2026 Heisman Trophy Odds (Arch Manning, Jeremiah Smith Rising; Darian Mensah Remains Favorite)

Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns stole Week 2 of the college football season, erasing a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to knock off No. 1 Ohio State.

As a result, Manning has flown up the board in the odds to win the Heisman, jumping up to third at +850. He was +1100 after Week 1, but he’s now ahead of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr in the odds.

Manning isn’t the only player that saw his odds jump after the Texas vs. Ohio State matchup, as Jeremiah Smith – the best receiver in College Football – is actually ahead of Manning in the odds. Smith had eight catches for 164 yards and a score in Saturday’s loss.

Even with all the hype around the Longhorns, the favorite to win the Heisman remains in the ACC.

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (+550) had an easy matchup in Week 2 against Florida A&M, keeping Miami undefeated and his touchdown-to-interception ratio at a crazy number. Mensah has eight touchdowns and no picks, completing 91.1 percent of his passes this season.

There’s still a long way to go in the 2026 campaign, but Mensah is in a great spot to be a finalist for this award.

Let’s dive into the latest odds to win the Heisman and some storylines from Week 2.

2026 Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Darian Mensah: +550
Jeremiah Smith: +700
Arch Manning: +850
CJ Carr: +1000
Malachi Toney: +1200
Trinidad Chambliss: +1200
Julian Sayin: +1400
Josh Hoover: +1600
Kamario Taylor: +2200
Jayden Maiava: +2200
Gunner Stockton: +2200
Sam Leavitt: +3500
Kevin Jennings: +4000
LaNorris Sellers: +4000
Dante Moore: +4000

No other player has shorter than +5000 odds to win the Heisman.

Arch Manning Skyrockets in Heisman Rise

Manning didn’t have the best game against Ohio State, throwing for 195 yards, one score and one pick, but he orchestrated a huge comeback for the Longhorns that could vault them into the No. 1 spot in the country.

Texas is in a much better position to make the College Football Playoff after beating the Buckeyes, and Manning’s dual-threat ability should allow him to put up some pretty crazy stats in the Texas offense.

Through two games, he’s thrown for 500 yards and five scores, completing 67.2 percent of his passes. He’s also added 30 yards on the ground on 11 carries.

Two Receivers in Top 5 of Heisman Odds

Multiple wide receivers are in the top five in the Heisman odds, as Smith (+700) is second and Miami wideout Malachi Toney (+1200) is tied for fifth with Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss.

Smith has been unreal through two games, catching 16 passes for 315 yards and three scores, averaging 19.7 yards per catch. Smith is a surefire top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and he may be the best player in college football.

As for Toney, he’s gotten off to a great start with Miami winning back-to-back games in blowouts. The sophomore wideout has 16 grabs for 330 yards and four scores, including a 234-yard, three-score game against Stanford in Week 1.

Toney should put up some huge numbers in the 2026 season, but Mensah likely will finish ahead of him in Heisman conversations.

Darian Mensah Remains Favorite

It’s hard not to love Mensah’s start to the season, as he’s completed over 90 percent of his passes and has thrown for 653 yards and eight scores.

Unlike Manning and Smith, Mensah hasn’t had to face a tough opponent yet, but he’s doing about all one could ask with the teams he has faced.

Things will get a little tougher in ACC play, but I mentioned last week that things are setting up really nicely for the Hurricanes to end up winning the conference and make the College Football Playoff.

Sam Leavitt Falling After 3 INT Game

Sam Leavitt rocketed up the odds board after Week 1 against the Clemson Tigers, jumping to +1900 to win the Heisman.

Now, he’s all the way back at +3500 after a shaky showing in Week 2 against Louisiana Tech. In what should have been an easy matchup, Leavitt threw three picks, putting him at four interceptions to just two scores in two games.

LSU could end up being one of the best teams in the country, but Leavitt’s passing numbers have to improve if he’s going to compete for the Heisman.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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