Heisman Hopefuls Entering Week 3
Reviewing the state of the Heisman race in September is a lot like getting ready to make a blood donation — both require temperature and pulse checks that are typically low-stake endeavors.
There’s also a strong hydration component, but that’s just good advice whether you are rolling up your sleeve to donate blood or to review dozens of college football players’ early September honors resumes.
And for any readers in the Big Ten footprint (which now spans coast to coast), the conference is currently holding a blood drive and the school with the most registered donations wins a $1 million grant. Click here to learn more about the drive, which features 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart as a spokesman.
There is no bigger storyline in the Week 3 schedule then No. 8 Ole Miss hosting No. 7 LSU and its previous coach, who needs no introduction.
But let’s introduce Rebel QB Trinidad Chambliss, who finished eighth in last year’s Heisman voting. After leading Ole Miss on a CFP run in 2025, he’s returned just as sharp. He has completed 71% of his passes for 561 yards and five TDs during a 2-0 start, which includes a win over ranked Louisville in the season-opener.
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As a weekly reminder, college football fans can now vote on a daily basis at hopefuls.heisman.com and have their vote count at the end of the season. The fan vote uses a season-long weighted model, developed in partnership with the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center, that gives greater weight to votes cast later in the year as the body of work grows and conference races intensify.
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LSU is led by first-year transfer QB Sam Leavitt, who has thrown for 574 yards on 41-of-66 passing. He’s thrown four interceptions, but has countered it with 135 rushing yards and five TDs in two games.
The first ranked team in action this week sees No. 5 Miami play at Wake Forest on Friday, which gives Hurricane QB Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney another spotlight.
Mensah followed a huge opener with a 14-of-15 performance for 252 yards and 3 TDs against overmatched Florida A&M. But going 14-of-15 is even hard to do in your backyard against your younger sibling. Mensah is second nationally in QB rating (271.67) and has completed 91.1% of his passes in two games with eight TD passes. Four have gone to the sophomore Toney, who is averaging 165 yards and eight receptions a game.
Also on Friday is meeting between ranked foes Houston and Texas Tech, who oddly both boast early-season wins over Oregon State. Tech running back J’Koby Williams is 25th nationally in rushing yards per game (93.5) and has two scores on the season.
More interesting is that Beaver players currently lead national categories in yards passing and receiving per game after losses to two ranked teams. OSU Braden Atkinson leads the passing category and his receiver Jesse Legree leads in yards receiving.
Three USC QBs have won Heisman Trophies. Current Trojan signal caller Jayden Maiava is trying to become the fourth and has USC 3-0, albeit against modest competition. Still, Maiava is completing 80% of his passes for 896 yards with a nation-leading 10 touchdown passes with just one interception. An 0-2 Rutgers team is next before USC takes on Oregon.
A humbled Ohio State, fresh off a come-from-ahead loss at Texas, will look to get right against intra-state rival Kent State. Heisman 2025 Top 10 vote-getters Julian Sayin at QB and Jeremiah Smith at WR are both very much in the middle of any 2026 Heisman discussion. Smith is fifth nationally in receiving yards per game and has three scoring grabs.
Oklahoma State, which humbled Oregon last week with a massive upset, features a rising Drew Mestemaker at QB. After an ugly Week 1 loss at Tulsa, Mestemaker and the Cowboys had nowhere go but up. But they blew off the roof with their Week 2 win as Mestemaker threw for 317 yards and two scores while rushing for 109 and another score, directing an upset of the Ducks.
Notre Dame, led by QB CJ Carr, has totaled a 93-13 scoring edge in wins over Wisconsin and Rice and gets 2-0 Michigan State this week. Carr’s numbers are modest, pulled early in blowout wins, but he does have 492 passing yards and six TDs without an interception. The Fighting Irish will have to contend with Spartan running back Cam Edwards, sixth nationally while averaging 125 yards per game.
Arch Manning, who directed the Longhorn comeback against Ohio State, has been solid for Texas. The pressure will only mount, but he’s off to a solid start on the field.
Duke running back Nate Sheppard is attracting attention with his strong start, averaging a nation-leading 187 yards in two games. He rushed for 147 yards and a score and caught another five passes for 41 yards and two scores in the Blue Devils’ win at Illinois last week. That followed a 227-yard effort in a season-opening win over Tulane.
Florida RB Jadan Baugh is tied with Navy QB Braxton Woodson for second nationally in yards per game (148.00), leading a group of ground-gainers looking to make a dent in the Heisman tabulations.
