Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza’s 2025 season could not have been more perfect.
He led his Hoosiers to an unblemished 16-0 season, captured the national championship in historic fashion and won the 2025 Heisman before being selected first in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Raiders.
Now that the path is clear for someone new to leave NYC in December holding the Heisman, who will it be?
Miami teammates Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney made their mark early with historic Week 1 performances Friday night, while a familiar pair of Buckeyes may had something to say about it on Saturday.
Let’s check out the latest Heisman trophy odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 5.
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2026 Heisman Trophy Odds
Darian Mensah: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
CJ Carr: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Arch Manning: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Jeremiah Smith: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Dante Moore: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Malachi Toney: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Julian Sayin: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Josh Hoover: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Trinidad Chambliss: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Jayden Maiava: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Sam Leavitt: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Keelon Russell: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Gunner Stockton: +2400 (bet $10 to win $250 total)
John Mateer: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Marcel Reed: +3800 (bet $10 to win $390 total)
Here’s what to know about the 2026 Heisman oddsboard:
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Darian Mensah, QB: +550
Darian Mensah led Miami to a 45-6 win over Stanford to open its season. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Mensah’s Miami debut couldn’t have gone much better. He immediately proved the doubters wrong, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns on Friday night. In the process, Mensah became just the sixth quarterback since 2000 to complete at least 90% of his passes while throwing for 400+ yards and five touchdowns in a game. Following the historic performance, Mensah’s Heisman odds surged from +1150, the fourth-shortest entering the week, to +550 as the new favorite.
CJ Carr, QB: +800
CJ Carr will make his 2026 debut on Sunday against Wisconsin (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/ Getty Images).
Just a few days ago, Carr entered the college football season as the Heisman favorite. However, after Mensah’s dominant performance Friday night, Carr has dropped to the second choice, with his odds moving from +700 to +800. As a true freshman last season, Carr completed 66.6% of his passes for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions. The Notre Dame quarterback will make his 2026 debut Sunday night against Wisconsin, looking to one-up Mensah’s Week 1 performance.
Arch Manning, QB: +1000
Arch Manning threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Arch Manning and Texas made easy work of Texas State to open the season. With a 40-point lead in the third quarter, Manning was pulled from the game after completing 20 of 27 passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns against Texas State.
Jeremiah Smith, WR: +1000
Smith has his sights set on the Heisman, and he made that clear Saturday, striking the pose after hauling in his second touchdown of the game. He finished with eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, with all of that production coming in the first half as the Buckeyes rested their stars for most of the second half. Smith’s 151 receiving yards were the second-most he’s recorded in a first half during his career. After Saturday’s performance, he also has six more receiving touchdowns than any other FBS player since 2024. He’ll need more performances like this if he wants to become the first wide receiver since DeVonta Smith to win the Heisman Trophy.
Dante Moore, QB: +1300
Dante Moore threw for a career-high 388 yards in Oregon’s win over Boise State. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)
Moore set a career-high in passing yards with 378 yards to go with three touchdown passes. He helped Oregon narrowly escape Boise State 34-27.
Malachi Toney, WR: +1300
Malachi Toney broke the Miami Hurricanes all-time single game receiving record against Stanford (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images).
On Friday night, sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney made history, setting Miami’s single-game receiving record with 234 yards while hauling in three touchdowns. Following his historic performance, Toney’s Heisman odds soared from +4000 to +1300, the biggest jump of any player this weekend.
Julian Sayin, QB: +1400
Julian Sayin threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns against Ball State on Saturday. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Sayin picked up right where he left off last season from an efficiency standpoint, completing 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Ohio State’s matchups against Group of Six opponents provide the perfect opportunity for him to pile up numbers and strengthen the statistical side of his Heisman case.
Josh Hoover, QB: +1900
Josh Hoover lifted Indiana to a win in his debut. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Josh Hoover looked like the next great transfer quarterback in his Indiana debut. He tossed for 231 yards and four touchdowns as the Hoosiers won 52-16. He also became the first quarterback since 2000 to throw 4+ touchdown passes in an Indiana debut. His odds jumped from +3000 to +1900 on Saturday.
