The Heisman Odds conversation is already taking shape entering October, and NCAA.com has Jeremiah Smith at the top of its list after a stunning start for Ohio State. The sport's premier award for the 'most outstanding' player is still wide open, but Smith has already made a powerful early case.
In the first month of the college football season, Smith stacked up 33 catches for 617 yards and seven touchdowns, then followed it with a top-five performance against Texas that included eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. That is the kind of production that forces voters to pay attention early.
Jeremiah Smith sets the pace
Smith's latest statement came against Illinois, where he caught 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns. For a player already producing at an elite level, that kind of game changes the temperature around the Heisman Odds discussion very quickly.
What stands out most is consistency. Smith is not living off one explosive afternoon. He has been a constant feature of Ohio State's offense, and the numbers suggest a player who is carrying real weight in a season that is still only beginning.
Who else is in the mix?
NCAA.com's top 10 also includes Kamario Taylor, Trinidad Chambliss, Jadan Baugh, Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, giving the race both star power and variety. The list reflects a mix of quarterbacks, running backs and receivers, which is exactly what makes the Heisman Trophy debate so difficult to settle at this stage.
Taylor's case got a boost last weekend when he picked up his first ranked win over then-No. 19 Missouri. Chambliss has also made a strong impression, first by leading a game-winning fourth quarter drive against LSU while accounting for 363 yards through the air and three total touchdowns, then by bouncing back against Florida despite an interception and a fumble to run for three touchdowns and pass for another.
Running backs are still chasing history
Jadan Baugh has entered the conversation too, after running for 142 yards and three touchdowns against the then-No. 4 team in the country. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry in that performance and has three games of three rushing touchdowns, which is the kind of profile that should not be ignored.
There is still a bigger historical challenge for any back trying to win the award. A running back has not won the Heisman since Derrick Henry in 2015, which is one reason the Heisman Odds debate often tilts toward quarterbacks and elite playmakers unless a back has a truly dominant season.
The wider picture is clear. Smith may be leading the way now, but the race is only just beginning. With October arriving, the next few weeks will tell us whether the current order holds or whether one of these challengers can turn an impressive start into a serious Heisman push.
