The Heisman Trophy isn’t won or lost in the early weeks of the season, but the opening games can help give an idea of who is actually in the race. Through the first two weeks, we’ve already seen several standout performances, as well as some disappointing showings from big-name contenders. Let’s take a look at some notable names in the Heisman race after Week 2.
Favorites
When it comes to the Heisman, showing up in big games against quality opponents when all eyes are watching is what matters most. That’s exactly what John Mateer did in Week 2 against Michigan. In a game where most of the chatter centered around the other quarterback, Mateer stole the show looking completely in control and making several key plays. He threw for 270 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 74 yards and two scores on the ground.
So far Mateer looks like the difference-maker Brent Venables and the Sooners were hoping for on offense, but to stay in the Heisman conversation, he’ll need to keep leading Oklahoma to wins through an absolute gauntlet of an SEC schedule.
In an opening week where many of the top quarterbacks struggled, Garrett Nussmeier stood out leading LSU to a big road win while going against a strong Clemson defense. That performance is the main reason why he's now the betting favorite, as he looks to become the third LSU quarterback to win the Heisman in just the past seven years. While some may have expected a bigger statistical showing from him in Week 2 against Louisiana Tech, he’ll have plenty of opportunities perform on a big stage with LSU’s tough schedule ahead.
Through just two games at Miami, Carson Beck has looked much better and more comfortable than he did all last season at Georgia. Coming into the season as a top-five Heisman favorite felt like a stretch to me, but so far he’s proven me wrong, especially with how he played against Notre Dame in Week 1.
Beck has completed 76.4% of his passes for 472 yards, including a near-perfect performance in Week 2, albeit against Bethune-Cookman. With big upcoming games against USF, Florida, Florida State, and Louisville, Beck’s Heisman stock is likely to see a big swing in one way or the other in the near future.
Risers
With all the offseason talk about new starting quarterbacks at major programs, Dante Moore's name seemed to have gotten lost in the mix. Well, through the first two games of the season Moore has been spectacular for Oregon, throwing for over 200 yards and three touchdowns in both matchups. While it hasn’t been against the toughest competition, the sophomore has certainly looked the part. Spending last year in Eugene as a back-up seems to have paid off as Moore has shot up the board and is firmly in the Heisman conversation.
USF has been the story of the season so far with ranked wins against Boise State and Florida, and there’s no question that none of it would be possible without Byrum Brown. The dual-threat quarterback may not have the flashiest stats right now, but if you watch him play he looks every bit of a top player in college football. He is also leading his team to massive wins, which is a crucial factor in the Heisman race, and I am sure the big time statistical games will come as the Bulls get into conference play.
No player has done more to boost their Heisman stock through two weeks than Brown, and the sportsbooks would agree as his odds have gone from +50,000 in the preseason to +7,000 now (Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook). If USF can pull off another upset in Week 3 against No. 5 Miami (FL), expect another significant change in those odds.
If it weren’t for Washington playing on the West Coast with both of their games so far kicking off at 11 p.m. ET, I believe there would be a lot more buzz around Jonah Coleman. Through two games Coleman has rushed for just under 300 yards and seven touchdowns, including a five touchdown performance in Week 2. With what we’ve seen so far from players like Ryan Williams and Jeremiyah Love, Coleman is certainly a name to keep an eye on in terms of non-QBs that could win the award.
Other risers to watch: Devon Dampier (Utah), Thomas Castellanos (Florida State), Jayden Maiava (USC), Joey Aguilar (Tennessee), Sawyer Robertson (Baylor)
Fallers
After seemingly really figuring things out late last season, Cade Klubnik has been a major disappointment to start the year. It began in Week 1 when he looked completely flustered against LSU, and things didn’t get much better in Week 2 with Clemson struggling against Troy. In that game the Tigers offense didn’t reach the end zone until the second half, while Klubnik failed to reach 200 passing yards and threw an interception.
Arch Manning’s disappointing performance in Week 1 was what everyone was talking about not too long ago which really hurt the preseason favorite’s chances. Now, that performance did come against arguably the top defense in college football, but in hindsight, all the preseason hype may have been a bit too much. Arch is still certainly not out of the race though. He bounced back with a five-touchdown game in Week 2 and should only get more comfortable as the season goes on.
Few players came into this season with more hype than DJ Lagway after a few impressive games as a true freshman last year. However, his Heisman chances took a massive blow in Week 2 with a home loss to USF, a game in which the Gators' offense struggled to find consistent rhythm and stalled nearly every time they crossed midfield. That loss may end up not looking as bad by season’s end, and we saw Lagway lead the Gators on a turnaround run last year. If Lagway can do that again, he could possibly find his way back into the Heisman conversation.