This has been an odd season for the Heisman Trophy race. Nearly every preseason favorite has been bounced out of the conversation and now John Mateer, who was creeping up as the top Heisman Trophy candidate, could miss a good chunk of the season after needing surgery on his hand. With that being the case, that once again throws a ripple into the Heisman Trophy race.
The new favorites, though having a solid season, aren’t as exciting of candidates like Mateer is. There’s some that are overrated in my eyes and others that still need to prove they’re worthy of the highest award in college football. Here’s a look at the new favorites after Mateer’s injury, ranked by their odds.
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6. Gunner Stockton, Georgia Bulldogs
Odds: +1400
Gunner Stockton could be a dark horse player that gains traction in Heisman Trophy conversations if he continues to play well. He’s had an okay season, but getting an overtime win over Tennessee on the road will go a long way to building his Heisman resume. The Bulldogs’ schedule doesn’t get any easier, which plays in his favor if he wants to be the first Georgia Bulldog to lift the trophy since Herschel Walker in 1982.
5. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
Odds: +1400
Marcel Reed is my dark horse Heisman candidate to steal the award if Mateer can’t win. Reed already has a top 10 win this season – on the road at that – and has a really tough schedule to prove he’s as good as advertised. He will definitely need to show some consistency, but he’s extremely talented. Texas A&M has a brutal schedule, so if Reed can continue to win and look good doing it, he should soar into conversations as a serious contender.
4. Carson Beck, Miami Hurricanes
Odds: +1200
Maybe I’m just a hater that can’t get over Carson Beck’s dud of a season in 2024, but I just can’t believe he’s back in the Heisman mix this season. Beck’s faced some good defenses to start the year, but I need to see consistency. He didn’t look great against Florida, ironically a team he’s played quite a bit against. Those are the games he needs to play well in. If he’s struggling against good defenses, I don’t think he deserves the award.
3. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Buckeyes
Odds: +1100
Jeremiah Smith might be the only non-quarterback in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy. Ohio State has an easy schedule this season, so I’m expecting him to pad his stats throughout the season. If he doesn’t exceed his expectations, numbers wise, he doesn’t deserve the Heisman. It’s unfortunate for him that his success is at the hands of someone else, but good players figure out how to impact the game.
2. Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks
Odds: +1100
This is the longshot right here to me. Dante Moore isn’t bad, but I haven’t seen anything from him at all that solidifies him as the best player in college football, let alone the best quarterback. He’ll get his first real test this season against Penn State this week. If he plays well in that game, then maybe I’ll start giving him credit. Until then, he has a lot to prove. Nonetheless, odds makers give him the second-best odds, and that’s what happens when one of the previous frontrunners gets hurt.
1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Hoosiers
Odds: +650
If Mateer loses out on winning the award, if there’s one other player that should win it right now, it’s Fernando Mendoza. He’s been on a tear this season and after leading Indiana to a 63-10 win over Illinois last week, he proved the hype is real around the Hoosiers. This season, he’s thrown for 975 yards and 14 passing touchdowns, he also has two rushing touchdowns. He’s as good as advertised, and there’s a reason he has the highest odds. There’s still a lot of football left to play, but if Mateer can’t win it, Mendoza deserves it at this point.