College football Heisman Trophy watch after Week 6

We have reached the midway point of college football‘s regular season. Eight undefeated teams remain after Oklahoma beat Texas and knocked Arch Manning out of Heisman contention as he threw two interceptions on Saturday.

If you still haven’t lost this far into the season, you can probably make a case for someone on your team to be worthy of Heisman consideration. However, there are two specific players from the same unranked team who deserve some attention.

Here are six players on the Heisman Trophy watch list after Week 6:

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Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) catches a pass during the NCAA football game against the Maryland Terrapins at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 10, 2026. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Jeremiah Smith had a relatively quiet game on Saturday as the Buckeyes beat the Maryland Terrapins, 45-16. Smith caught a season-low four passes, but still had 93 yards and scored two touchdowns. He’s scored multiple touchdowns in four of OSU’s first six games and has already has 916 receiving yards this season. He has the second most receptions, touchdown catches and receiving yards in Division I midway through the regular season.

If Smith continues to produce at this pace he could become the third wide receiver in the last seven seasons to win the award. Travis Hunter, who also played defensive back, won it two years ago. DaVonta Smith won it in 2020.

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah

Oct 3, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (10) celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ashley Tumlin-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Miami beat Clemson on Saturday withDarian Mensah taking care of business at quarterback. He completed 18-of-27 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown pass. He also scored a touchdown rushing as the Hurricanes remained unbeaten on the season.

Mensah is completing an absurd 84.2% of his passes this season while throwing for 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions. If Miami can navigate their schedule and Mensah keeps taking such ridiculously good care of the ball, he should be a finalist.

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is interviewed after winning a NCAA football game 58-7 against Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in South Bend. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Notre Dame rolled over Stanford this weekend to improve to 6-0 on the season. Carr was efficient, throwing for 181 yards and three touchdowns. He’s now up to 16 touchdown passes and just one interception on the season. Any star quarterback whose team starts the season undefeated is immediately in Heisman contention and the Fighting Irish have protected him this season

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton

Oct 10, 2026; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; ESPN reporter Holly Rowe interviews Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) after a win against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Georgia beat Alabama on Saturday. Gunner Stockton outplayed Keelon Russell, completing 18-of-22 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. He ran for the touchdown to give Georgia a lead in the third quarter and then conducted two drives in the fourth that ended in field goal opportunities before running out the clock on the final drive of the game to secure the win.

Stockton is up to 1,298 passing yards, 14 touchdown passes and two interceptions on the season. But the most important numbers are zero and one. Respectively, that’s the number of losses Georgia has and where they’re ranked in the polls.

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Oregon State’s Braden Atkinson and Jesse Legree

Oct 3, 2026; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Jesse Legree (12) catches a pass from quarterback Braden Atkinson (2) in the second half against the Colorado State Rams at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Rydland-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

How much longer must the world ignore what’s happening in Corvallis, Oregon? Braden Atkinson completed 29-of-38 passes for 409 yards and five touchdown passes against San Diego State on Saturday. Atkinson leads FBS with 2,257 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes this season. His No. 1 target, wide receiver Jess Legree has more receiving yards and touchdown receptions than Jeremiah Smith.

These guys are putting up bonkers numbers, but remain longshots because of how the season started. since the Beavers opened their season with back-to-back losses they’re complete longshots. Maybe its time to rethink that. Oregon State lost to the Houston Cougars and Texas Tech Red Raiders to open the season. Both schools were ranked at the time and remain in the top 25 a month later. Atkinson and Legree put up huge numbers against both opponents.

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