College football betting: More candidates than meet eye for Heisman Trophy

College football betting: More candidates than meet the eye for Heisman Trophy By Adam Burke VSiN September 20, 2026 – 8:04 pm The LSU versus Ole Miss showdown in Week 3 drew intense attention, with Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford delivering a made‑for‑television spectacle. When Sam Leavitt threw an interception in the end zone, the crowd erupted and the action intensified. During the contest, Rebels running back Trinidad Chambliss emerged as a early favorite for the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Kiffin, widely regarded as an offensive mastermind, has yet to see Chambliss experience any downturn since his previous coach moved to Baton Rouge. Heading into Week 4, most sportsbooks list Chambliss and Miami’s Darian Mensah as the clear frontrunners for the award. Another player whose stock has risen sharply is Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor, who engineered an upset of South Carolina in hostile territory at Williams‑Brice Stadium. After falling behind 16‑0, Taylor’s Bulldogs outscored the Gamecocks 41‑18 for the remainder of the game. He completed 18 of his passes for 251 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 33 rushing yards. Mensah remains largely untested, a point worth noting. He is 71‑of‑79 passing (89.9 percent) for 873 yards with an 11‑0 touchdown‑to‑interception ratio and has been sacked only once. His opponents so far have been Stanford, Florida A&M and Wake Forest. With Miami favored by more than 40 points against Central Michigan this week, Mensah is likely to post large numbers again, albeit against weaker competition. Meanwhile, Chambliss and the Rebels must avoid a letdown when they travel to Gainesville, where an improving Florida squad awaits. Mississippi State hosts Missouri in a coin‑flip contest—the type of game in which Taylor’s stock could rise and his Heisman odds could improve further. While those three candidates gain momentum, others have slipped into obscurity. Former favorite CJ Carr now sits as the seventh‑ or eighth‑choice at most sportsbooks. The Notre Dame quarterback has posted solid numbers: 726 passing yards, a 72.6 percent completion rate, a 6‑0 touchdown‑to‑interception ratio and a rushing touchdown. Yet he has not attracted comparable attention. The Fighting Irish have already defeated two Big Ten teams and two opponents arguably superior to the squads Miami beat in its biggest victories. Despite that, Carr is priced around 15‑1 at most books, with a relatively clear schedule ahead. Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz has been overlooked, but the Cardinals have navigated the toughest portion of their schedule. The only ranked teams they have faced are Ole Miss and SMU; Kentucky could enter the rankings by the time the annual rivalry game arrives after Thanksgiving. Kienholz, an Ohio State transfer, was available at triple‑digit odds earlier in the season. After accounting for 10 touchdowns—including four on the ground—he is now priced near 40‑1. He could still put up impressive numbers, but running backs Keyjuan Brown and Isaac Brown are producing similar outputs, which may hinder his candidacy. Although Carr and Kienholz show commitment to the Heisman race at their current odds, two long‑shot contenders from the Big 12 merit consideration. The first is Utah’s Devon Dampier. The Utes opened 3‑0 with victories over Idaho, Arkansas and Utah State. Utah’s two toughest Big 12 matchups—Houston and BYU—are both at home, while the remaining road games appear highly winnable; my ratings favor the Utes in every remaining contest. Dampier is Utah’s third‑leading rusher, owns a 7‑1 touchdown‑to‑interception ratio and completes 71.6 percent of his passes. The Big 12 defense remains relatively porous, as usual. At odds of 75‑1 or better, he warrants a look. The other candidate in that range is Kansas State’s Avery Johnson, who is thriving in the system once led by former Little Apple star Collin Klein. Johnson has thrown two interceptions, which hurts his Heisman prospects, but he averages more than 10 yards per attempt and has completed roughly 70 percent of his passes. The Wildcats face only one ranked opponent—Houston—left on their schedule. They will avoid the aforementioned Utes, as well as Texas Tech and BYU. At this juncture, I also favor Kansas State in every remaining game, though not as decisively as Utah in most matchups. Given the Big 12’s wide‑open nature, Dampier and Johnson represent viable tickets for bettors at this stage.