Arch Manning and the Heisman Trophy favorites emerging after Week 1 of college football
The first week of college football featured many standout quarterbacks and receivers who are potential Heisman candidates
NFL football is officially back this week, but this past weekend the NCAA college football season delivered the thrilling moments and highlights that fans missed, even though most heavy favorites cruised to lopsided victories in their debuts, with Oregon's tight battle against Boise State serving as a notable exception.
While it is still far too early in the calendar for anyone to lock down the Heisman Trophy , standout performers like signal-callers Darian Mensah , Trinidad Chambliss , and Arch Manning , alongside elite playmakers like wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney , certainly made massive statements in Week 1, with Mensah's stellar outing vaulting him into early-season favoritism across most major sportsbooks.
2026 College Football Heisman Early Odds
Miami opened its campaign with an explosive showing in Northern California, churning out 549 total yards of offense , with a staggering 234 yards going directly to wide receiver Malachi Toney .
Toney hauled in three of Mensah’s five touchdown passes, shooting up the Heisman oddsboards where FanDuel lists him at +1250 and DraftKings pegs him at +1300 , giving the Hurricanes two players inside the top seven.
Meanwhile, Arch Manning holds firm as the second choice after tossing four touchdowns in a dominant 59-7 victory over Texas State, placing him at +950 on DraftKings and +1100 on FanDuel.
Manning’s Heisman trajectory could face its ultimate litmus test this weekend against Ohio State ; recall that last season, he entered as the preseason favorite before stumbling in a rough opener in Columbus, a setback he never fully recovered from.
Standing in his way are the Buckeyes' own Heisman hopefuls, quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith , who finished fourth and sixth respectively in Heisman voting last year among returners.
Both starred in a 56-3 rout of Ball State, with Sayin completing 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Smith racked up 151 receiving yards and 2 scores.
Smith currently sits even higher on the boards than his quarterback, priced at +1000 on DraftKings (third overall) and +1100 on FanDuel (tied for second), setting the stage for an electrifying clash between Texas and Ohio State in Austin.
