How Did Recent Heisman Winners Fare In Week 1? Let’s Take A Look

This time in 2025, Fernando Mendoza was neither a favorite nor a long shot for the Heisman Trophy. He was a known commodity after starting at California, but the then-first-year Hoosier wasn’t exactly considered a serious challenger for the Heisman in August of 2025.

That did not change after his first start for Indiana, a workmanlike performance that saw him complete 18-of-31 passes for 193 yards while rushing for 33 yards and a score in a 27-14 win over Old Dominion.

Solid but unremarkable. The remarkable would soon come — including fourteen touchdown passes without an interception in his next three games. A win over No. 5 Oregon two weeks later turned up Mendoza’s Heisman buzz to 11.

That got us thinking about which recent season-opening performances by soon-to-be Heisman winners were on the nondescript side. Turns out, not many.

In 2024, Colorado’s Travis Hunter kicked off his Heisman season with seven receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns to go with three tackles at corner. This was decidedly non-nondescript for a DB dabbling at receiver, even against North Dakota State.

In 2023, LSU’s Jayden Daniels split the difference. In a marquee matchup against No. 4 Florida State, Daniels threw for 346 yards and a score and ran for 64 yards in his debut as a Tiger, but also tossed an interception in a three-touchdown loss. Call that a wash. But Daniels was already an established candidate, so that wasn’t a particular ding.

Similarly in 2022, Caleb Williams was already a ready-made Heisman candidate after a strong freshman season at Oklahoma. He debuted for USC by directing the Trojans’ to a 66-14 win over Rice. He completed 19-of-22 passes for 249 yards and two scores while running for 68 yards against an overmatched foe. For a week one performance by a leading Heisman hopeful, Williams certainly held serve.

Then there is Bryce Young’s 2021 season-opener. Already a heavy pre-season fave, Young wasted no time solidifying that status with a brilliant performance in a 44-13 win over No. 14 Miami. He completed 27-of-38 passes for 344 yards and four touchdowns.

Alabama’s DeVonta Smith wasn’t a long shot in 2020 as much as a Hail Mary, if considered at all. But sometimes, Hail Mary passes are caught, usually by a receiver like Smith.

In a season bent into a pretzel by Covid, Smith’s season-opener was a Sept. 26 road game at Missouri. He caught eight passes for 89 yards and was credited with one rush for minus-12 yards. The Crimson Tide won 38-19. Great game, but not enough to move the Heisman needle for a receiver.

Two weeks later, Smith caught 13 passes for 164 yards and a score at Ole Miss and notched his lone rushing TD of the season. The second half of the 2020 campaign saw him put up weekly video game numbers on a dominant ‘Bama team. Week 1 Smith had become a Heisman favorite by December.

Last week, the Heisman Trophy unveiled the Heisman Hopefuls and the accompanying Heisman Hopefuls Fan Vote.

The emphasis is that players at all positions have the opportunity to be a Heisman Hopeful and the new site provides season-long analytics and a story-telling platform to give fans the opportunity to weigh in on deserving candidates.

There are hundreds of players awaiting the season-opener. Hundreds who will have a breakout game. Hundreds who could become a Heisman Hopeful.

They may not show their cards in Week 1, which is part of the fun. But we’ll be watching closely and cannot wait to look back at the unfolding story that took the 2026 trophy-winner from hopeful to winner.