Keelon Russell, the Alabama quarterback, officially just became the betting favorite for the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Dude absolutely went off this past Saturday, leading the No. 7 Crimson Tide to a monster 56-23 road win against the No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs, and that performance was enough to put him ahead of Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith.
Russell Is Absolutely Unstoppable Right Now
Talk about an impressive performance, huh? Russell was surgical against Mississippi State, going 16-of-22 for 285 yards and three touchdowns through the air. And if that wasn’t enough, he added another 16 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. This sophomore signal-caller has Bama sitting pretty at 5-0. But here’s the real kicker: he’s been absolutely lights out in their last three games. We’re talking wins over Florida State, South Carolina, and Mississippi State. According to Bryan Fischer over at Sports Illustrated, Russell has been “nearly perfect” in that stretch, piling up an insane 13 total touchdowns and zero, count ’em, ZERO interceptions. That’s why he’s sitting at +350 odds, just barely edging out Jeremiah Smith at +360.
Heisman Race Tightens at the Top, But Others Are Falling
While Russell is doing his best to run away with it, not everyone’s Heisman stock is soaring. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor, for example, saw his chances take a serious hit after the loss to Alabama. Taylor came into Saturday’s game having thrown 14 touchdown passes against just two interceptions on the season. He still managed to throw for 258 yards and three scores against the Tide, but he also threw two picks, including one that got returned for a pick-six. That’s a tough blow for a Heisman contender.
Right now, the race is starting to get some clear separation. You’ve got Russell leading the pack, then Smith, followed by Darian Mensah (+500) from Miami (Fla.) and CJ Carr (+700) from Notre Dame. That’s four guys at 7-1 odds or better. Then Trinidad Chambliss (+1100) and Jadan Baugh (+1300) round out the six players at 13-1 or better. After Baugh, the next group is way down at 30-1. So yeah, Russell’s looking like the guy to beat, but Smith, Mensah, and Carr are all leading undefeated teams and looking like serious national title contenders themselves. This Heisman battle is heating up, and every single snap matters from here on out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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