College football Week 5 players to watch: Many of the Heisman favorites will take the field in the first weekend of October

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Most of the early-season Heisman favorites are in action in Week 5.

Though players like Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss (+1200 to win the Heisman at BetMGM) and Texas QB Arch Manning (+3000) are on bye weeks this Saturday, seven of the top eight favorites all take the field.

Here's a look at how the Heisman race is shaping up heading into October as the stars of college football are our players to watch for Week 5.

  • No. 1 Ohio State at No. 14 Iowa (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS/DIRECTV)

The most dominant wide receiver in college football took over as the Heisman favorite following the Buckeyes' win over Illinois. Smith had 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns as he outscored Illinois by himself in the 42-19 win.

Smith has scored a touchdown in three of Ohio State's four games so far this season, and his "worst" game of the year came against Kent State when he had five catches for 85 yards in the first half of the Buckeyes' 59-3 win. Overall, he has 33 catches for 617 yards and seven scores. No other Ohio State player has more than 13 catches, 165 yards or two touchdowns.

A big game against Iowa will further solidify Smith's status as the early-October favorite, barring some surprises elsewhere on Saturday.

  • No. 4 Miami at Clemson (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC/DIRECTV)

The Duke transfer is posting an absurd completion percentage so far this season. Mensah has completed nearly 89% of his passes as he's 94-of-106 passing for 1,211 yards and 14 TDs with no interceptions. He's averaging over 11 yards per attempt and has thrown for over 300 yards a game even though he hasn't played in every quarter of the Hurricanes' four games so far this season.

A big game against the Tigers will likely establish Mensah as the top quarterback favorite for the Heisman — especially since Miami's game against Clemson is the biggest game of the evening on Saturday night. Clemson may not be the power that it once was, but there's not another prime-time game that will have the billing to challenge this ACC matchup for the most-watched of the evening.

  • No. 7 Alabama at No. 16 Mississippi State (Noon ET, ABC/DIRECTV)

Smith could have another 200-yard game and Mensah could throw more touchdowns than incompletions and there is a world where Taylor is the Heisman favorite late Saturday night if the Bulldogs beat the Crimson Tide.

Along with the quarterback on the other sideline on Saturday, Taylor has been the breakout star of September. As Mississippi State has started 4-0 for a second straight season, Taylor is 83-of-120 passing for 1,192 yards and 14 TDs with just two interceptions. He's also rushed for 185 yards and one score after he ran for eight in limited playing time a season ago.

While Taylor's stats have been great, his ability to generate viral highlights with his throws is a big reason why he's become so popular so far this season. Taylor has one of the strongest arms in college football, and he's been incredibly accurate too. If he produces a few highlights against Alabama … watch out.

  • No. 3 Notre Dame at North Carolina (Noon ET, ESPN/DIRECTV)

Is Carr still high on this list because of Notre Dame's expectation of an undefeated season? His play has been very good, but he's also attempted just one more pass than Mensah has completed through the first four weeks of the season.

Carr is 67-of-95 passing for 963 yards and nine touchdowns with one interception this season. He ranks 40th in passing yards, 24th in completion percentage and is tied for 21st in touchdown passes.

Notre Dame is still running the ball more than it throws it in 2026, but this is also an offense that isn't nearly as effective on the ground as it was a season ago. The Irish are averaging just 4.1 yards a carry so far after earning 5.7 yards a rush in 2025. That plays into Carr's Heisman chances, especially if he carries the offense in games against Miami and BYU later in the year.

  • No. 8 Florida at No. 25 Missouri (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/DIRECTV)

Baugh has become a star as the Gators have ascended to No. 8 in the AP Top 25 after a 4-0 start. Baugh rushed 220 times for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025 as a sophomore and has already surpassed that touchdown mark while being on pace to obliterate his yardage total.

Baugh has 83 carries for 600 yards and 11 scores through the first four games of the season. That's over 7 yards a carry, and he's rushed for no fewer than 136 yards in any of Florida's first four games. After 14 carries in each of Florida's non-conference games, Baugh has been a bell-cow back in SEC play. He had 26 carries for 162 yards and three scores against Auburn, and carried the ball 29 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns against Ole Miss. Unless Florida really puts the game out of reach early, he's likely to have more than 20 carries against Mizzou.

  • No. 7 Alabama at No. 16 Mississippi State (Noon ET, ABC/DIRECTV)

It's been clear why Russell won Alabama's offseason quarterback competition through the first month of the season. Russell is 78-of-110 passing for 1,129 yards and doubled his touchdown total with four touchdown passes in a blowout win over South Carolina in Week 4.

He's also been a threat on the ground, even if his rushing stats are only 32 carries for 168 yards and three touchdowns. Russell's ability to force defenses to respect his running ability has helped open up an Alabama run game that was stuck in neutral in 2025. The Tide are averaging nearly 5 yards a carry as a team and four different players have rushed for at least three scores.

It also helps that wideout Ryan Coleman-Williams has rebounded from a lackluster 2025 with 17 catches for 333 yards and three touchdowns so far.

  • No. 4 Miami at Clemson (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC/DIRECTV)

It's hard to be overshadowed with 34 catches for 564 yards and six touchdowns, but that's what happens when Smith is playing the way he is. Smith is also the Heisman favorite because oddsmakers don't think his quarterback has nearly as much of a chance for the award as Toney's. Ohio State QB Julian Sayin's odds are currently +3000 to win.

Toney has topped the 100-yard mark in three of Miami's four games and has scored at least one TD in each of them. Given that run, it'll be a surprise if he doesn't find the end zone Saturday night against Clemson.

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