisman, then led Indiana to a perfect 16-0 season, snagged a national championship, and went first overall to the Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. What a ride! But forget last year’s hero, because now the 2026 Heisman race is officially *wide open*, and believe me, it’s already heating up with some ridiculous performances. While guys like Miami teammates Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney have made their early mark, and Trinidad Chambliss is making waves after a historic performance against his old coach, Lane Kiffin, and LSU, it was Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith who just straight-up STAMPED his case on Saturday. This dude is gunning to be the first pass-catcher since DeVonta Smith to hoist that trophy, and the latest FanDuel Sportsbook odds confirm it.
Jeremiah Smith Just Torched Defenses, period.
You guys gotta see what Jeremiah Smith did on Saturday against Illinois. He was absolutely unbelievable, putting up a historical output that immediately shoved him to the top of the Heisman odds. Smith shattered his previous receiving yards record, going off for a staggering 217 yards! Get this: he hauled in his first career three touchdown game *before halftime*, racking up 150 receiving yards in the first half alone. He finished the game with four touchdown catches, becoming only the fifth Ohio State wide receiver ever to do that, grabbing one early in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. Remember when he had 187 receiving yards as a true freshman in that Rose Bowl win over Oregon? That was his career high until Saturday. He’s already at 605 yards on the season, and it’s all highlight plays. He made Illinois defensive back Mac Resetich look absolutely silly on a 72-yard touchdown, and then went up to win two insane jump balls on fade routes in the red zone. The dude went from +1000 and third place to the +320 favorite, just like that.
Chambliss and Mensah Are Right There Too
But don’t sleep on the rest of the field! Trinidad Chambliss has been on fire. He rocketed from being the +1300 fifth choice to an early +300 Heisman favorite (though the latest odds have him at +430, still an incredible jump!) after leading Ole Miss to a huge 32-24 win over No. 7 LSU. That’s a signature victory, you know? He completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a potential early-season Heisman moment against his former coach, Lane Kiffin. Chambliss made the gutsy call to stay in Oxford rather than follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge, and that decision is definitely paying off on the early Heisman Trophy oddsboard. Then there’s Darian Mensah. His Miami career couldn’t have started much better. He immediately silenced the doubters by throwing for 401. Yeah, that’s how you make a statement!
The Heisman Race is ON!
So, with Smith leading the charge at +320, Chambliss close behind at +430, and Mensah at +440, this Heisman race is shaping up to be epic. Other contenders like Kamario Taylor (+850), CJ Carr (+1400), and Malachi Toney (+1600) are in the mix, with Julian Sayin, Arch Manning, and Keelon Russell all sitting at +2500. Jayden Maiava and Gunner Stockton round out the board at +3500. Fernando Mendoza’s shoes are big ones to fill, but these guys are showing they’re ready for the challenge. You gotta keep watching these guys every Saturday, because with performances like these, who knows who’s going to step up next and make their move toward New York City in December!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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