South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers debuts on Heisman Watch top contenders list

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers debuts on Heisman Watch top contenders list originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers cracks the Heisman Watch top contenders list after shredding an Oklahoma defense that had been one of the nation's stingiest.

Sellers passed for 301 yards and three touchdowns and ran 13 times for 96 yards and two scores in a 42-25 win over Oklahoma that wasn't nearly as close as the score would indicate.

Sellers led the Gamecocks to wins over ranked opponents Florida and Tennessee before the victory at Oklahoma. In the three-games stretch, he has eight touchdown passes and five rushing scores.

If he continues on this pace, he'll have a chance to join George Rogers as the school's only Heisman winners. Rogers, a running back, won in 1980.

LaNorris Sellers with a rocket to score the 84-yard TD 🚀 https://t.co/hI6rHGxyvU

— ESPN (@espn) October 31, 2026

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker stays after a loss to Iowa State. He passed for 323 yards and five touchdowns. He has passed for at least 300 yards in seven straight games and has nine touchdown passes the past two weeks combined.

Heisman Trophy voters Cliff Brunt and Jeff Hauser cover college football for The Sporting News. Hauser has voted since 2015 and Brunt since 2017. They have compiled an alphabetical watch list of players they would consider strongly for their top three if ballots were due today. The highlighted players are in the top five for one or both.

Below that is a list of fringe players that are being watched but did not crack the top five for either voter this week.

Heisman Watch

Top contenders

Michael Hawkins, QB, West Virginia

Season stats: Eight games, 56.6% completions, 1,598 yards passing, 11 TDs; 836 yards rushing, 16 TDs.

Last game: Passed for 79 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 87 yards and two scores in a 24-20 win over TCU on Oct. 24. Had a bye last week.

Next game: West Virginia visits Texas Tech on Nov. 7.

Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State

Season stats: Eight games, 53 catches for nation-leading totals of 1,110 yards and 14 TDs. Has a TD reception of at least 70 yards in four different games.

Last game: Caught seven passes for 70 yards in a 38-22 loss to Fresno State on Saturday night.

Next game: Oregon State hosts Texas State on Saturday.

Darian Mensah, QB, Miami

Season stats: Eight games, nation-leading 80.7% completions, 2,425 yards, tied for the national lead with 25 TD passes; just one interception.

Last game: Completed 22 of 29 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 36 yards in a 38-35 win over North Carolina on Saturday.

Next game: Miami visits Notre Dame on Saturday. It's an opportunity for Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr to move up in the race.

Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State

Season stats: Eight games, 65.5% completions, second nationally with 2,649 yards passing, tied for first nationally with 25 TD passes; 166 yards and two TDs rushing.

Last game: Passed for 323 yards and five touchdowns against Iowa State and led the go-ahead drive in the final minute before the defense gave up a walk-off field goal in a 51-49 loss to the Cyclones on Saturday night.

Next game: Oklahoma State visits Kansas State on Saturday.

LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina

Season stats: Eight games, .62.6% completions, 16 TD passes, 603 yards and 6 TDs rushing.

Last game: Dominated Oklahoma, completing 19 of 24 passes for 301 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown pass to DJ Black and a 79-yard touchdown pass to Mazeo Bennett.

Up next: South Carolina hosts Texas A&M on Saturday.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Season stats: Eight games, 62 catches; second nationally with 1,067 yards; tied for second nationally with 13 TD receptions.

Last game: In his first game without quarterback Julian Sayin, he caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in a 30-18 loss to USC on Saturday.

Up next: Ohio State hosts Oregon on Saturday.

Malachi Toney, WR, Miami

Season stats: Eight games, second nationally with 73 catches; 1,027 yards and 13 TDs; 61 yards rushing.

Last game: Caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-35 win over North Carolina on Saturday.

Next game: Miami visits Notre Dame on Saturday.

On the fringe: Braden Atkinson, Oregon State; Bear Bachmeier, BYU; Jadan Baugh, Florida; DeSean Bishop, Tennessee; CJ Carr, Notre Dame; Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss; Devon Dampier, Utah; Noah Fifita, Arizona; Kevin Jennings, SMU; Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville; Gio Lopez, Wake Forest; Dylan Riley, Boise State; Jamal Roberts, Missouri; Nate Sheppard, Duke; Gunner Stockton, Georgia.

More College Football news:

• Week Three Heisman Update
• Week Four Heisman Update
• Week Five Heisman Update
• Week Six Heisman Update
• Week Seven Heisman Update
• Week Eight Heisman Update