The Heisman race got a fresh jolt in Week 5, and the biggest spark came from Columbus.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is now the AP No. 5 Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns after Saturday. With more than half a season still to play before he could potentially become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft - and with the Los Angeles Chargers doing their best to make that a reality - Smith has already separated himself from the field in a big way.
He’s not just leading the conversation. He’s pulling away from it.
Smith has 823 receiving yards through five games, a total that puts him well ahead of the pace set by the last wide receiver to win the Heisman, DeVonta Smith, not counting Travis Hunter. DeVonta Smith had 556 yards through the same stretch before finishing the run with 955 yards and 13 touchdowns over his final six games before the 2020 ceremony. Jeremiah Smith has already built a case that looks even louder.
And the numbers aren’t padded against weak competition. His biggest performances have come against power conference opponents, including back-to-back 200-yard games to open Big Ten play and a 164-yard outing at Associated AP No.
1 Texas. If he keeps this up, the suspense around the award may disappear long before December.
At that point, voters may just be along for the ride.
Behind Smith, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has put together the kind of season that keeps a team from slipping after a major offseason change. The junior has thrown for 1,438 yards at 10.8 yards per attempt and 15 touchdowns, and his 84.2 percent completion rate is the best by a quarterback with at least 125 pass attempts through five games since at least 1995, according to Stathead. Of the four previous qualifying quarterbacks to hit at least 80 percent through five games, three - Robert Griffin III, Bo Nix and Julian Sayin - earned Heisman invites, with Griffin taking home the trophy in 2011.
Alabama’s Keelon Russell also deserves a real look, and the timing is right. He heads into a massive Week 6 matchup against No.
2 Georgia after settling in over his last three games. Since Sept.
19, Russell has gone 60-of-79, a 75.9 percent clip, for 970 yards and 13 total touchdowns, with 10 through the air and three on the ground. He’s also added 107 rushing yards on 16 carries during that stretch.
Then there’s Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, whose candidacy took a hit with the Week 4 loss at Florida. That setback matters, especially after Florida, ranked No. 8 at the time, got blown out 45-17 at No.
25 Missouri on Saturday. Still, Chambliss’ individual line in that game - 73.5 percent completions and 298 passing yards - was good enough to keep him in the mix as the season moves deeper into October.
A running back has also forced his way into the discussion, and Indiana’s Turbo Richard is the name to know. The Hoosiers have started the season against a soft opening slate, with opponents that combined for a .435 win percentage, but that changes fast.
Their next six games include a road trip to undefeated Nebraska in Week 6, plus matchups with Ohio State and No. 18 USC, and those six opponents finished Week 5 with a combined 24-7 record.
That tougher stretch gives Indiana’s stars a stage, and Richard just made a loud entrance. The Boston College transfer erupted in Saturday’s 47-15 win over Rutgers, piling up 204 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Through five games, he’s up to 587 yards on 63 attempts, a 9.3-yard average, and five touchdowns.
The comparison point is obvious: Derrick Henry, the last Heisman-winning running back, had 570 rushing yards through his first five games in 2015 before finishing the job by delivering in Alabama’s biggest games late in the season. Richard may be heading down that same path.
In Other News...
Indianas Latest AP Ranking Just Sparked A New Disrespect Debate
Indianas climb in the polls hit another familiar snag this week, with the latest Associated Press ranking slotting the Hoosiers seventh even after a 32-point win over Rutgers and a 21-game winning streak that keeps rolling along. The contrast with the Coaches Poll was hard to miss, since Indiana stayed at fifth there, and it only added to the feeling around the program that its rsum is not being treated the same way as some of the other teams clustered near the top.
Alabamas rise to sixth after a dominant win over Mississippi State only sharpened the debate, especially for a Hoosiers team that has done just about everything asked of it on the field. For Indiana, the number beside its name has become its own weekly talking point, and the gap between what the team is doing and where it is being placed is starting to feel like part of the story every time the rankings come out. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Revealed What Stood Out Behind Indianas Rutgers Win
Curt Cignetti had plenty to point to after Indianas 47-15 win over Rutgers, and the postgame conversation started with the defense. The Hoosiers were disruptive and steady on that side of the ball, giving the offense room to work while the running backs drew attention for their health status and the way the staff managed touches in the game. Cignetti also touched on special teams and the atmosphere around the matchup, making it clear this was one of those wins that revealed more than the final score.
Rutgers still made Indiana earn it for stretches, and Cignetti acknowledged both the Scarlet Knights competitiveness and what Greg Schiano has accomplished there. For Indiana, the larger takeaway was how the performance fit together across the board, from the defensive effort to the offensive approach and the way the team handled the games flow. There was enough encouragement in the result to carry forward, even with a few longer-term questions still worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Left Fans One Tough Choice After Rutgers Blowout
Indianas 47-15 rout of Rutgers at SHI Stadium gave the Hoosiers plenty to celebrate, but it also left fans with a familiar postgame problem: trying to sort through a long list of standout performances and decide which ones mattered most. The offense piled up big numbers and the defense kept Rutgers from ever finding its footing, which made the teams player-of-the-game conversation more crowded than usual.
Turbo Richards 204 rushing yards put him squarely in the spotlight, while Jamari Sharpes coverage work helped define the defensive side of the win. With both units making a strong case, Indiana is leaving the final call to its fans, who get to weigh in on who deserves the game ball after one of the seasons most convincing victories. [Read more 🡒]