Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has put himself squarely into the Heisman Trophy conversation by doing one thing better than almost anyone in the country: completing passes. He leads all Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks with an 89.9 completion percentage and is tied for second in passing touchdowns with 11.
But Mensah isn’t alone at the top of the race for long.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has surged into the spotlight after guiding the Rebels to a 3-0 start, including wins over two ranked opponents in No. 24 Louisville and No.
7 LSU. Both of those victories came with Chambliss steering the offense, and the veteran quarterback’s path back to Oxford has only made the start more notable.
He fought through the legal courts against the NCAA in late spring to return for a sixth season, and Ole Miss is already cashing in.
Against Louisville in the opener, Chambliss went 21 of 36 for 336 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception in a 41-38 win that featured five lead changes. A few weeks later against LSU, he was again central to the result, finishing 33 of 48 for 363 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.
That stretch pushed Chambliss to the top of the latest Heisman Trophy poll from On3, ahead of Mensah at No. 3 and wide receiver Malachi Toney at No. 4. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor sits second after leading the Bulldogs to a 3-0 record with 832 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, plus one interception.
The challenge for Chambliss may be tougher than the one facing Mensah. Ole Miss still has a heavy run ahead, with a first-time ranked Florida team coming this Saturday, followed by Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Mississippi State.
Mensah’s clearest chance to keep pace is a road win over Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. That matchup will likely be the biggest regular-season game of his college career, and it will also be the first time he has faced a ranked opponent in the same week as the scheduled game. The Fighting Irish will bring both the ranking and the atmosphere that come with it.
Chambliss and Mensah already crossed paths in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl semifinals of the College Football Playoffs, where Chambliss’ season ended in a 31-27 loss to the Hurricanes. Carson Beck sealed that game with a three-yard game-winning rushing touchdown.
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Darian Mensah Sent Miami A Clear Warning About This Offense
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Mensah pointed to Dre Jacobs and Somourian Wingo as two teammates who can help lift the offense, and he made clear the next step is as much about the mind as the body. For Miami, that matters because the physical edge is already there, but sustaining it when games tighten is what will determine whether this group keeps advancing or lets opportunities slip away. [Read more 🡒]
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Darian Mensah has already pointed to Vandrevius Jacobs and Somourian Wingo as the names most likely to rise into bigger roles, and their development now matters more than it did a week ago. Miami may also lean on other receivers to absorb some of the snaps and production, but the larger issue is whether the group can withstand another hit and still give the offense enough reliable options. [Read more 🡒]
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Bains situation has grown a little more complicated with word that he has been missing practice because of a possible shoulder issue, which only adds to the early uncertainty around his role. For the Bucs, the bigger question is not just when he gets healthy, but how he adapts from here, since some evaluators already believe he may need to tweak both his position and his approach to find the kind of success he had been projected to bring into the league. [Read more 🡒]