Everybody wants to call the Heisman Trophy a two-man race between Trinidad Chambliss and Darian Mensah.
Not so fast, my friend!
Chambliss and Mensah remain firmly in the room, but they’re no longer sitting there by themselves. Kamario Taylor and Jadan Baugh have kicked the damn door open—and Jeremiah Smith just stormed through it with a four-touchdown performance.
DARIAN MENSAH, QB, MIAMI
Mensah has been the most efficient quarterback in the country. He’s accurate, poised and rarely puts the football in danger. He is also leading a Miami team with legitimate national-championship expectations. Mensah entered the season with plenty of attention, and so far, he has lived up to it.
TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS, QB, OLE MISS
Chambliss remains one of the most electrifying players in college football. The loss to Florida damaged some of his momentum, but it did not erase everything he accomplished before it. He is still dangerous with his arm and legs, and Ole Miss will continue putting the football in his hands.
But he no longer has much room for another stumble.
KAMARIO TAYLOR, QB, MISSISSIPPI STATE
Taylor is no longer a dark horse. He is a legitimate Heisman contender.
He just threw for 360 yards and three touchdowns, and he continues to carry a Mississippi State team nobody expected to be in this position. He is big, athletic, powerful and becoming more confident every week.
The Heisman is supposed to recognize the most outstanding player in college football—not merely the quarterback playing for the most recognizable program. Taylor belongs in this conversation, and another big performance against Alabama could send his candidacy into another stratosphere.
JADAN BAUGH, RB, FLORIDA
Baugh damn sure belongs in the room.
He has already rushed for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns, and his three-touchdown performance helped Florida knock off Ole Miss. That wasn’t empty production against an overmatched opponent. That was a dominant performance on one of the biggest stages of the weekend.
If the voting were held today, Baugh should at least receive an invitation to New York. He has been the engine of Florida’s resurgence and one of the most impactful players in the country.
JEREMIAH SMITH, WR, OHIO STATE
You cannot ignore what Smith just did: 12 catches, 217 yards and four touchdowns. He may be the most physically gifted player in college football, and he has now forced himself directly into the center of the race.
The difficulty for Smith will be the same one every wide receiver faces: quarterbacks naturally dominate Heisman voting. But if he keeps producing performances like that, voters won’t have a choice.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This is not a two-man race.
Mensah and Chambliss may have entered the weekend with the best seats, but Taylor, Baugh and Smith have pulled up chairs of their own.
My Heisman Room currently has five occupants—and nobody has earned the right to close the door.
