Inside the 2026 Heisman Race: Unveiling the Dark Horses Set to Shock the Nation

Saturday night unfolded like a carefully scripted drama in the halls of college football prestige, with Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Hoosiers’ quarterback, stepping into the spotlight as the 91st recipient of the Heisman Trophy—arguably college football’s most coveted accolade. This wasn’t just a victory lap; Mendoza outpaced formidable contenders including Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia—each a titan in their own right. Now, as the confetti settles on the 2025 award, the question lurks: can we dare to gaze forward and start mapping the landscape for 2026? Expectations were sky-high this past season, with whispers about a deep pool of quarterback talent entering both the Heisman race and the upcoming NFL draft—names like Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik, and LaNorris Sellers were favorites to dominate the headlines. Yet, as the reality of the season played out, the narrative shifted, opening the door for fresh faces like Oregon Ducks’ Dante Moore to enter the fray. Who will truly emerge as standout contenders when the stakes rise again? Let’s dive into the early buzz and scouting projections for next year’s Heisman hopefuls and see who might just light up the gridiron. LEARN MORE

The Heisman Trophy was handed out on Saturday night, with Indiana Hoosiers‘ quarterback Fernando Mendoza winning the most prestigious award in all of college football. Mendoza was named the 91st Heisman winner, beating out the likes of Notre Dame Fighting Irish RB Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin, and Vanderbilt Commodores QB Diego Pavia.

Now that the 2025 winner has been announced, is it too early to look ahead to next year?

There was an expectation early this year that both the Heisman class and the 2026 NFL draft class of quarterbacks were going to be loaded, with the likes of Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik, and LaNorris Sellers projected to be at the top of the sport. For various reasons, though, that didn’t happen. So when looking at the 2026 Heisman race, it’s fair to think those names, along with Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore, might be involved.

Who else will be in contention, though? Let’s take a look at some early names to know:

Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a pass for a first down during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 26 games — 4,392 yards, 35 TDs, 15 INTs

Analysis: While there is a cance that Moore doesn’t return to Eugene next year, and instead goes into the 2026 NFL draft as a potential top-five pick, his Heisman odds would be near the top should he choose to come back to Oregon for one more year. He is among the most efficient and talented passers in the nation, and he has the talent around him to make him pop.

Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) takes the field before the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Clemson Tigers in the CFP National Playoff First Round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 24 games — 3,911 yards, 33 TDs, 9 INTs

Analysis: Arch Manning was the heavy favorite to win the Heisman this year, but his season went sideways from the very start, and it took a couple of months for him to start looking like a future NFL quarterback again. It appears that he’s returning for another season, though, so if he can play up to expectations, he will certainly be in the mix.

Ohio State Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) drops back to pass during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025.

Career Stats: 17 games — 3,407 yards, 32 TDs, 6 INTs

Analysis: As a redshirt freshman, Sayin has already defied the odds by becoming a Heisman finalist in his first full season as a starter. So what will he look like a year from now with another full season under his belt? It’s not hard to imagine that he will be there in New York once again, especially with his high efficiency and the level of talent around him.

Ohio State Buckeyes WR Jeremiah Smith

Nov 8, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 28 games — 156 catches, 2,401 yards, 26 TDs

Analysis: It’s pretty clear that Jeremiah Smith is the undisputed best player in college football; it’s just that the Heisman Trophy typically goes to the best QB, not the best player. Next year will be Smith’s final at the collegiate level, in all likelihood, so expect him to go out with a bang. It would surprise nobody to see him become the first WR to win the Heisman since DeVonta Smith in 2020.

Sep 13, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) passes in the first half against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 12 games — 2,229 yards, 9 TDs, 6 INTs

Analysis: This is a bet more on upside than production thus far. Bryce Underwood is supremely talented, and with a bit more development, he can get himself into the mix as one of the best players in the nation. Of course, it will be interesting to see whether or not that will be at Michigan or elsewhere at this point.

South Carolina GameCocks QB LaNorris Sellers

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) gets past South Carolina State Bulldogs linebacker Jordan Franklin (10) in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 27 games, 5,057 yards, 33 TDs, 15 INTs

Analysis: LaNorris Sellers is another player who many thought would be among the Heisman finalists and top NFL draft picks this year, but his season didn’t quite go as planned, and he announced on Saturday that he would be returning to Columbia for one more year. Maybe another year of development can turn him into one of the nation’s best. At this point, we know that he has the talent.

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) looks on during the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 25 games — 90 catches, 1,496 yards, 12 TDs

Analysis: A year ago, you could have easily seen Ryan Williams becoming a Heisman finalist following his freshman season, but he saw some regression this year at Alabama. That doesn’t mean that the talent isn’t still there, though. He could be right back in the mix once again next year.

Miami Hurricanes WR Malachi Toney

Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) celebrates with family and friends after defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Career Stats: 12 games — 84 catches, 970 yards, 7 TDs

Analysis: True freshman WR Malachi Toney was the phenom this year, and he proved that he is among the best young players in the game right now. Depending on where Miami goes at the QB spot next year, and what type of support Toney gets, he is certainly the type of explosive playmaker who can get himself into the mix for the Heisman.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Predicting the Heisman Trophy finalists for the 2026 season