Every college football season creates a new Heisman Trophy conversation.
Some players enter the year carrying massive expectations. Others become national stars after a few unforgettable Saturdays.
The Heisman Trophy has never been just about statistics. It is about production, leadership, signature wins and the ability to become the defining player of a college football season.
The 2026 race features elite quarterbacks, explosive playmakers and young stars ready to take the next step.
Here are the players who could be holding the Heisman Trophy in New York when the season ends.
The Front-Runners
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
The Arch Manning conversation has existed for years.
Now the conversation is shifting.
It is no longer about potential. It is about whether Manning can become the player everyone expected him to be.
In his first season as Texas’ full-time starter, Manning showed why he entered college football as one of the most highly regarded quarterback prospects in recent memory. He finished 2025 with nearly 3,000 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes and eight rushing touchdowns while guiding Texas through the challenge of its first SEC season.
The next step is simple.
Win the biggest games.
Texas will give Manning every opportunity to do that. The Longhorns face a loaded schedule featuring Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and several SEC heavyweight matchups.
If Manning leads Texas into championship contention, he will have the stage every Heisman winner needs.
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
Julian Sayin entered 2025 with enormous expectations.
He answered them.
The Ohio State quarterback completed his first full season as a starter with 3,610 passing yards, 32 touchdown passes and a 77 percent completion rate, immediately establishing himself as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college football.
What makes Sayin’s 2026 outlook even more dangerous is what surrounds him.
Ohio State returns one of the most talented offensive groups in the country, including superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith.
The formula is there.
Elite arm talent.
Elite weapons.
A championship-caliber program.
The challenge will be surviving a brutal schedule that includes Texas, Oregon, Indiana and Michigan.
If Sayin wins those games, he will be one of the favorites.
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Oregon has become one of college football’s most exciting programs, and Dante Moore has the opportunity to become the next superstar quarterback in Eugene.
Moore brings everything Heisman voters look for.
Arm strength.
Mobility.
Explosive playmaking ability.
The biggest question is whether he can consistently deliver against the best teams in the country.
Oregon’s move into the Big Ten creates even more opportunity. Games against Ohio State and other conference contenders will provide Moore with national stages throughout the season.
A championship run in the Big Ten could make Moore one of the biggest names in college football.
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
Georgia has built a championship standard under Kirby Smart.
Now Gunner Stockton has the opportunity to become the next quarterback to lead the Bulldogs back to the top.
Stockton benefits from everything that comes with playing quarterback at Georgia.
Elite talent around him.
A championship culture.
A schedule filled with marquee games.
The SEC will provide plenty of opportunities, including matchups against Alabama and Ole Miss that could define the playoff race.
If Stockton becomes the difference maker in those moments, he will quickly become a national name.
Players Ready to Break Into the Race
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
The Heisman Trophy has traditionally belonged to quarterbacks.
Jeremiah Smith could challenge that.
After making an immediate impact as one of the most talented freshmen in college football history, Smith continued his dominance in 2025 with 87 receptions, 1,243 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Those numbers are rare.
Especially for a receiver.
Smith has the size, speed and explosiveness to change games every time he touches the ball.
The biggest obstacle is history. Wide receivers rarely win the award.
But Smith is not a normal receiver.
If Ohio State is competing for championships and Smith continues producing unforgettable moments, he will stay in the conversation.
Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU
Few things create Heisman opportunities like playing quarterback in a high-powered SEC offense.
That is exactly the opportunity Sam Leavitt has at LSU.
With Lane Kiffin now leading the program, expectations are immediately elevated in Baton Rouge.
Kiffin has consistently developed quarterbacks who produce big numbers, and LSU has the talent and schedule to create national attention.
If Leavitt becomes the engine behind a successful LSU season, he could quickly move from intriguing name to serious contender.
Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU
Every Heisman race has a player who surprises people.
Bear Bachmeier could be that player.
Bachmeier enters 2026 with the talent to create explosive plays and the opportunity to lead BYU on the national stage.
The challenge is obvious.
Quarterbacks at traditional powers usually dominate the conversation.
The solution is also obvious.
Win big games.
A few signature victories can change the entire trajectory of a Heisman campaign.
Jayden Maiava, QB, USC
USC and the Heisman Trophy have always been connected.
Jayden Maiava has the opportunity to continue that tradition.
The Trojans have one of the strongest offensive identities in college football, and Maiava has the skill set to thrive in that environment.
The question is whether USC can turn offensive production into meaningful wins.
If the Trojans are competing nationally, Maiava will be part of the conversation.
John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
John Mateer entered the national conversation as one of the most talented quarterbacks in college football.
Now 2026 represents an opportunity to take that next step.
Oklahoma has the brand, schedule and resources needed for a quarterback to make a Heisman push.
If Mateer puts together a complete season, he has the ability to become one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country.
Players Who Could Surprise
Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan
Few young quarterbacks have entered college football with the spotlight already waiting.
Bryce Underwood is one of those players.
Michigan believes it has found the next great quarterback to lead the program.
The talent is obvious.
The question is how quickly he can turn that talent into production against elite competition.
Rocco Becht, QB, Penn State
Penn State continues searching for the breakthrough season that puts the program among college football’s elite.
Rocco Becht provides experience and stability at quarterback.
If the Nittany Lions finally deliver signature wins against the nation’s best teams, Becht could become one of the biggest stories of the season.
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
South Carolina has become one of the SEC’s most interesting programs.
LaNorris Sellers brings rare physical tools with his size, athletic ability and arm strength.
If everything comes together, he has the talent to become one of the toughest quarterbacks in college football to defend.
Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
Alabama continues producing elite playmakers, and Ryan Williams remains one of the most explosive players in the country.
His ability to create touchdowns from anywhere on the field makes him one of the most dangerous weapons in college football.
A huge season in Tuscaloosa would put him firmly into the national spotlight.
Longshots Worth Watching
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana
Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
Avery Johnson, QB, Kansas State
Conner Weigman, QB, Houston
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
The Bottom Line
The 2026 Heisman Trophy race has everything college football fans want.
Established stars chasing greatness.
Young quarterbacks looking to become household names.
Playmakers trying to break the quarterback monopoly.
The formula has always been the same.
Statistics get you noticed.
Big wins separate contenders.
And unforgettable moments create Heisman winners.
By the end of the season, this list will look different.
A new star will emerge.
A favorite will fall.
And one player will create the moment that defines college football in 2026.
