As we head into Week 3 of the 2026 college football season, the newest Heisman Trophy odds show that Miami quarterback Darian Mensh remains the favorite for the prestigious award. However, there are several big-name players coming after his top spot, including stars like Jeremiah Smith, Arch Manning, and CJ Carr.

The Hurricanes have now beaten their first two opponents (Stanford and Florida A&M) by a combined score of 122-13, with Mensah orchestrating the wildly dangerous offense to perfection. The Duke transfer is leading the pack with +575 Heisman Trophy odds heading into the ‘Canes' matchup with Wake Forest on Friday.

This race is far from over, though, as big names are looming after the Ohio State-Texas instant classic shook up the favorites board.

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OSU wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is now right behind Mensah at +750. Those odds improved slightly from the previous week, when he was +800. It also pushes Smith above his own QB, Julian Sayin, who now has just the seventh-best odds at +1600.

Following Mensah and Smith are Texas Arch Manning (+900), Notre Dame QB CJ Carr (+1100), Miami WR Malachi Toney (+1200), and Ole Miss Trinidad Chambliss (+1400). In addition to the top five, including football royalty like Manning and Carr, what is most interesting here is that Mensah's true sophomore teammate is on the list. While Mensah and Toney are both top Heisman candidates now, that may become a problem when the votes start coming in, as voters will have to decide which player deserves more credit for Miami's success.

Outside of the top seven, Week 3 risers include Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor (+15000 to +2000), Georgia QB Gunner Stockton (+3300 to +2200), and SMU QB Kevin Jennings (+7500 to +4000). Players who dropped after Week 2 include Oregon QB Dante Moore (+1100 to +4000), who went from tied for third to tied for 13th after the Oklahoma State Cowboys upset the Ducks.