The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding player in college football.
Fernando Mendoza won the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 2025, becoming the first player in Indiana Hoosiers history to win the award.
Mendoza led Indiana to an undefeated regular season, capped off by a 27-21 victory over the Miami Hurricanes to win the first NCAA Football National Championship in school history.
In 2025, Mendoza passed for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns (Most in Division 1) while completing 72.0 percent of passes.
2026 Heisman Trophy Odds
CJ Carr | Arch Manning | ||
Dante Moore | Darian Mensah | ||
Julian Sayin | Trinidad Chambliss | ||
Jeremiah Smith | Josh Hoover | ||
Gunner Stockton | Sam Leavitt | ||
Jayden Maiava | John Mateer |
With Mendoza gone (Selected first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders), a number of quarterbacks will all be competing for the Heisman Trophy.
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is the favorite to win the Heisman in 2026, rising above Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
Carr had a productive freshman season with the fighting Irish, passing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. With running backs Jeremiyah Love (Third in 2025 Heisman voting) and Jadarian Price now in the NFL, the Fighting Irish offense will lean significantly more on Carr in 2026.
Arch Manning is the second favorite to win the Heisman this season. Nephew of NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch has been one of the most highly touted prospects for the majority of his career. Arch has shown flashes of his NFL caliber talent, but is yet to put it all together over the course of a season.
Dante Moore, Darian Mensah, Julian Sayin and Trinidad Chambliss are the next tier of quarterbacks in the Heisman race. All four players have showcased their abilities, but will need to be nearly perfect to lift the prized Heisman Trophy at the end of the season.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith holds the best odds of any non-quarterback. The X-receiver possesses elite body control, a big frame, and soft hands, which has drawn comparisons to NFL legends Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones. In 2025, Smith recorded 87 receptions for 1,243 yards (fourth-most in Division 1) and 12 touchdowns, finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Other players with a the Heisman race to start the season are Josh Hoover, Gunner Stockton, Sam Leavitt, Jayden Maiava, and John Mateer.
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Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
