Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; The 2025 Heisman Trophy of Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza at Playoff Fan Central at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Source: Lastwordonsports.com - Kate Pearson Halyburton, Editor Kate Pearson Halyburton, Editor Thu, October 29, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC · 5 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Welcome to the 2026 Heisman Poll Week Eight. The Last Word on College Football writers have done it again with the weekly poll. Did you see the Dante Moore news? A Heisman hopeful who dominated the first few weeks of our poll is now out for the remainder of the season. Julian Sayin is still out. So, who is in our Top Five this week?
We have some familiar faces back in the top five. If you want to see all the movement from last week, then head over to the Week Seven poll. Quick reminder: the poll is weighted. The player gets 5 points for every 1st-place vote, 4 points for every 2nd-place vote, 3 points for every 3rd-place vote, etc. Let's get to it then: our Heisman Poll Week Eight.
CJ Carr is coming off a loss to BYU and a much-needed bye week. In the loss to BYU, he completed 27 of 49 for 261 yards, zero touchdowns, and a fumble. The Heisman hype has all but died down at this point. He has 1,639 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception. Next up, the Irish are off to Annapolis to play Navy. He'll face one of the worst pass defenses in the country and will have a chance to build momentum before their game against No. 1 Miami on November 7th.
Next game: at Navy, Saturday, October 31st, 11:00 pm CST
Jesse Legree, Oregon State's standout freshman wide receiver, has had an amazing 2026 season. In seven games over eight weeks, he's the only player with more than 1,000 receiving yards. Legree averages over 22 yards per catch, even though he's tied for 20th in total receptions. His 14 receiving touchdowns are two more than Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. As we've said before, Legree isn't in a power conference, and he is being overlooked. He and the Beavers will travel to Fresno State for the late (for the rest of the country) Halloween night game.
Next game: at Fresno State, Saturday, October 31st, 10:00 pm CST
Photo Credit: Andrew Rydland-Imagn Images
Malachi Toney had a huge game in the 52-23 win over Pitt last weekend, catching 194 of Darian Mensah's 387 yards and three of his four touchdowns. He also set a career-high and program record with 16 catches, finishing with 194 yards and three scores. Toney has scored in six of seven games this season and has topped 100 yards in five games. So far, he has 66 catches for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Miami athletics department has now officially launched the Heisman campaign for its dynamic duo, Toney and Mensah.
Next game: at North Carolina, Saturday, October 31st, 6:30 pm CST
Darian Mensah had another big game for the Hurricanes, throwing for 387 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 52-23 win over the Pitt Panthers. That brings his season stats to 2,151 yards, 22 touchdowns, and one interception. Miami is number one in the nation and remains undefeated. The next stop is Chapel Hill. Miami hasn't won in Chapel Hill since 2017, and they are 3-8 all-time at UNC. Last season, at Duke, Mensah threw for 175 yards and a TD in a 32-25 win over North Carolina. This will be a fun game to watch after you finish trick-or-treating.
Next game: at North Carolina, Saturday, October 31st, 6:30 pm CST
Even on his bye week, Jeremiah Smith still had all the first-place votes to keep him on top. This week Smith and the Buckeyes will head out to take on USC. USC is coming off a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin. They have slipped out of the rankings with a 6-2 record. Can Ohio State beat USC without Julian Sayin? We don't even know who will be replacing Sayin in that game. Head Coach Ryan Day has yet to name a starter for Saturday's game. True freshman Luke Fahey and sophomore Tavien St. Clair are the ones competing for QB1 status. Fahey stepped in when Sayin first went down. We can only assume the backups have been building chemistry with Smith, as they hope to walk out of the Coliseum with a win.
Next game: at USC, Saturday, October 31st, 6:30 pm CST
October is almost over, and the season keeps marching on. As we head into week nine, keep an eye on those undefeated teams. We all know that on any given Saturday, anything can happen. Be sure to check back next week to see where your favorite player lands on our weekly Heisman Poll. Also, the Heisman Fan Favorite Vote is live. Vote for your favorite player.
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