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Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman Lead Faces Major Threat as 3 Quarterbacks Challenge Ohio State Star Despite “Best Player” Verdict

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith remains the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy after another dominant performance, but his lead is under pressure from three elite quarterbacks who have quietly built compelling cases. Smith’s record-setting 206-yard, two-touchdown game against Iowa pushed him further ahead in the race, while his 206th career reception broke Ohio State’s all-time receiving record.

Yet analysts like Matt Hayes and John Brice—while acknowledging Smith as the best player in college football—warn that the award’s history heavily favors quarterbacks, and three signal-callers are heating up. Alabama’s Keelon Russell (1,599 passing yards, 12 TDs, 91.1 PFF grade) and Miami’s Darian Mensah (1,438 yards, 15 TDs, 0 INTs, 92.5 PFF grade) have been unstoppable, while Notre Dame’s C.J.

Carr (1,378 yards, 16 TDs, 91.7 PFF grade) ranks second among FBS quarterbacks in overall efficiency. With only two wide receivers winning the Heisman in the past 26 years, Smith’s path to victory—though statistically dominant—may still require overcoming the award’s quarterback bias as the season progresses.

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