CJ Carr's Big Day Against Purdue Increases his Heisman Stock

CJ Carr's four total touchdowns on Saturday against Purdue moved him back into the top five in the Heisman race.

Sep 26, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) attempts a pass in the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week, CJ Carr wasn't even in the top five for the Heisman after failing to throw a touchdown against Michigan State. But Carr made a statement on Saturday against Purdue after accounting for four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) in ND's 49-10 win over the Boilermakers.

And if there was any doubt about Carr being a legit contender for the Heisman, well, that's simply not the case anymore.

It wasn't Carr's sharpest performance on Saturday, but nonetheless, still a really strong performance.

Despite throwing his first interception of the season, Carr still completed 14 of his 22 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns and recorded his second rushing touchdown in as many weeks.

Don't look now, but Carr has 11 total touchdowns, nearly a 1,000 passing yards (963) and a 70.5% completion percentage.

Those are efficient numbers, and if Carr keeps it up, there's no reason why he won't be a Heisman Finalist when it's all said and done.

Where does Carr currently stand in the Heisman race?

As of late Saturday night, Carr had the fifth best odds to win the Heisman at 12/1 odds (+1200), via FanDuel.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (+290) is currently the Heisman favorite, followed by Miami (FL) quarterback Darian Mensah (+440), Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor (+550) and Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (+1100).

What does Carr need to do to move up in the Heisman race?

Honestly, he just needs to keep doing what he's done. Protect the ball, hit the open man, and use his legs when the time is right.

Carr is sneaky athletic and is more mobile than he gets credit for.

Obviously, Carr is at his best from the pocket, but he's not a statue back there either, and has shown that in the red zone over the last two weeks.

But his best chance of making a major run at the Heisman will depend on how he plays against BYU, Miami (FL) and SMU. All three teams are ranked, at BYU and Miami (FL) are both ranked in the top ten.

If ND beats all three of those teams and the Irish keep on winning, and Carr balls out, there's no reason why he can't win the Heisman.

There's still a lot of football to be played, but for now, Carr is still in good position to win the Heisman.

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