LaNorris Sellers has forced his way into the Heisman conversation the hard way: by carving up one of the nation’s toughest defenses and stacking big performances against ranked opponents.
South Carolina’s quarterback landed on the Heisman Watch top contenders list after a huge night in a 42-25 win over Oklahoma that looked even more lopsided than the final score. Sellers threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns, then added 96 rushing yards and two more scores on 13 carries.
That performance came on the heels of wins over ranked Florida and Tennessee, giving Sellers a three-game run that has included eight touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns. If he keeps this kind of pace, he could put himself in position to join George Rogers as the only Heisman winners in South Carolina history. Rogers, a running back, won the award in 1980.
Drew Mestemaker also held his place on the list despite Oklahoma State’s loss to Iowa State. He threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns, and he has now topped 300 passing yards in seven straight games. Over the last two weeks combined, he has thrown nine touchdown passes.
The Heisman Watch list is compiled by voters Cliff Brunt and Jeff Hauser, who cover college football for The Sporting News. Hauser has voted since 2015, and Brunt since 2017. Their alphabetical list reflects the players they would strongly consider for their top three if ballots were due today, with highlighted names sitting in the top five for one or both voters.
Among the top contenders, Michael Hawkins of West Virginia continues to put up eye-catching dual-threat numbers. Through eight games, he has completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also rushing for 836 yards and 16 scores.
In his last outing, a 24-20 win over TCU on Oct. 24, he passed for 79 yards and a touchdown and added 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns before West Virginia’s bye week. The Mountaineers visit Texas Tech on Nov.
Oregon State wideout Jesse Legree is also in the mix after putting up the nation’s leading receiving totals. He has 53 catches for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he has scored on a reception of at least 70 yards in four different games.
Last time out, he caught seven passes for 70 yards in a 38-22 loss to Fresno State. Oregon State hosts Texas State on Saturday.
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah brings a different kind of profile to the race. He leads the nation with an 80.7% completion rate and has thrown for 2,425 yards with 25 touchdown passes, tied for the national lead, against just one interception.
Against North Carolina on Saturday, he completed 22 of 29 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 36 yards in a 38-35 win. Miami heads to Notre Dame on Saturday, where Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr has a chance to move up in the race.
Jeremiah Smith remains a major name on the list for Ohio State. He has 62 catches for 1,067 yards, which ranks second nationally, and 13 touchdown receptions, also tied for second nationally.
In his first game without quarterback Julian Sayin, he still managed 10 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown in a 30-18 loss to USC. Ohio State hosts Oregon on Saturday.
Miami receiver Malachi Toney rounds out the top contenders. He is second nationally with 73 catches and has 1,027 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, plus 61 rushing yards. He caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns in the win over North Carolina, and he’ll be back on the field when Miami visits Notre Dame.
The fringe list includes Braden Atkinson of Oregon State, Bear Bachmeier of BYU, Jadan Baugh of Florida, DeSean Bishop of Tennessee, CJ Carr of Notre Dame, Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Devon Dampier of Utah, Noah Fifita of Arizona, Kevin Jennings of SMU, Lincoln Kienholz of Louisville, Gio Lopez of Wake Forest, Dylan Riley of Boise State, Jamal Roberts of Missouri, Nate Sheppard of Duke and Gunner Stockton of Georgia.
In Other News...
South Carolinas Arkansas Trip Just Got A Late-Season Twist
South Carolinas trip to Arkansas on Nov. 14 now has a clear nighttime slot, with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and television coverage on SEC Network. It adds another late start to a schedule that already has the Gamecocks moving through a demanding November stretch, with Texas A&M up next on Nov. 7 before the calendar turns deeper into the season.
The timing matters because South Carolina is trying to keep its footing while the final month brings a steady climb in difficulty. After Arkansas, the Gamecocks still have Georgia and Clemson ahead, which means every week now carries a little more weight as they work through the back half of the schedule and try to stack results before the year closes. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Faces A Real SEC Test As Momentum Keeps Building
South Carolina heads into Saturday with a little more buzz around it than it had a few weeks ago, and the next step is a meaningful one. The No. 23 Gamecocks have won three straight, built their momentum behind strong offensive performances and now get Texas A&M at Williams-Brice Stadium in an SEC matchup that should say plenty about where this team really stands.
The Gamecocks have been especially effective on the ground, leading the league in rushing yards, with quarterback LaNorris Sellers continuing to be a central part of the attack. Texas A&M arrives with its own playmakers, including wide receiver Mario Craver, but the Aggies have had a harder time in SEC play and away from home, which makes this one a real test of whether South Carolina's recent surge can hold up against a conference opponent with enough talent to make things uncomfortable. [Read more 🡒]
LaNorris Sellers Has South Carolina Suddenly Looking Like A November Threat
LaNorris Sellers has turned October into a showcase for South Carolina, and the timing could hardly be better. The Gamecocks have looked far more dangerous with him driving the offense, as he averaged 342 yards of total offense and 3.75 touchdowns per game during the month, a stretch that has changed the tone around a team that suddenly has a real November pulse.
For South Carolina, the bigger question now is whether that surge can carry into the closing stretch and keep the Gamecocks in the conversation when the calendar flips. Around the sport, October also reshuffled the bigger picture, with Ohio State dealing with defensive issues after its loss to USC and Wake Forest putting itself in control of its ACC fate, but South Carolinas rise feels especially relevant because it comes with a quarterback who has made the offense look explosive at just the right time. [Read more 🡒]