Entering Week 11, the 2026 Heisman Trophy race has already featured several twists and turns.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, an early front-runner, has tapered off following a scintillating start. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, once looking as though he may run away with the trophy, hit a speed bump when quarterback Julian Sayin went down with a fractured elbow in his throwing arm.
With only three weeks left to go in the regular season, the 2026 Heisman is still anyone’s to win. Below are our eight favorite candidates heading into the weekend.
Carr tops the rankings after a stellar performance last Saturday against previously No. 1 Miami (8-1, 6-0 in ACC), when he became the first quarterback since at least 1995 to throw for 300 or more yards and three touchdowns on 70 percent or better completion percentage in a win over the Associated Press No. 1 team in the country. (h/t Stathead)
But the two-year starter might not want to get too comfortable. The Irish only have one remaining game against a team with a winning record — on Nov. 21 at home against the AP No. 25 SMU Mustangs (7-2, 5-2 in ACC) — leaving Carr without a chance to pick up another signature Heisman moment. And when other candidates suit up for the last time on conference championship weekend, he’ll be idle.
Carr needs a monster finish to become Notre Dame’s first Heisman winner since wide receiver Tim Brown in 1987, and that push begins on Saturday.
