The Heisman picture is starting to take shape, and the wide receiver race is being driven by two names: Jesse Legree and Jeremiah Smith. Legree has turned in the kind of season many expected Malachi Toney to have, and the freshman is quickly turning into Smith’s biggest threat in the postseason awards chase.
At the top of the quarterback board, Notre Dame’s Carr is forcing his way into the conversation with a late surge. He’s been rolling lately, and his latest outing came in a blowout of Stanford.
Over the last three games, the junior has thrown 10 touchdowns against just one interception. He also flashed another layer in the win over the Cardinal by adding a career-best 41 rushing yards.
Notre Dame still hasn’t been truly tested and has no wins over ranked opponents, but that changes in a big way with No. 8 BYU coming up Saturday.
Georgia’s Stockton is right there in the mix as well, especially after helping the Bulldogs beat Alabama in one of the most important SEC games in the early part of 2026. The junior went 18 for 22 for 249 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground.
It was his third game of the season completing more than 80 percent of his throws. He now sits second nationally in QBR at 90.4 and fourth in completion percentage at 76.6.
With Auburn and Florida next, both unranked, Stockton has a clear chance to keep climbing if the production stays steady.
Then there’s Legree, who has been torching every defense in sight. The Oregon State freshman leads the nation in receiving yards with 932 and touchdowns with 12.
He has scored in every game in 2026 and has not been held under 100 receiving yards once. His numbers across the board jump off the page: 24.5 yards per catch, 4.76 yards per route run, and 13 missed tackles forced.
Against San Diego State, he kept the streak rolling with a career-high 10 catches, 191 yards, and three receiving touchdowns, matching his best mark in scores.
The problem for Legree is the same one that hangs over a lot of spectacular stat lines: Oregon State is 4-2, and the Pac-12 schedule has been softer than the ones some of the other contenders have faced. Still, that doesn’t make him any less dangerous in the award race. Production like this speaks loudly.
Miami’s Mensah stays firmly in the picture too, even with the Hurricanes on bye. A week off didn’t knock him down, because nobody else in the country can match his 15-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
He also leads the nation in QBR at 92.5, passer rating at 212.1, and completion percentage at 84.2. The road ahead looks favorable in the ACC, and his next major test arrives November 7 at Notre Dame.
Smith, meanwhile, keeps looking like the best player in college football. He added another strong line in Ohio State’s win over Maryland, finishing with 93 yards on four catches and two touchdowns.
That pushed him to 11 receiving scores on the season. His 916 receiving yards are second nationally, trailing only Legree, and he has built those totals against multiple Big Ten opponents plus two ranked teams in Texas and Iowa.
He gets another chance to make a statement in a rematch of last year’s Big Ten title game against defending national champion Indiana. If his career is any guide, more fireworks are probably coming.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Got Fresh Bulletin Board Material Before BYU
With Notre Dame preparing for BYU, the Cougars have already started framing the matchup around the challenge of slowing down freshman quarterback CJ Carr. Linebacker Jake Clifton spoke ahead of the game and made it clear that BYU intends to bring heat, talking about a plan to make Carr uncomfortable and lean on a physical style that will put the Irish offensive line in focus.
Clifton also balanced that edge with respect for Notre Dames program and the players wearing the blue and gold, treating the game like another step on the schedule even as the rhetoric sharpened. For Notre Dame, though, comments like that are exactly the kind that can linger in a locker room and add a little extra energy to a game already carrying plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Is Forcing BYU To Rethink How It Defends Notre Dame
Ahead of Notre Dames meeting with BYU, Cougars defensive coordinator Brady Poppinga laid out the challenge of trying to slow CJ Carr, and it starts long before the ball is snapped. Poppinga said the plan has to be about creating confusion for the Irish quarterback, because Carr has shown the kind of arm strength and field awareness that can punish a defense if it gives him a clean pre-snap picture.
Carrs rise has forced opponents to treat Notre Dames passing game with extra caution, especially when he can extend plays and find answers both from the pocket and outside of it. Through this season, he has completed 70% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and one interception, a line that helps explain why BYU is approaching him as more than just another young quarterback on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame's Rushing Surge Faces Its Biggest Test Yet
Notre Dames ground game has started to look like the kind of calling card that can travel, with the offensive line giving the Irish more push in recent weeks and right tackle Guerby Lambert emerging as a key part of that climb. The improvement has come from the kind of work coaches love to point to but fans only notice when it shows up on Saturdays - cleaner execution, better timing and a front that is beginning to work more as one unit.
BYU should provide a much sharper read on how real that progress is. The Cougars bring a defensive front that has been among the nations best at limiting rushing yards, which means the Irish line will have to carry its recent form into a far tougher setting. Lambert has stressed the need for practice, preparation and cohesion, and this matchup figures to reveal whether Notre Dames surge is a step forward or just a strong stretch against lesser resistance. [Read more 🡒]