2026 Heisman Watch: Ranking 6 Top Heisman Trophy Candidates Entering October

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Who will win the Heisman Trophy this season? The 2026 Heisman Watch took a turn in Week 4, with front-runner Trinidad Chambliss and the Ole Miss Rebels losing in The Swamp. It once again creates a wide-open battle for the most coveted individual trophy in sports as we prepare for Week 5.

Let’s dive into our rankings of the Heisman Trophy candidates entering October.

1. Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor would be our leader in the clubhouse for the Heisman Trophy right now. In the victory over Missouri (31-24), he put up a season-high 360 passing yards while maintaining a 71.1 percent completion rate and delivered three touchdowns through the air. It marked Mississippi State’s first win in a top-25 matchup since 2024 and it came with Taylor responding to a 24-17 deficit at the end of the third quarter with 10 unanswered points, including a go-ahead touchdown pass with 3:57 left in the game. Taylor has carried the Bulldogs to a 4-0 mark and when you consider the expectations for the program coming into the season, that puts him on top for us. If the Bulldogs can beat Alabama this Saturday, it’s safe to assume that view will be sahred.

• Kamario Taylor stats 2026 (ESPN): 1,192 passing yards, 14-2 TD-INT, 69.2% completion rate, 9.9 ypa, 8 sacks taken, 185 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 87.1 QBR

2. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State Buckeyes

While Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is arguably the best player in college football, eye-popping numbers haven’t been a thing for him in recent years. It’s simply a result of all the talent on the Buckeyes offense and the team’s tendency to win big. That changed in Week 4, with the All-American putting up career-highs in receiving yards (217) and receiving touchdowns (four). He now leads the nation in receiving yards (617) and is tied for the lead in touchdowns (seven). Set to face the 14th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 5, Smith could become Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions (10 catches needed) and touchdowns (2 touchdowns needed).

• Jeremiah Smith stats 2026 (ESPN): 33 receptions, 617 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns and 18.7 yards per reception

3. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami Hurricanes

Week 4 marked the third time this season that Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah either had as many or more total touchdowns (four) than incompletions (four). It also was his third game with a 90-plus ESPN QBR, explaining why he has a 1.1-point advantage over the second-closest quarterback (Julian Sayin, 92.8) and an even bigger edge over Gunner Stockton (90.6).

While Mensah hasn’t played a ranked opponent this season, his numbers two weeks ago versus Wake Forest (30-of-34, 220 yards and 3 touchdowns) now look more impressive considering the Demon Deacons are 3-1 after winning at Louisville this past Saturday. Mensah will keep piling up the numbers, but he’ll need to ball out on Nov. 11 at Notre Dame to be viewed as a potential front-runner for the Heisman.

• Darian Mensah stats 2026 (ESPN): 1,211 passing yards, 14-0 TD-INT, 88.7% completion rate, 11.4 ypa, 2 sacks taken, 52 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 93.9 QBR

4. Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida Gators

We listed Jadan Baugh among our top Heisman Trophy candidates last week and then he went out and put up 154 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in a win over Ole Miss. Baugh isn’t going to replicate the insane numbers that Ashton Jeanty put up when he finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, so taking home the award probably isn’t going to happen. With that said, he’s the offensive centerpiece for a 4-0 Gators team and he’s one of only two running backs (Nate Sheppard) with 70-plus carries to be averaging at elast 7 yards per attempt this season.

• Jadan Baugh stats 2026 (ESPN): 600 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 7.2 yards per carry

Related: Winners, Losers from Ole Miss vs Florida

5. Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama Crimson Tide

Keelon Russell has arrived. In his first year as the Alabama Crimson Tide starting quarterback, Russell has brought life to an offense that desperately needed a spark. The sophomore got off to a shaky start to begin the year, averaging just 222 passing yards per game with an 8.4 yards-per-attempt average and a 1-2 TD-INT ratio with five sacks taken. In the last two games at home against Florida State and South Carolina, Russell has put up 685 passing yards (342.5 pass ypg), completed 77.2% of his passes and scored nine total touchdowns (7-0 TD-INT) with 91 rushing yards all while averaging 12 yards per pass attempt. If he can outduel Kamario Taylor and win at Mississippi State on Saturday, Russell might be the new favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

• Keelon Russell stats 2026 (ESPN): 1,129 passing yards, 8-2 TD-INT, 70.9% completion rate, 10.3 ypa, 8 sacks taken, 168 rushing yards, 3 rush TD, 89.0 QBR

6. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss Rebels

The last two weeks highlight how quickly things can change in the Heisman Watch. Trinidad Chambliss sat atop the leaderboard last weekend after beating Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers. Now, coming off a loss in The Swamp, Chambliss and the Ole Miss Rebels are tumbling down the rankings. Chambliss (398 passing yards, 73.5% completion rate, 3 total touchdowns and 1 interception) wasn’t bad against Florida but no Kewan Lacy and a horrendous performance from Mississippi’s defense made winning impossible. With Texas and Georgia still on the schedule, two more losses would likely take Chambliss out of Heisman consideration entirely.

• Trinidad Chambliss stats 2026 (ESPN): 1,222 passing yards, 8-3 TD-INT, 70.8% completion rate, 8.5 ypa, 4 sacks taken, 108 rush yards, 4 rush TDs, 85.6 QBR

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