Way-too-early look at the 2026 Heisman Trophy race

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the No. 1 Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 record and their first Big Ten title since 1967, won the 91st Heisman Trophy Saturday night.

Mendoza beat out quarterbacks Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) and Julian Sayin (Ohio State) as well as running back Jeremiah Love (Notre Dame) to win the trophy in a ceremony in New York.

Mendoza, who played two seasons at California before joining the Hoosiers this season, completed 71.5 percent of his pass attempts for 2,980 yards with 39 total touchdowns.

He was only Indiana’s second Heisman Trophy finalist. Running back Anthony Thompson was runner-up to Houston quarterback Andre Ware in one of the closest votes in 1989.

With Mendoza, Pavia and Love expected to join the NFL after this season, who are the top Heisman Trophy candidates for 2026?

In listing potential candidates, I predicted that quarterbacks John Mateer (Oklahoma), Ty Simpson (Alabama), and Dante Moore (Oregon); receivers Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Zachariah Branch (Georgia) and Makai Lemon (USC); and running back Emmett Johnson (Nebraska) will turn pro (along with this year’s aforementioned finalists).

Here’s a look at some of the top potential contenders (in no particular order):

Statistics 2025: 80 catches, 1,086 receiving yards, 12 total touchdowns

Smith’s number of acrobatic one-handed catches continues to grow, and he has arguably been the best player in college football this season. He was the fastest Buckeyes player to reach career highs of 2,000 receiving yards (24 games), 100 catches (20), and 25 touchdown receptions (25).

Statistics 2025: 78.4 PCT completion%, 3,323 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, 6 interceptions

Sayin could have won the Heisman Trophy this season if Ohio State’s offense hadn’t faltered in its 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game. In his first season as a starter, Sayin is on pace to break the NCAA single-season pass completion record of 77.4%, set by Oregon’s Bo Nix in 2023.

Statistics 2025: 70.7% PCT completed, 2,691 passing yards, 442 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns

In his first full season as Georgia’s starting quarterback, Stockton helped the Bulldogs to a 12-1 record and an SEC title. His legs and right arm were a big reason why the Bulldogs averaged 31.9 points, despite a myriad of injuries on the offensive line. Stockton was at his best when the game was on the line – he completed 86% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and one interception in the fourth quarter against ranked opponents.

Statistics 2025: 84 receptions, 970 receiving yards, 7 receiving touchdowns

Toney’s teammates call him “Baby Jesus,” and the true freshman delivered a strong performance in his first season with the No. 10 Hurricanes. He ranks sixth in the FBS with 84 catches and 1,328 all-purpose yards. Toney even threw in two scores. Not bad for an 18-year-old who would be in his final year if he hadn’t been reclassified in the 2025 class.

Statistics 2025: 61.4% completion percentage, 2,942 passing yards, 32 total touchdowns

Even after all the concerns about Manning being overrated early in the season, the former five-star recruit ended up putting together a good campaign, throwing for 2,942 yards with 24 touchdowns. The No. 13 Longhorns need to find offensive linemen (he’s been sacked 23 times) and receivers to help him in 2026.

Statistics 2025: 65.5% PCT completed, 3,016 passing yards, 24 total touchdowns

Ole Miss officials submitted a waiver to the NCAA on Chambliss’s behalf for another season of eligibility. He played his first three seasons at Division II Ferris State before transferring to Ole Miss this year. He was named SEC Newcomer of the Year after taking over the starting job in the third game of the season.

Statistics 2025: 1,560 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns

A transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, Hardy led the FBS with 130 rushing yards per game and was No. 2 with 1,560 total rushing yards. He had eight 100-yard games for the Tigers, including a huge 300-yard effort with three touchdowns in a 49-27 win over Mississippi State on November 15.

Statistics 2025: 61.8% completion percentage, 2,932 passing yards, 466 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns

Reed announced this week that he plans to stay at Texas A&M next season, which is great news for the No. 7 Aggies. He was a threat with the ball in his hands, throwing for 2,932 yards with 25 touchdowns and rushing for 466 yards with six scores. His decision-making needs to continue to improve, so he can reduce his 10 interceptions.

Statistics 2025: 63.6% completion percentage, 3,117 passing yards, 20 total touchdowns

There’s a reason new Bears coach Tosh Lupoi took an overnight flight to Hawai’i to make sure Sagapolutele stayed at Cal. He was only the second true freshman in FBS history to pass for 200 yards or more in each of his first 11 starts. In the Bears’ late-season upsets of then-No. 1. 21 SMU and No. 15 Louisville, Sagapolutele passed for 653 total yards with six touchdowns and no picks.

Statistics 2025: 1,279 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns

After transferring from Missouri, Lacy helped the No. 6 Rebels win 11 games in the regular season for the first time. He ranks No. 2 in the FBS with 20 rushing touchdowns and accumulated 1,279 rushing yards. Will he follow former coach Lane Kiffin to LSU or stay with the Rebels in 2026?

Statistics 2025: 66.2% completion percentage, 3,431 passing yards, 29 total touchdowns

If Maiava returns to the No. 16 Trojans for another season, he will likely flourish in Lincoln Riley’s offense. This year he has totaled 3,431 yards with 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He ranks No. 1 with a total QBR of 91.2. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished second in the FBS with 26 significant throws. (A big throw is defined as a pass of great difficulty and value.)

Statistics 2025: 1,035 rushing yards, 6 total touchdowns

Jackson became the fifth true freshman in OSU history to produce a 1,000-yard season, joining Robert Smith (1990), Maurice Clarett (2002), JK Dobbins (2017) and TreVeyon Henderson (2021). It’s a good company. And of course, he would be the second Bo Jackson to win a stiff-armed trophy.

Statistics 2025: 70.2% PCT completed, 4,129 passing yards, 36 total touchdowns

Mestemaker is one of the best stories in college football. He didn’t start a single game in high school, then joined North Texas as a backup. This season, he led the FBS with 4,129 passing yards, helping him win the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top backup. Will he join former Mean Green coach Eric Morris at Oklahoma State in 2026?

CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame

2025 begins: 66.6% PCT completion, 2,741 passing yards, 24 TDs

Irish Fighters coach Marcus Freeman put Carr in charge of his attack after a heated battle in pre-season camp. The decision paid off, as Carr turned in one of the best performances by a rookie in Notre Dame history. He threw at least one touchdown in each of his first 12 starts, becoming the first Irish player to do so since Everett Golson in 2012-14. Carr’s 24 passing touchdowns are tied for the most in the first 12 starts by a Notre Dame player since 1966.

Statistics 2025: 70% PCT completion, 2,850 passing yards, 595 rushing yards, 27 total touchdowns

Williams is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the FBS, and his running and throwing ability was on display in the Huskies’ 38-19 win over Rutgers on Oct. 10. He became the first player in school history to pass for at least 400 yards (400) and rush for at least 100 (136) in the same game. Williams was second on the team with 595 rushing yards.

Others to watch: Sam Leavitt, QB, TBD; Cam Coleman, WR, Auburn; Brendan Sorsby, quarterback, Cincinnati; Josh Hoover, QB, TCU; Darian Mensah, QB, Duke; Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia; LJ Martin, RB, BYU; Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU; LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina; Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan