B/R's 2026 Heisman Trophy Odds and Rankings after Week 8

While superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State had a week off, Miami's standout duo of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney narrowed the gap in the 2026 Heisman Trophy race.

Behind them is an intriguing, ever-rotating cast of candidates that includes some big-name players, an ascending QB and a true freshman wideout.

Although the latest FanDuel odds are listed, the rankings are more subjective as a snapshot of this moment in the season.

Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss (+3000)

Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State (+4000)

Braden Atkinson, QB, Oregon State (+10000)

Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona : Week 9 is the moment for Fifita to demand a place in the conversation as 6-1 Arizona heads to Texas Tech. Right now, he lacks a signature game. But if the Cats win, Fifita's numbers—2,186 offensive yards and 21 total scores—would support his legitimacy.

Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU : Attrition has provided a second life for Leavitt, who faded from the Heisman radar because of a turnover-plagued start. However, he's totaled 2,487 yards and 25 touchdowns for 6-2 LSU. After an open weekend to end October, the Tigers face a gauntlet that includes Alabama, Texas and Tennessee.

Kenny Minchey, QB, Kentucky : As long as Kentucky keeps rolling, Minchey will hang around. He put up a modest line in the recent win over Vanderbilt, managing 226 total yards and two scores, but UK is now 7-1 entering its open week.

Devon Dampier, QB, Utah : It feels similar for Dampier and 7-0 Utah. Despite throwing two interceptions against Houston, he managed 204 yards through the air, with 150 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in a 21-13 escape. Dampier and the Utes travel to Cincinnati this weekend.

Michael Hawkins Jr., QB, West Virginia : Hawkins has shredded box scores all season for 5-3 West Virginia. While passing for 1,598 yards and 11 scores, he's scampered for 836 yards and an FBS-high 16 touchdowns. Hawkins' margin for error is thin, as team success has historically mattered. The Mountaineers have a brutal November ahead, but this production is gaudy.

Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia : The next three weekends will have a massive impact on Stockton's candidacy. After the upcoming annual neutral-site matchup with rival Florida, Georgia—which was idle last Saturday—plays at Ole Miss and hosts Missouri. All three SEC foes are currently ranked.

Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State : Mestemaker torched Colorado for 386 yards and four touchdowns in a 57-24 rout. He's second nationally with 2,326 passing yards, leading OSU to a 5-2 record with a trip to Iowa State looming.

Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss : In a 34-27 loss at Texas, Chambliss had a career-worst three interceptions. The performance dinged his résumé as the Rebels dipped to 5-2. Still, he's Ole Miss's most important player. The Rebels have reputation-restoring chances at home against Auburn and Georgia in the next two weeks.

Braden Atkinson, QB, Oregon State : Look, if everyone else is falling due to losses, someone has to rise, no? Atkinson has quietly excelled for a rising program, posting FBS-best marks of 2,604 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. This weekend's trip to Fresno State is huge for Oregon State's team upside—and, in turn, how high Atkinson may climb in award discussions.

Gio Lopez, QB, Wake Forest : Rested after an idle weekend, Lopez and the Demon Deacons host Virginia this Saturday. He's racked up 2,200 offensive yards and 23 touchdowns while propelling Wake to a 6-1 record.

Report Card Grades for Top 20 College Football QBs 📝

Last time out, CJ Carr and the Fighting Irish fell in a dramatic finish at BYU. The loss ended Notre Dame's 16-game unbeaten streak.

But the path to the College Football Playoff is still wide open.

Although an outstanding defense is ND's strength, Carr has provided a steady hand offensively. He's thrown for 1,639 yards and 16 touchdowns, with one interception, and added 82 yards and three scores on the ground.

Week 10's home showdown with top-ranked Miami is peeking over the horizon, but Notre Dame takes on Navy this Saturday.

In a true sign-of-the-times moment, Jesse Legree announced he will be staying at Oregon State for the 2027 season.

Nevertheless, the news was a welcome development for a program that had drifted in FBS purgatory after the Pac-12 crumbled. Legree, a typical 3-star talent who's turned into a national star as a freshman, will be the cornerstone of the Beavers' recruiting pitch moving forward.

Also, the season is barely half over. We're not handing out awards just yet.

Legree has reeled in 46 passes and stands atop the country with 1,040 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. Those are incredible numbers, but a matchup at Fresno State kicks off a challenging final stretch for OSU.

Nobody is unstoppable. Malachi Toney seems awfully close to it, though.

Last weekend, he shattered a Miami single-game record with 16 receptions while gashing Pitt for 194 yards and three scores.

The sophomore wideout has corralled an FBS-high 66 catches. That has gone for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns—both of which are third in the country, trailing only Oregon State's Legree and Ohio State's Smith.

North Carolina isn't elite, but the defense has yielded a modest 6.3 yards per pass attempt. Toney won't necessarily dominate UNC in a night game on the road.

At the same time, should we expect anything less?

Given how strongly Darian Mensah leans on Toney, should they be flipped? There's a good argument in favor of that.

Mensah, however, has been similarly fantastic for 7-0 Miami.

Boasting an FBS-best 81.4 percent completion rate and 10.5 yards per attempt, he's thrown for 2,151 yards and 22 touchdowns with a lone interception. Mensah has also chipped in 73 yards and two scores as a runner.

If the 'Canes dispatch UNC on Saturday, they'll create a Heisman-worthy moment for Mensah (and Toney) at Notre Dame in Week 10.

Toney and Mensah are rising. That is inarguable.

Nonetheless, Jeremiah Smith has reinforced his billing as the best player in the country so far. He fully deserves the Heisman front-runner label.

Julian Sayin's injury is a double-edged sword for Smith, though.

If he continues to thrive with a backup QB, his reputation only improves. Smith is talented enough to elevate the offense. But there's a very real, very understandable possibility that Ohio State struggles behind an inexperienced signal-caller and Smith's production suffers.

One way or another, those hypotheticals will start to get tested in Week 9 as the Buckeyes travel to USC and then enter a tough November slate.