Week 9 Heisman Trophy power rankings: 3 wide receivers sit in the top 5 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Normally, the biggest awards in football are reserved for quarterbacks. The NFL MVP is almost always won by a quarterback, and the Heisman Trophy in college football is also dominated by quarterbacks as well. This year, however, the Heisman may be headed elsewhere.
Wide receivers have dominated the college football season so far, and they are taking over the Heisman Trophy conversation as a result. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith remains a strong favorite in the race despite having the week off in Week 8, but it remains to be seen how he fares with a backup quarterback. Oregon State’s Jesse Legree also holds strong in the power rankings despite also having a bye.
Miami’s Malachi Toney vaulted himself back into the top five on Saturday with a monster performance against Pitt, and he is joined by his quarterback Darian Mensah.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
How does the top five round out as November rapidly approaches? Let’s get into the list.
Honorable mention: BYU QB Bear Bachmeier, Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker, Georgia QB Gunner Stockton, Notre Dame QB C.J. Carr, Wake Forest QB Gio Lopez
5. Oregon State WR Jesse Legree
Last week: 5
Legree is on a historic pace so far this season, as noted last week, and now his attention will be fully focused on helping Oregon State make a run at the College Football Playoff. The Beavers have just two losses and are still right in the thick of the Pac-12 race, with a game against conference-leading Boise State still on the horizon. Legree also recently announced that he will be returning to Corvallis for his sophomore season in 2027.
4. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss
Last week: 2
Chambliss didn’t get much help on Saturday night in a 34-27 loss to Texas, but he didn’t have his best stuff either. He threw two poor interceptions, and a third on a Hail Mary, that dug the Rebels into a deep hole in the first half in Austin. It says a lot about Chambliss that he dug Ole Miss out of that hole, primarily by throwing into tight coverage all night long, but his Rebels now find their CFP hopes on life support. Unless he can win out against a difficult schedule, his Heisman hopes feel like a longshot.
3. Miami (FL) WR Malachi Toney
Last week: NR
Toney made a massive statement in a blowout win over Pitt on Saturday, finishing with 16 catches for 194 yards and three touchdowns. He had as many receiving yards as Pitt had total yards in the first half. Pat Narduzzi’s group is not the first, nor the last defense that Toney will torch during his Hurricanes career, and he might just get his hands on some Heisman hardware as a result.
Toney is now third in college football with 952 receiving yards on 66 catches with 11 touchdowns. His skeptics will point out Miami’s relatively weak schedule as a catalyst for those numbers, but Toney can put all of that talk to bed against a good North Carolina defense on Saturday before a clash with Notre Dame on Nov. 7.
2. Miami (FL) QB Darian Mensah
Last week: 3
Mensah will have to face similar questions as Toney about Miami’s schedule, but it’s hard to operate with this level of efficiency no matter who you are playing against. In the win over Pitt, Mensah finished 31-of-37 with 387 yards and four touchdowns, operating with ruthless precision all afternoon.
For the season, Mensah leads the nation in completion percentage (81.4%) and is second in touchdowns (22) while throwing just one interception. If Miami can stay unbeaten and Mensah has another big day against Notre Dame in a few weeks, he just might have enough to overtake the No. 1 spot.
1. Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith
Last week: 1
All eyes will be on Smith on Saturday night as the world sees how he fares with a backup quarterback, presumably Luke Fahey, under center when the Buckeyes take on USC. The Trojans’ defense has been suspect at best this season, so Smith should still be able to have his way assuming whoever is under center can still get him the ball on a somewhat consistent basis.
Ohio State’s schedule the rest of the way isn’t exactly filled with a murderer’s row of defenses, especially with Oregon’s season quickly spiraling out of control. The Michigan defense on rivalry week will prove to be a stern challenge, but it’s nothing that Smith can’t handle as long as the QB situation is somewhat stable.
In a way, if Smith continues to produce tag the level he has been this season, it could help his Heisman case even more. Keeping the Buckeyes in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff race after Sayin’s loss could earn him a genuine argument as a more valuable player than the quarterbacks behind him.
Related: Robert Griffin III declares ‘100%’ interest to replace Dave Aranda as Baylor HC
Related: Texas football’s Steve Sarkisian channels Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality after beating Ole Miss