RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesThe Heisman Trophy goes to the college football player who separates himself over three months, which is why the preseason list of candidates almost never matches the December finalists. Last year proved it again when a quarterback few had heard of in August, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, walked away with the trophy.
The 2026 field is deep, led by returning starters who chose college over the NFL, a group of transfers in new homes and a handful of skill players hoping to break a long positional drought. Some of these names are safe bets to contend while others need to break out during their teams’ biggest games.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) is an early favorite to win this year’s Heisman Trophy Carr enters 2026 as the college football preseason frontrunner in most rankings, and the resume behind that billing is real. As a redshirt freshman, he threw for 2,741 yards with 24 touchdowns against six interceptions, completed two-thirds of his passes and set the Notre Dame single-season passer efficiency record while leading the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 finish.
What makes his campaign worth watching is how much is changing around him. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price both left for the NFL, and Notre Dame does not return a back who started a game last season.
More of the offense will run through Carr than it did a year ago. His receiver group is deep, led by Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse, who returns after missing most of 2025 with injury, alongside Ohio State transfers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter. The offensive line, anchored by tackles Guerby Lambert and Will Black, is expected to be a strength of the roster despite a lack of experience.
Carr is playing down the early Heisman Trophy buzz.
“The individual awards [are] kind of just noise,” he said . That mindset fits a quarterback who watched Fernando Mendoza rise from outside the preseason picture to win the award last year. Carr has the arm, the protection and the returning starter continuity that voters reward, and if the new backfield holds up, he has as clear a path to New York as anyone in the field.
Arch Manning, Texas
Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs with the ball against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Manning is the name that drives the national conversation, and 2026 is the year the production is supposed to catch up to the hype. His first season as the Texas starter was uneven, a rough September that included a loss at Ohio State, followed by a strong second half. He finished with 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions, ran for ten more scores, then closed by passing and running for 376 yards and four touchdowns in a Citrus Bowl win over Michigan.
He returns for his junior year with the offense rebuilt around him. Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, the top receiver in the portal, joins returning leading receiver Ryan Wingo to give Manning one of the deepest pass-catching groups in the country . Coach Steve Sarkisian has one of the most talented rosters in the sport. The schedule hands Manning his marquee stage early, with Ohio State visiting Austin on September 12, a rematch of the game that derailed last year’s opener.
Sarkisian keeps pointing to the quiet approach that defined Manning’s climb. “All he did was work really hard,” Sarkisian said. Manning has echoed that focus, saying his offseason goal was to stay present and take it one day at a time. The talent has never been the question. With a full year of starting experience and an upgraded roster, Manning has the arm, the weapons and the platform to win it.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) motions for a first down during the college football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 22, 2025. Ohio State won 42-9. Sayin is the contender who has already been to the ceremony and comes back with the numbers to build on it. As a redshirt freshman, he threw for 3,610 yards with 32 touchdowns against eight interceptions, led the nation with a 77% completion rate that set a Big Ten single-season record and finished second nationally in passer rating. He was a Heisman finalist, placed fourth in the vote and led Ohio State to a 12-0 regular season with a win over Michigan.
The questions come from December. Indiana sacked him five times and beat the Buckeyes in the Big Ten title game, then Miami returned a Sayin screen pass 72 yards for a pick-six that ended the national title defense in the first playoff round. Those two games are the difference between the resume he has and the one a winner needs.
He returns to a rebuilt offense that lost eleven players to the NFL Draft, but he still has Jeremiah Smith, the best receiver in the country, plus veteran slot man Brandon Inniss and an open competition for the outside spot. Smith has said his goals include winning the Biletnikoff Award and attending the ceremony as a finalist. If the new pieces around Smith settle in early, Sayin has the resume and the platform to move from finalist to winner.
Darian Mensah, Miami
Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami quarterback Darian Mensah speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Mensah is the transfer with the highest ceiling in this field, and Miami built its whole season around giving him a runway. At Duke last year, he threw for nearly 3,900 yards with 34 touchdowns and six interceptions, earned second-team All-ACC honors and led the Blue Devils to the conference championship game. Then he moved to Coral Gables on an eight-figure reported deal, becoming the latest in a line of Miami transfer quarterbacks that includes Cam Ward and Carson Beck.
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