Heisman Trophy Race: Darian Mensah Back In Pole Position

Will Despart November 5, 2026 Fact checked by: Matt Moreno No Comments

Jeremiah Smith retained his spot atop the list of Heisman Trophy race candidates for weeks, but Miami QB Darian Mensah made a move following Week 9 of the season.

For the first time in a handful of weeks, the Heisman Trophy race has been legitimately shaken up and you could even argue that a new frontrunner has emerged.

After Jeremiah Smith looked rather pedestrian in Ohio State’s decisive loss to USC last week, the conversation has shifted back in Darian Mensah’s favor as Miami continues to stack wins with the best offense in the country.

Darian Mensah #10 of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes passes the ball against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half at Stanford Stadium on September 04, 2026 in Stanford, California.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Malachi Toney’s injury is a major blow to his campaign and takes him off the ladder entirely, while West Virginia’s Michael Hawkins Jr. makes his first appearance this season thanks to his gaudy dual threat numbers.

Without further ado, let’s get into this week’s Heisman Ladder and break down what’s changed.

Ranking The Heisman Trophy Race Top Contenders Through Week 9

Recent Rankings: Oct. 29 | Oct. 22 | Oct. 15 | Oct. 8 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 24

QB Darian Mensah, Miami

There’s really no denying that Mensah has been the most consistent and reliable player in the country to this point, leading the nation’s most potent offense to the national-lead in both scoring and yards per game. Mensah’s 25 touchdown passes are tied for the national lead, he ranks eighth nationally with 2,425 passing yards and he’s only thrown 1 interception this season. With Toney down for at least the next few weeks, there’s even more pressure on Mensah to deliver in Miami’s biggest game of the season this weekend against Notre Dame. If he registers a performance like the ones we’ve seen from him all year, he could be a decisive favorite on next week’s ladder.

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WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

Last week I was still bullish on Smith’s Heisman chances even with Luke Fahey taking over at quarterback for the season in the wake of Julian Sayin’s injury, and while Fahey wasn’t particularly terrible in Ohio State’s loss to USC, it was abundantly clear he makes Smith job a lot more difficult than Sayin did. Smith registered 10 catches, but only tallied 83 yards and had a season-worst 8.3 yards per catch. Still, Smith ranks second nationally with both 1,067 yards and 13 touchdowns, and his 62 receptions ranks fifth nationally. Smith could easily retake the top spot on the ladder with a big performance against Oregon, but he also hasn’t hit the 100-yard mark in three games and it no longer feels set in stone that he’ll automatically turn in a Heisman-worthy performance.

QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame

CJ Carr hasn’t made an appearance on my ladder this season, but the fact he’s remained a top three favorite for the award based on betting odds all season long simply can’t be scoffed at. A win over Miami could give Carr an even more convincing case, but the Notre Dame signal caller has been one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the country with 18 passing touchdowns and just 1 interception. At home, Carr has completed 75% of his passes while throwing 7 touchdowns and zero interceptions, which is especially relevant this week since the Irish get Miami at home in South Bend.

QB Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia

Hawkins has come up as a name who will be one of the leading preseason favorites for the Heisman Trophy next season, but I’m going to give him the credit he deserves right now. There really hasn’t been a better dual threat quarterback in the country this season than Hawkins.  He’s thrown for 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns this season with just 2 interceptions, and he’s tallied 836 yards on the ground with 16 rushing touchdowns. The Mountaineers went through a rough patch with three losses in a row in late September and October, but consecutive wins over Cincinnati and TCU have them sitting at 5-3 and on the cusp of bowl eligibility.

QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

It’s hard to argue that Drew Mestemaker has put together the best tape of any quarterback through the start of November. So much so that he’d almost certainly be the first quarterback taken off the board if he decides to enter this year’s NFL draft. Mestemaker is tied with Mensah for the national lead with 25 touchdown passes, and his 2,649 passing yards ranks second nationally. The only thing really holding back Mestemaker’s candidacy is the fact that he’s thrown 7 interceptions this season, though five of those came in Oklahoma State’s first four games. Had Mestemaker started the season on a higher note than he did in a loss to Tulsa that gets harder and harder to fathom each week, he’d probably be right in the same neighborhood as Mensah and Carr in terms of odds in the Heisman Trophy race.

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