Quarterback injuries have significantly impacted the Heisman Trophy race and the fight for playoff positioning this season.
Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor and Oregon’s Dante Moore are the latest quarterbacks to be declared out for the season. UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava and Pitt’s Mason Heintschel already were out for the year, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin might not return.
Mississippi State looked capable of a run at a playoff berth. Taylor was lighting it up, getting Heisman mention as the Bulldogs started off 4-0. But the team has lost all three games since he suffered a toe injury during a win over Missouri. He played hurt against Alabama, missed the game against LSU and tried to go against Oklahoma but didn’t last. All were losses.
In the four games where Taylor was healthy, the Bulldogs averaged 43 points per game, including wins over South Carolina and Missouri. Since then, they are averaging 12.7.
🏈 Kamario Taylor, right turf toe, Part 2: surgery, out for the season Saturday I leaned that State should sit him and image the toe. Pete Thamel now reports it’s surgery, likely as soon as tomorrow, and he’s done for 2026. Here’s what that surgery actually fixes 👇 1️⃣ What the film shows Same clip as Saturday. He scrambles right, goes down out of bounds with his feet hidden in the crowd, then limps off favoring the right foot. Per reports that was the third time the toe flared since Missouri on Sept. 26. 2️⃣ Why surgery Most turf toe heals with rest, taping and a stiff plate. Surgery comes in when the plantar plate under the big toe joint is torn through (grade 3), the joint is unstable, the sesamoids pull back, or rest simply stops working. Thamel reports time and rest weren’t getting him there. The repair sews the plate back so the toe can take push off again. My read is that’s likely the fix, but the specialist visit today decides it. In a football only repair series, players missed about 16 weeks on average. A larger athlete series averaged about 20 weeks (range 12 to 32), with roughly 9 in 10 back to their prior level. Path A: Clean repair, boot and protected walking first, cutting and sprinting by late winter, full go for spring ball and summer camp in 2027. Path B: The toe gets stiff. Big toe motion lags, push off stays weak, and the long run risk is arthritis in that joint (hallux rigidus), so he’s slower to look like himself. 3️⃣ What I’d watch next 1. What the specialist finds and what gets repaired 2. Spring practice reports on him running and pushing off 3. Big toe motion and push off power, not just throwing Takeaway: I lean A. He’s young, the repair data is good, and he has a full offseason. B stays alive because stiffness is the most common trouble after this repair. This is a lean, not a diagnosis. Bulldogs fans, is 2027 Kamario back to his early 2026 form? 👇
— Dr. Ribu Thomas PT, DPT (@Ribu18) October 27, 2026
Moore was among the Heisman favorites at the beginning of the season, and Oregon’s offense was solid, even in a surprise early loss to Oklahoma State. But the Ducks have struggled to move the ball since Moore went down in the first half of a win over USC.
Oregon averaged 50 points in its first four games and was 3-1. Granted, 84 points came against Portland State. But since then, the Ducks have averaged 14 points per game and are 1-2.
Oregon has used two quarterbacks since Moore was injured, the drop-off has been significant. Brock Thomas has had his moments, and Dylan Raiola looked great for a quarter in leading a rally for a close win over Nebraska, his former school. But the Ducks are struggling at 4-3 and have a tough schedule the rest of the way.
UCLA’s Iamaleava was lost with a torn ACL against Oregon. The Bruins averaged 44.8 points in wins over Cal, San Diego State, Purdue and Maryland. They beat Oregon 17-15, then scored just 17 against Wisconsin and 28 against Michigan State with Ty Dieffenbach leading the way. They may need a little more to maintain their position.
Here’s the play that knocked out UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava for the rest of the year with a knee injury. https://t.co/pHKvM79U1n
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 12, 2026
MORE: Heisman Watch update heading into Week 9
Ohio State’s Sayin was considered a Heisman candidate along with receiver Jeremiah Smith. But now, Sayin is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, and it’s unclear how the Buckeyes will fare with backups Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair. The Buckeyes hung on to win the game against Indiana that Sayin was hurt in. They had a bye to regroup, and the first real test will be Saturday against USC.
Pitt’s Heintschel was putting up massive numbers and led the Panthers to a 5-0 start before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee against Virginia Tech. He passed for more than 400 yards in two of his first four games. The Panthers have lost all three games since his injury, including a 52-23 loss to Miami.
