Who will win the Heisman Trophy this season? Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith remains the front-runner in the Heisman Watch amid a record-breaking start to the 2026 college football season. Behind Smith, there’s an intriguing mix of players who deserve their own recognition even if they might not ultimately make it to New York City.

Let’s dive into our Heisman Trophy candidates rankings entering Week 8.

1. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State Buckeyes

While we’re not particularly high on the Buckeyes quarterback, the Julian Sayin injury will have some influence on Smith’s Heisman Trophy candidacy. He broke the Buckeyes’ all-time receiving records largely with Sayin as his signal-caller, and now he’ll likely have to adjust to more off-target throws and fewer big plays with Luke Fahey now serving as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. For now, though, Smith boasts the eye-popping statistics and the standout performances to warrant the hardware, and he’s scored at least one touchdown every game this season. When Ohio State returns from its bye, Smith has a golden opportunity to torch the USC Trojans defense for a national audience (NBC) under the lights at the LA Memorial Coliseum.

2. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah opened the season with more passing touchdowns (14) than incompletions (12) through his first four games. He finished September with 1,211 passing yards (302.8 pass ypg) and an 88.7 percent completion rate, averaging 11.4 yards per attempt. In his last two games, however, Mensah’s averaged just 276.5 passing yards per game, averaged just 9.1 yards per attempt, and completed 67.2 percent of his passes with a 4-1 TD-INT line. Those aren’t bad numbers by any means, but a dip in production feels more noticeable when you’ve faced just one quality team (Wake Forest) this season. Not only does Miami need to stay undefeated, but Mensah will need a lights-out performance on Nov. 7 at Notre Dame to warrant moving up in the Heisman Watch.

3. Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State Beavers

Is Jesse Legree going to win the Heisman Trophy? Almost certainly not. With that said, what the true freshman wide receiver is doing this season with the Oregon State Beavers warrants a trip to New York City. Legree has already crossed the 1,000-yard mark this season, doing so at a time when Jeremiah Smith is the only other player with 800-plus receiving yards in 2026. Legree has put up 100-plus receiving yards and a touchdown in every game this season, and he kept Oregon State in it against Houston (5-136-1) and Texas Tech (8-240-2). What the teenager is doing this season in his first year of college is simply absurd, and putting the Beavers back on the map nationally just adds to his Heisman resume.

4. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss Rebels

Review: Ole Miss Rebels quarterback did have a three-game stretch this season with an interception in each contest, and his effectiveness through the air hasn’t been quite as sharp in the last two games as it was to open the year. However, it’s also abundantly clear at this point that Ole Miss wouldn’t be a top-25 team without him. Chambliss has been asked to carry the Rebels’ offense even more this fall because running back Kewan Lacy hasn’t been healthy. If last week’s showing by Lacy (133 scrimmage yards and 7.6 yards per carry) is a sign that he’s back to his normal self, life will get much easier for Chambliss moving forward, and the gaudy stats should come with more wins.

5. Xavier Gilliam, DT, Tennessee Volunteers

It will come as a surprise for many to see a defensive tackle placed fifth among our Heisman Trophy candidates. However, based purely on what he’s done this season, Tennessee Volunteers lineman Xavier Gilliam has easily been one of the best players in college football this season. He’s thriving in Jim Knowles’ scheme, leading a defense that ranks 12th in points per play (0.239), 10th in yards per play allowed (4.4), and third in sack rate (11.22 percent). Tennessee beat Alabama because of this defense, and this unit deserved the victory a few weeks prior versus Texas. The fifth spot in the Heisman Watch should be about highlighting someone who deserves more recognition nationally; Gilliam is that guy.