Week 5 didn’t just reshape the college football landscape - it also sharpened the Heisman picture.
Texas remains No. 1 in the AP Top 25, with Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Ohio State right behind it. Alabama, Indiana, BYU, Ole Miss and LSU fill out the rest of the top 10. And with another Saturday packed with big performances, the race for the Heisman Trophy is starting to take on real shape.
At the center of the conversation is Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has been the country’s most dangerous receiver so far this season, and he backed that up again against Iowa on Saturday with 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
The Hawkeyes tried to mix up their coverage looks, but nothing stuck. Smith simply took over the game.
Through five weeks, he has 44 receptions for 823 yards and nine touchdowns, and he already sits as Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards.
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah keeps making his case too. Against Clemson, he threw for 227 yards and a touchdown while adding 27 rushing yards and another score.
The numbers for the season are even louder: 84.2 percent completions, 1,438 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and no interceptions. He has Miami off to a 5-0 start and looks like one of the biggest names in the national title chase.
He’s been exactly what Miami needed.
Alabama’s Keelon Russell has also forced his way into the mix. He’s piled up 1,414 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions on the year, and he was especially sharp in Alabama’s 56-23 win over Mississippi State.
Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing score, and got the better of fellow Heisman contender Kamario Taylor. Over his last three games, Russell has posted a 10-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and if that pace holds, he’ll be in the finalist conversation before long.
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr has been quieter than some of the others, but the production is there. He has thrown for 1,197 yards with 13 touchdowns and only one interception, and he turned in one of his best outings yet against North Carolina, finishing with 234 passing yards and four touchdowns. He can hit every throw in the book and can also make plays with his legs when needed.
Taylor remains in the mix despite a rough day against Alabama. One game isn’t enough to erase what he’s done this season.
He has thrown for 1,450 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he’ll have a chance to bounce back when Mississippi State heads to Baton Rouge for the Oct. 17 matchup with LSU. That one shapes up as one of the day’s biggest games.
In Other News...
Auburn Could Be Headed For A Bowl Twist Fans Will Notice
ESPNs Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are already projecting Auburn into bowl season, which gives the Tigers at least a little national confidence even as the schedule remains demanding. The path is not simple, though, and Auburn still has to take care of key business along the way, including games against Arkansas and Samford if it wants to reach bowl eligibility.
If the Tigers do get there, the destination could carry an interesting wrinkle. One projected landing spot is the Birmingham Bowl against North Carolina, while another has Auburn in the Gasparilla Bowl against South Florida, a matchup that would stand out because of head coach Alex Goleshs previous connection to USF. For Auburn fans, the bowl picture is starting to feel less like a distant hope and more like a possible subplot worth tracking. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Golesh Sent A Clear Message On Auburn Recruiting And Defense
Alex Golesh used a stop in Mobile to make a familiar pitch with a local twist, putting Auburns recruiting priorities and defensive expectations right in front of a room full of supporters. Speaking as the keynote at the 68 Ventures Bowl 1st & 10 Club meeting, the Auburn coach pointed to the Mobile area as a place his program needs to keep investing in, while making it clear he believes the region has the kind of talent the Tigers want to land.
Golesh also leaned into what Auburn can sell once prospects get to campus, especially for in-state players who can stay close to home and still compete at a high level. On defense, he sounded encouraged by what Auburn has in place, but he framed the next step as a matter of consistency and detail, a reminder that the Tigers standard will be built as much on execution as on promise. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Is Holding Onto A 4-Star WR Other Programs Want
Auburn has some early stability in its 2027 recruiting class thanks to DeShawn Hall, the four-star wide receiver from Prattville High School who remains verbally committed to the Tigers. Even as other programs have kept in contact, Hall has made it clear he is not planning to spend this season touring elsewhere, a sign Auburn has already built real traction with one of Alabamas top young pass catchers.
Halls comfort level with Auburn has stood out as much as his talent. He has described the program as feeling like home and pointed to confidence in the coaching staff as a major reason he believes the Tigers can help him reach his potential, which is exactly the kind of foundation Auburn wants as it tries to keep his recruitment from drifting. [Read more 🡒]