By admin 
No one has pulled ahead quite yet in what remains a tight Heisman Trophy race. The one constant at or near the top of the field through four weeks is Miami quarterback Darian Mensah, who took back his top spot this week after another extremely efficient outing.
Read more Todd Bowles Coach to Be Fired Market on Kalshi is Spiking
Mensah’s resume is still lacking high-quality wins, but there’s time for him and the Hurricanes to rectify that. His production, however, has been undeniable. And that’s one of the reasons he maintains a slight edge over Mississippi State’s ascendant quarterback Kamario Taylor and Ohio State’s superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
It’s also worth noting that Miami remains undefeated, unlike the Buckeyes or Ole Miss. That’s one of the reasons Mensah was able to knock Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss off his perch as the frontrunner, though he’s very much still in the mix. The biggest beneficiary of Chambliss’ loss was Florida running back Jadan Baugh, the star of the Gators’ statement win.
- Related: 22 Undefeated College Football Teams Are Still Standing. When Will They Each Lose?
Here’s how Athlon sees the Heisman Trophy race heading into Week 4.
Heisman Trophy Watch: Ranking the Top Contenders After Week 4
1. Darian Mensah — QB, Miami (Last Week: 2)
Week 4 Stats (52-3 W vs. Central Michigan): 23-for-27, 338 yards, 3 TD; 4 carries, 21 yards, 1 TD
Season Stats: 94-for-106 (88.7%), 1,211 yards (11.4 YPA), 14 TD; 9 carries, 52 yards (5.8 YPC), 1 TD
Miami predictably dismantled Central Michigan last week. Mensah, who ran in his first touchdown of the season, was able to exit early once again. He remains the model of efficiency. Mensah is first or tied for first in the following categories: completion percentage, touchdowns, passer rating and quarterback rating. He’s also second in yards per attempt and passing yards. And this is your weekly reminder that Mensah has still thrown more touchdowns than incompletions so far this season. That’s a ludicrous statistic no matter the competition, which should start to ramp up soon for the No. 4 Hurricanes.
ACC play starts back up this week for the ‘Canes when they head to Clemson. Miami has lost its last two trips to Death Valley, but Mensah outlasted the Tigers on the road last season when he was at Duke. Can he do it again for Miami?
2. Kamario Taylor — QB, Mississippi State (Last Week: 3)
Week 4 Stats (31-24 W vs. No. 19 Missouri): 27-for-38, 360 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 10 carries, 7 yards
Season Stats: 83-for-120 (69.2%), 1,192 yards (9.9 YPA), 14 TD, 2 INT; 37 carries, 185 yards (5.0 YPC), 1 TD
Taylor might be the most exciting quarterback in the country to watch. That’s all fun and well for college football fans. But crucially for the No. 16 Bulldogs, all the highlight plays are translating to wins. The week after he led his team to a comeback win on the road against South Carolina, he authored a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Missouri. Taylor’s 360 passing yards against the Tigers were also a new career-high.
- Related: Alabama’s Keelon Russell and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor are Efficiency Monsters
The competition has ramped up each game for Mississippi State, and Taylor keeps rising to the occasion. Next up is his toughest test yet when No. 7 Alabama comes to town. The last time the Bulldogs beat the Crimson Tide was in 2007, the year Taylor was born. He’ll have to take his play up another notch to end that 16-game drought. If he keeps this up, Mississippi State could have its first Heisman Trophy winner on its hands. And before anyone else ascribes transfer aspirations on the hometown hero, listen to the man himself: He’s staying in Starkville.
3. Jeremiah Smith — WR, Ohio State (Last Week: NR)
Week 4 Stats (42-19 W vs. Illinois): 12 receptions, 217 yards, 4 TD
Season Stats: 33 receptions, 617 yards (18.7 YPR), 7 TD; 1 carry, 5 yards (5.0 YPC)
Smith has now broken his career high in receiving yards three times in four games this season. But what he accomplished against the Illini was one for the record books. Smith caught all four of quarterback Julian Sayin’s touchdowns, a new personal record. He also hauled in 12 receptions, the most he’s ever had in a game. Oh, and his 217 yards also shattered his previous high of 164, which he set three weeks ago against Texas.
Read more 3 Storylines I’m Watching Most in Raiders’ Week 4 Matchup
- Related: Jeremiah Smith, the Actually ‘Generational’ NFL Draft Prospect
Smith has some competition for the receiving triple crown (he’s tied for fourth in receptions and tied for first in touchdowns), but he’s performing at such a high level that he’s the new betting favorite to win the Heisman. Extrapolating Smith’s season-long stats (99 catches, 1,851 yards, 21 touchdowns) puts him scarily close to what DeVonta Smith did in 2020, the last time a true wide receiver won the award.
There was some worry before the season that Smith and Sayin, a finalist a season ago, could split votes. Considering Smith accounts for more than half of Sayin’s yards and touchdowns, it’s safe to say he’s separated from his signal-caller. Up next for the No. 5 Buckeyes is a tough test against an Iowa defense that doesn’t allow many yards through the air (or on the ground for that matter). Something tells me Smith will be up to the task.
4. Trinidad Chambliss — QB, Ole Miss (Last Week: 1)
Week 4 Stats (52-28 L at No. 21 Florida): 25-for-34, 298 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 7 carries, 44 yards, 2 TD
Season Stats: 102-for-144 (70.8%), 1,222 yards (8.5 YPA), 8 TD, 3 INT; 28 carries, 108 yards (3.9 YPC), 4 TD
Chambliss’ Heisman candidacy took a bit of a hit after last week’s loss to the Gators. But in some ways, that game also proved just how important he is to the No. 9 Rebels. Without star running back Kewan Lacy, Chambliss stepped up to lead Ole Miss in rushing and he kept the game within reach for as long as he could. If over 300 yards and three touchdowns is a down game for Chambliss, that just shows how high he has raised the bar.
The one category to watch for Chambliss and the Rebels as the season stretches on is turnovers. Chambliss has already matched his 2025 interception total, a number that was so low it was always going to be hard to replicate. But he also lost a fumble against Florida. Ole Miss’ defensive struggles are going to necessitate that he puts up points in bunches. Clearly, he’s happy to oblige — and things will get easier with Lacy back in the lineup — but the giveaways only make his job harder. A week off will do Chambliss and Co. well to rest up and get healthy for the stretch run.
5. Jadan Baugh — RB, Florida (Last Week: NR)
Week 4 Stats (52-28 W vs. No. 4 Ole Miss): 29 carries, 142 yards, 3 TD; 1 reception, 12 yards
Season Stats: 83 carries, 600 yards (7.2 YPC), 11 TD; 2 receptions, 18 yards (9.0 YPR)
Baugh joined Gators royalty last week against the Rebels when he romped for his fifth consecutive 100-yard game. The only other Florida players to match that streak are Emmitt Smith and Fred Taylor. That’s good company for Baugh to keep. He’s already more than halfway to his 2025 yardage total, and he’s surpassed last season’s touchdown total with an FBS-best 11 scores.
The Gators have been more than happy to lean on their run game considering how effective both Baugh and backup Duke Clark (259 yards) have been. But Baugh’s ability to blend breakaway speed (three runs of 50-plus yards) with short-yardage strength (seven touchdowns inside the 10-yard line) set him apart. Baugh will lead No. 8 Florida, which has already matched last season’s win total, on the road this week against No. 25 Missouri and a stout run defense.
Don’t Forget About
- Malachi Toney, WR, Miami
- Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama
- CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
- Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
- Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
- Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Sleepers to Watch
- Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
- Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana
- Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU
- Devon Dampier, QB, Utah
- Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU
- Austin Simmons, QB, Missouri
Related: College Football Rankings: Athlon Sports Top 25 (After Week 4)
Related: 2026 Bowl Projections After Week 4: Florida Joins Playoff Field, Oregon Rising
Related: Ranking All 138 College Football Teams After Week 4
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published October 1, 2026 at 5:00 AM.