The SEC Heisman picture is finally starting to take shape, and the field has already tilted toward a few familiar names and a couple of surprise entrants.
Trinidad Chambliss has moved into the lead, and he’s done it the way Heisman winners usually do: by stacking big moments, not just tidy numbers. Through two tight games, the Ole Miss quarterback has delivered a steady stream of plays that stick in the mind, the kind that make a voter stop and look twice.
He’s thrown for 924 yards and 7 touchdowns, and his QB rating jumps in the third and fourth quarter compared with the first half. The setup is there for a serious run.
Ole Miss looks like the kind of team he can carry into the national picture, and a CFP berth may be enough to put him over the top, especially if Ohio State or Jeremiah Smith slips again.
Arch Manning is still very much in the conversation, even if the production hasn’t fully matched the billing yet. The Texas quarterback sits 11th in QB rating among 16 qualifying SEC quarterbacks, just behind John Mateer and Jared Curtis.
He has 661 passing yards and is averaging 6.9 yards per attempt, which is solid but not eye-popping. Still, he’s the face of the No. 1 team in the country, and that matters.
He also already has the Ohio State win on the résumé, which gives him a major anchor point as the season builds.
Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor has forced his way into the race with a start few people saw coming. The Bulldogs are 3-0, and Taylor has been a big reason why.
He has thrown for 832 yards and 11 touchdowns with only one interception, ranks fifth nationally in QB rating, and is tied for second in touchdown passes. He also picked up a boost after a week in which he clearly outplayed LaNorris Sellers.
The issue is the same one that hangs over a lot of surprise Heisman cases: Mississippi State may be good, but is it good enough? An 8-4 season would be a strong year for the program, but it might still leave Taylor short of what he needs.
Florida running back Jadan Baugh is the kind of name that usually enters the Heisman race only after he’s already forced the issue. He’s second in the nation in rushing behind Duke’s Nate Sheppard, with 458 yards and 8 touchdowns in three games.
Among rushers with at least 40 carries, his 8.48 yards per attempt leads the country, and his 8 touchdowns are tied for the national lead. He’s also averaging 13.7 yards per carry in the second half of games.
Florida’s 3-0 start helps, and the Gators are even favored against No. 4 Ole Miss this weekend.
But the path is still narrow. Running backs don’t usually get the same shine, and Baugh likely needs Florida to keep pushing toward the College Football Playoff to stay viable.
Gunner Stockton rounds out the top five, and his case is built on efficiency more than flash. Georgia has opened 3-0, and that gives Stockton room to stay in the Heisman conversation as the Bulldogs remain in the playoff hunt.
He has thrown 9 touchdowns without an interception and has completed more touchdown passes than incompletions, with just 7 of those. He’s averaging 13 yards per attempt, which is a strong number, but he has only 583 passing yards so far.
The issue is that he’s one part of a loaded Georgia team, and that can make it hard to stand out. Still, if he strings together a few big SEC performances, he’s got a chance to become much more than a long shot.
In Other News...
Pete Golding Didn't Hold Back After Ole Miss Reality Check
A rough afternoon at The Swamp left Pete Golding with little interest in softening the message. The Ole Miss head coach came away from the loss openly dissatisfied, and his postgame remarks made clear he viewed the performance as more than just a bad result. Golding pointed to the Rebels execution and effort, offering a blunt assessment of a team that never found its footing.
Goldings comments carried the kind of edge that usually follows a reality check, especially on the road in a game that slips away early. For Ole Miss, the bigger concern now is not simply the loss itself, but the standard Golding was willing to say the Rebels fell short of. The directness of his reaction suggests the focus in Oxford will turn quickly to what, exactly, needs to change before the next chance to respond. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Got Hit With A Problem Fans Feared
Floridas 52-28 win over No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday was the kind of result that changes how a season is viewed, and it gave Jon Sumrall his first signature victory as the Gators head coach. Behind a punishing ground game, Florida controlled the tone at home and put the Rebels in a position they had rarely faced this season, with Jadan Baugh leading the way on the ground with 142 yards and three touchdowns.
For Ole Miss, the loss is a reminder that even a top-four ranking can come with some uncomfortable questions once the schedule tightens. Florida is now 4-0 for the first time since 2019, and the Gators are staring at a demanding run that will tell a lot about where this team really stands, with Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Florida State all still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Turned College GameDay Into A Lane Kiffin Message
College GameDay in Knoxville had the usual pregame energy, but Tennessee fans made sure Lane Kiffin remained part of the conversation. As ESPN set the stage for the Vols meeting with Texas, the crowd took aim at Kiffin, whose short and contentious 2009 stint as Tennessees head coach still lingers with the fan base.
Now at LSU, Kiffin is back in the SEC spotlight with another big week ahead, and the backdrop only added to the noise. Tennessee is preparing to host Texas while LSU lines up against Texas A&M, so the timing of the message was hard to miss for anyone watching the rivalry-adjacent scene unfold. [Read more 🡒]