College football’s opening weekend wasted no time putting the Heisman conversation in motion, and a handful of stars made loud statements before September was even underway.
The biggest buzz belongs to Miami’s Malachi Toney, who opened his sophomore season by looking every bit like the sport’s newest centerpiece. Against Stanford, the freshman phenom from last year backed up the hype with a calm 12 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
Even more striking, 182 of those yards came in the first half. Had he stayed on the field for more snaps after halftime, 300 yards was well within reach.
For now, Toney has jumped to the front as the new favorite to win college football’s top honor, and the early-season debate could quickly become Toney versus Smith on a weekly basis throughout 2026.
Miami’s new dynamic duo also got a major boost from Carson Beck, the Duke transfer who looked fully at home in a blowout at Stanford. Beck was nearly flawless, completing 27 of 30 passes for 405 yards and five touchdown throws.
It was a huge first impression for the junior quarterback, though the reality may be that he still wasn’t the best player on the field for the Hurricanes. That could matter later if the Heisman race tightens, because Beck may have a hard time separating himself from the player sharing the spotlight with him.
Elsewhere, LSU’s Leavitt made a smooth return to Death Valley and looked like the version of himself that made him so dangerous in 2024. After foot surgery slowed him down in 2025, he appeared fully back in LSU’s handling of Clemson.
Leavitt accounted for 343 yards of offense, throwing for 230 and running for 113, and he scored three times, including twice on the ground. That dual-threat ability is exactly what carried him during Arizona State’s College Football Playoff run in 2024, and now under Lane Kiffin at LSU, he has a real Heisman path if the Tigers keep stacking wins.
Oregon’s win over Boise State came with its share of tension, but Moore was the reason the Ducks escaped with the victory. In a game that was far from clean, he delivered 378 passing yards and three touchdowns to keep Oregon in front of the Broncos.
Many already view Moore as the best quarterback in college football, and that kind of label will keep him in the Heisman mix all season long. If he keeps steering what may be the best roster in the country, the hype around him won’t fade.
At USC, Maiava continued building his own case by putting together another strong outing against Fresno State. Having already played in both Week 0 and Week 1, the senior has had more chances than most to stack tape, and he took advantage again with 349 passing yards and three touchdown passes in a 2-0 start for the Trojans.
Through two games, he has as many total touchdowns as incompletions, with six of each. The schedule gets tougher soon, with Louisiana and Rutgers next, but for now Maiava is keeping his Heisman-level play rolling.
Week 1 may have featured only one ranked matchup, but the stars still came out in force. From Leavitt’s bounce-back performance to Moore’s steady dominance, from Maiava’s efficiency to Beck’s precision and Toney’s jaw-dropping production, the opening weekend delivered plenty of early Heisman heat.
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Jayden Maiava Is Raising USCs Ceiling Faster Than Anyone Expected
Jayden Maiava has barely had time to settle into USCs offense, and already he looks like the kind of quarterback who can change the math around the Trojans season. Through the first two games, he has been sharp and decisive, and his performance against Fresno State was especially eye-opening, with 23 completions on 25 attempts for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Lincoln Riley has noticed, too, praising Maiavas understanding of the offense and the arm talent that makes the whole system look like it has another gear.
For USC, the encouraging part is not just the production, but how quickly it has arrived. FanDuel Sportsbook now lists Maiava with the 10th-best Heisman Trophy odds, a reflection of how fast his name has moved into the national conversation. The Trojans still have a long season ahead, but if this is the baseline, the bigger question is no longer whether Maiava can manage the job. It is how high he might push USC if this level keeps up. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Enters A Season That Could Change Everything At USC
Lincoln Riley is heading into a season at USC with the kind of pressure that comes with expectations, especially after the move into the Big Ten raised the stakes around every game. Analyst Paul Finebaum recently pointed to Riley as one of the coaches who could do a lot for his standing this fall, and much of that hinges on the same formula that has long defined his best teams: a quarterback who can tilt games and an offense that keeps USC in the conversation.
Jayden Maiava has become part of that discussion after arriving from UNLV and showing well enough to give the Trojans real hope at the most important position. Even so, USCs path is about more than offense. The Big Ten has no shortage of physical tests, and Rileys team will need its defense to hold up if this season is going to look less like another reset and more like the one that changes the tenor of his tenure. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Is Building Something USC May Need On The Road
USC has found a little sideline theater to go with its early-season momentum, as Lincoln Riley and his players have rolled out oversized red juice box props to help symbolize the kind of energy they want to carry into games. It fits the mood around a team that has started 2-0 and has looked comfortable at home, where the Trojans have usually fed off the crowd and the moment.
Jayden Maiavas recognition only added to that feeling, after the quarterback was named Big Ten Player of the Week and picked up additional honors for his role in USCs shutout of Fresno State. The bigger question for Riley is whether that same juice box energy can travel, because the Trojans know the real test is turning these good vibes into something sturdier away from Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]