Heisman Trophy Odds 2026: Live Favorites and Contenders

40 names pricedUpdated Saturday, September 26, 7:57 pm ET
RankNameOddsImplied24h
1Jeremiah Smith+30825%▲ 16
2Darian Mensah+33523%▲ 5
3Jadan Baugh+77012%▲ 7
4Trinidad Chambliss+9539.5%▼ 12
5Kamario Taylor+1,0119.0%▼ 1
6CJ Carr+1,4386.5%▼ 1
7Gunner Stockton+2,4004.0%▼ 1
8Julian Sayin+2,7573.5%▲ 1
9Jayden Maiava+2,7573.5%▲ 2
10Keelon Russell+2,7573.5%▲ 1
11Arch Manning+3,2333.0%▼ 3
12Malachi Toney+3,9002.5%▼ 2
13Drew Mestemaker+4,9002.0%—
14Josh Hoover+6,5671.5%▼ 3
15Kevin Jennings+6,5671.5%▲ 1

Odds are the live price on Kalshi’s prediction market expressed as an American line, refreshed every two minutes; sportsbook prices will differ. Implied is the market’s probability. 24h is the move in percentage points since the previous day’s close.

HOW TO READ THIS
These prices move on their own
The table above is live prediction market pricing, not a hand typed list. It reprices through every Saturday, so a big performance shows up within hours.

What the Market Says Right Now

Trinidad Chambliss moved to the front of the conversation on Saturday night. The Ole Miss quarterback threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns and ran in the tiebreaking score in the fourth quarter as No. 8 Ole Miss beat No. 7 LSU 32-24 in Oxford, with College GameDay on campus and Lane Kiffin, the coach who recruited him out of Division II Ferris State, standing on the other sideline. LSU had wiped out a 24-7 halftime deficit before Chambliss answered with a 75 yard touchdown drive, and he did it after Kewan Lacy left with a shoulder injury. The market moved him up seven points in a day.

Darian Mensah still leads the market. Miami won 33-20 at Wake Forest on Friday night to reach 3-0, but the Hurricanes have not met anyone who tested them and the price drifted four points while Chambliss was winning the biggest game on the board. Mensah arrived from Duke as the highest paid quarterback in the sport, and the next month of the schedule decides whether that number was right.

Arch Manning has slipped to seventh. Texas handled UTSA 30-6 to stay unbeaten and hold the No. 1 ranking, but a comfortable win over a non conference opponent does nothing for a Heisman case and the market took six points off him. The fourth quarter comeback from 23-3 down against Ohio State is still the best argument on his résumé; he needs another one.

Two names below the top three are worth watching. Jeremiah Smith is up to third after Ohio State beat Kent State 59-3, which is rare air for a wide receiver in this market. Kamario Taylor sits fifth after Mississippi State won 41-34 at South Carolina, the kind of road result that keeps a sophomore in the picture.

How the Award Actually Works

Who votes 870 media members split across six regions, plus every living former winner and one fan vote
How they vote Three names ranked, worth three, two and one point
When Ballots go out in early December, before the playoff
Position bias Quarterbacks dominate. Travis Hunter in 2024 was the first non-quarterback winner in years
Team record matters Winners almost always come from playoff contenders, which is why a loss can cost more than a bad individual game

Where to Follow the Race

Individual contender pages track each candidate’s case: Arch Manning and CJ Carr. Weekly results are on college football scores today, and our AP poll explainer covers the other weekly vote that shapes these odds.

The Bottom Line

The table above carries live Heisman odds and updates on its own, so it reflects Saturday’s results rather than a weekly hand typed refresh. Quarterbacks on playoff contenders win this award, which is why the top of the market moves with team results as much as individual numbers.