Ohio State’s Dynamic Duo: Could These Two 2026 Heisman Contenders Change College Football Forever?

With the 2025 college football season tucked away, it’s hard not to start daydreaming about what 2026 has in store. It might feel like a distant dot on the calendar, but trust me—it’s sneaking up faster than you think. Everybody’s itching to see who’ll step into the spotlight and grab that elusive Heisman Trophy come next season. Vegas wasted no time throwing out their early bets, and sharp-eyed analysts have zeroed in on a handful of players who just might haul home that coveted bronze.

Take a glance at USA TODAY’s latest buzz, where Austin Cartright lays out his “way-too-early” shortlist of potential Heisman contenders. Ohio State, a program that’s produced finalists but not champed since Troy Smith, might finally have a couple of candidates ready to break through. Yep, two Buckeyes have caught Cartright’s eye—including a wide receiver and a quarterback—both primed to make waves. Now, while it’s a steep climb for a wideout to clinch the award, especially against a field dominated by QBs, it’s that unpredictability that keeps us hooked.

Curious who else makes the cut in this preliminary band of future stars? From Ole Miss to Oregon and Texas to TCU, Cartright pencils in a mix of talent ready to shake things up. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with a slew of honorable mentions who could surprise us all when the whistle blows next fall. This early peek into the 2026 Heisman race sets the stage for some compelling storylines—and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

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Now that the 2025 college football season is over, it’s time to look ahead to the 2026 season. Sure, it seems like a long time off, but with all that is involved with the later calendar and offseason news these days, it’ll be here before you know it.

One of the things that everyone always seems to be interested in is which players might be favored to win the Heisman Trophy. Luckily for those folks, Vegas doesn’t take long to come out with those types of things, and columns hone in on which players they feel could take home the bronze statue as well.

Take our mother ship, USA TODAY, for instance. Austin Cartright targeted seven players to watch in his “way-too-early” Heisman contenders. Troy Smith was the last Ohio State player to win the Heisman, but there’s been plenty of finalists wearing the Scarlet and Gray, and that could continue in 2026, and maybe, just maybe, a Buckeye can finally finish on top. If that were to happen, Cartright likes two OSU players among his seven to have a shot at it.

You can probably guess the two players, but just in case, the two Ohio State players included among the ten to watch are receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin. We all know how difficult it is for a wide receiver to win the award, even if Smith really is the best player in college football, so it sure seems like Sayin would have the best shot coming from the quarterback position as a returning starter with more development in the OSU system.

But who else does Cartright believe has a chance to win the Heisman? Here are the ten players he feels have the best shot in this very, very early look at handicapping things for next season — in no particular order.

Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss

Arch Manning, QB, Texas

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (FL)

Josh Hoover, QB, TCU

Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

In addition to these seven Heisman hopefuls, Cartright highlighted some honorable mentions to keep an eye on. Those players include:

Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU

CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame

Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia

Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri