Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton and Missouri running back Jamal Roberts debut on the Sporting News Heisman Watch top contenders list heading into Week 7.
Stockton accounted for both of Georgia’s touchdowns — one rushing and one passing — in the Bulldogs’ 20-17 win at Alabama on Saturday night. His performance helped Georgia jump to No. 1 in the new Associated Press Top 25.
Roberts ran for 222 yards and two touchdowns as Missouri beat Texas A&M 27-6 on Saturday. He surpassed 200 yards rushing for the second straight week.
Alabama’s Keelon Russell cracked our top contenders list last week, but he fell off after the head-to-head loss to Stockton. He drops to the fringe list.
There are two matchups between top contenders on Saturday. Josh Hoover and Indiana will host Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State, and Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss will host Roberts and Missouri.
Among the additions to the fringe list are Oregon State’s potent combination of quarterback Braden Atkinson and receiver Jesse Legree. Atkinson leads the nation with 2,257 yards and 22 touchdowns passing. Legree leads the nation with 932 yards and 12 touchdowns and averages 24.5 yards per catch.
Heisman Trophy voters Cliff Brunt and Jeff Hauser cover college football for The Sporting News. Hauser has voted since 2015 and Brunt since 2017. They have compiled an alphabetical watch list of players they would consider strongly for their top three if ballots were due today. The highlighted players are in the top five for one or both.
Heisman Watch
Top contenders
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
Season stats: Six games, 70.8% completions, 1,378 yards, 16 TDs; three rushing TDs.
Last game: Completed 14 of 20 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns in a 58-7 win over Stanford on Saturday.
Next game: Notre Dame visits BYU on Saturday. It’s a great opportunity for Carr to get a boost and for BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier to be seen on a national stage.
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
Season stats: Five games, 70.1% completions, 1,435 yards, 11 TDs; 28 carries, 113 yards, five rushing TDs.
Last game: Completed 20 of 30 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-17 win over Vanderbilt. He also ran for a score.
Next game: Ole Miss hosts Missouri on Saturday in a marquee matchup between Chambliss and Roberts.
Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana
Season stats: Six games, 68.2% completions, 1,364 yards, 129 passes without an interception. Passer rating of 200.7, 17 TD passes.
Last game: Completed 12 of 22 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 24 yards in a 20-17 comeback win over Nebraska. He threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to rally the Hoosiers from a 17-6 deficit.
Next game: Indiana hosts Ohio State and star receiver Jeremiah Smith on Saturday in a matchup with massive implications for both the College Football Playoff and Heisman races.
NICK MARSH AGAIN 😱 Indiana takes its first lead of the game over Nebraska (via @CFBONFOX) https://t.co/mhFMCgeZbf
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 10, 2026
Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
Season stats: Five games, 84.2% completions, 1,438 yards, 15 TD passes without an interception. Passer rating of 212.1.
Last game: Completed 18 of 27 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown and ran three times for 27 yards and another score in a 41-13 win over Clemson two weeks ago.
Next game: Miami visits Florida State on Saturday.
Jamal Roberts, RB, Missouri
Season stats: Six games, 828 yards rushing, eight TDs; 11 catches, 84 yards.
Last game: Ran 34 times for 222 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-6 win over Texas A&M on Saturday.
Next game: Missouri visits Ole Miss on Saturday.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Season stats: Six games, 48 catches, 916 yards, 11 TDs.
Last game: After compiling more than 200 yards receiving two straight games, Smith had four catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-16 win over Maryland on Saturday. It was his third straight game with at least two touchdown grabs.
Next game: Ohio State visits Indiana on Saturday.
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia
Season stats: Six games, 76.6% completions, 1,298 yards, 14 TDs; 134 yards rushing.
Last game: Completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score in a 20-17 win at Alabama on Saturday.
Next game: Alabama visits Tennessee on Saturday.
GEORGIA RETAKE THE LEAD AGAINST ALABAMA 🚨 (via: @espn) https://t.co/7wmfcYLnjf
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 11, 2026
On the fringe: Braden Atkinson, Oregon State; Bear Bachmeier, BYU; Jadan Baugh, Florida; Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska; Reed Harris, Arizona State; Kevin Jennings, SMU; Jesse Legree, Oregon State; Gio Lopez, Wake Forest; Jayden Maiava, USC; Arch Manning, Texas; Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State; Julian Sayin, Ohio State; LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina; Nate Sheppard, Duke; Austin Simmons, Missouri; Colin Simmons, Texas; Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State; Malachi Toney, Miami.
