Heisman Odds After Week 9: Darian Mensah Overtakes Jeremiah Smith

• Darian Mensah has passed Jeremiah Smith at the top of the Heisman odds
• Ohio State lost at USC and Smith’s price moved for the second straight week
• See the updated Heisman odds after Week 9 below, plus where the value sits

The 2026 Heisman Trophy race has a new leader. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has moved ahead of Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith after Week 9, giving the unbeaten Hurricanes the favorite heading into November.

Miami survived a road test at North Carolina to stay unbeaten, while Ohio State lost at USC with a true freshman making his first career start at quarterback.

The second tier tightened up too, with CJ Carr and Trinidad Chambliss both shortening ahead of big November matchups. Here’s where the Heisman odds stand, what moved and what it means if you are shopping for a number.

Updated Heisman Odds After Week 9

BetMGM odds as of early November 1 ET. Last week’s prices are from our October 25 update. New customers can grab a BetMGM promo code before betting futures, and you can compare numbers across the best college football betting apps.

Mensah and Smith essentially traded places. Mensah shortened from +300 to +150 while Smith went from +110 out to +275.

Carr and Chambliss both made real gains without huge statistical afternoons. Toney barely budged at +325, while Jayden Maiava lengthened from +10000 to +30000.

Darian Mensah Leads the Heisman Odds at +150

Mensah went 22-of-29 for 274 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in Miami’s 38-35 win at North Carolina. The Hurricanes are 8-0 and he entered the game leading the country in completion percentage.

Mensah’s Heisman case combines an unbeaten team with efficient passing and few mistakes. Another three-touchdown night gives voters more than Miami’s record to work with.

The catch at +150 is that there is not much room left in the price. His implied probability has climbed from 25% to 40% before the bookmaker’s margin, with a major road test still ahead.

That comes November 7, when Miami visits Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. That gives Mensah a national stage against another Heisman contender, with enough at stake to change the price again.

Jeremiah Smith Drifts to +275 in the Heisman Odds

Smith did not have a bad game at USC. He caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, and that score made him the Big Ten’s career leader with 40 receiving touchdowns.

The problem is everything around him. Ohio State lost 30-18 and dropped to 6-2, with true freshman Luke Fahey making his first career start in place of Julian Sayin, who is out indefinitely with a throwing arm injury.

Fahey went 21-of-38 for 260 yards, a touchdown and no picks, which is a respectable debut. It is also a different passing operation than the one that made Smith a heavy favorite a month ago.

So +275 is a much cheaper ticket than +110, but cheaper is not the same as better. Two losses and a freshman quarterback are real obstacles, and Oregon comes to Columbus on November 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Malachi Toney Stays Close in the Heisman Odds

Toney caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns against North Carolina, including the nine-yard score in the fourth quarter that provided Miami’s winning margin. His Heisman odds barely moved, from +350 to +325.

That is the second straight week he has been central to the result after setting a Miami single-game record with 16 catches against Pitt. The complication is that his best plays are also Mensah’s best plays.

With Miami teammates sitting first and third in the Heisman odds, voters will have to weigh their contributions to the same offense. Toney offers the longer price, but another big receiving night can strengthen Mensah’s case too.

Carr, Chambliss and the Rest of the Heisman Board

Carr shortened from +2000 to +1200 after going 19-of-29 for 210 yards and two touchdowns in Notre Dame’s 35-13 win over Navy. Modest numbers, but he gets Miami at home next Saturday with Mensah on the other sideline.

Chambliss moved to +1500 after a 45-15 win over Auburn, finishing 22-of-34 for 263 yards and two scores plus 65 rushing yards and another touchdown. He has thrown a touchdown pass in 21 straight games, one short of Chad Kelly’s Ole Miss record.

Ole Miss hosts Georgia on November 7, which gives Chambliss the same kind of stage Carr is getting. Those two prices are the most interesting longshots on the board precisely because of what is in front of them.

Further down, Gunner Stockton cut to +5000 despite throwing for only 101 yards in Georgia’s 27-8 win over Florida. Drew Mestemaker matched him at +5000 after 323 yards and five touchdowns in Oklahoma State’s 51-49 loss at Iowa State.

Where Is the Heisman Value After Week 9?

The Heisman value question comes down to how much risk you are willing to take before November’s biggest games. A longer price helps only if the player still has a realistic route to winning.

Mensah at +150 has a strong case but the shortest price. Smith at +275 offers a bigger potential return than last week, though the quarterback situation makes that a trade-off rather than an obvious bargain.

Carr at +1200 and Chambliss at +1500 are where I’d be looking if I wanted a number with room in it. Both face a ranked opponent on November 7, giving them a chance to close the gap quickly. They also need more to go right than the three favorites do.