The Heisman Trophy race is absolutely wild right now, with only six guys holding legitimate odds under 25-to-1. But the big story? Jeremiah Smith, the longtime favorite, might be on the ropes, and Darian Mensah just threw down a gauntlet against Pitt that’s impossible to ignore.
Smith’s Heisman Hope Hangs By A Thread
Look, Jeremiah Smith has been on an all-time heater this season. He’s got 52 catches for 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Over the last four games alone, he’s racked up 31 catches for 584 yards and nine scores, leading Ohio State in receiving in all seven contests. That’s insane production! But his Heisman odds are still at +110, and his lead is slipping for a massive reason: Julian Sayin, his starting quarterback, is out for the regular season and maybe even the postseason.
Now Smith has to build chemistry with a new starter, either Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair. Ryan Day is playing it close to the vest, but a bye week came at the right time. The pressure is on, though. Smith needs to carry this Ohio State offense into the Big Ten Championship completely unscathed. If not, his Heisman chances are in serious jeopardy. Next up, it’s a ranked road game at USC this Saturday at 7:30 PM ET. Talk about a proving ground.
Miami’s Dynamic Duo Just Blew The Roof Off
While Smith was on a bye, Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney were busy absolutely demolishing Pitt, putting up 52 points and 506 yards of offense in a huge win. This was Miami’s answer to anyone doubting them as the No. 1 team in the country, and it sent a clear message in the Heisman race.
Mensah, now at +300 odds, was lights out against Pitt. He tossed four touchdowns and 387 yards on a ridiculous 31-of-37 passing, hitting 83.8% completion with zero interceptions. For the season, he’s got 2,151 pass yards, 22 pass TDs, an 81.4% completion rate, and just one pick. That’s elite.
And then there’s Malachi Toney, sitting at +350 odds, who was just unguardable. He caught a career-high and program-record 16 receptions against Pitt, pulling in 194 yards and three of Mensah’s four touchdowns. In the first half alone, Toney had 12 catches for 157 yards and two scores. For the season, Toney has 66 receptions for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns, scoring in six of seven games and hitting 100-plus yards in five of them. This duo is electric.
Miami rolls into Chapel Hill this Saturday at 7:30 PM ET for a date with North Carolina. This could be a “letdown spot” for the Hurricanes, especially with Notre Dame coming up on November 7. UNC ranks 11th in coverage grades this season, so it looks like a challenge on paper. But something tells me Toney won’t see it that way. Plus, Mensah already had 175 passing yards and a touchdown in a 32-25 win at North Carolina last year with Duke.
The Heisman race is heating up, and with Mensah and Toney putting up monster numbers, Smith needs to be flawless. It’s all on the line this Saturday!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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