There was a stretch at the turn of the century in which the Heisman Trophy began to feel like a lifetime achievement award.
Ricky Williams' win in 1998 felt inevitable once he set the NCAA rushing record.
Ron Dayne followed a similar path the following year, surpassing Williams’ career rushing mark despite rushing for more yards as a true freshman than he did during his senior season.
Eric Crouch built his Heisman case over a three-year stretch as Nebraska’s starting quarterback. That explains how he could win the sport’s most prestigious award despite throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and accounting for just 2,688 total yards in his Heisman season.
In short, they knocked on the door for multiple seasons and then kicked the door down in their senior seasons.
Those days are long gone for a variety of reasons.
First, we saw a wave of breakout stars beating established brand names at the ballot box. The Heisman voters preferred the sizzle of players like Robert Griffin III and Lamar Jackson over established winners like Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson.
Then came seismic shifts with the sport itself. Conference realignment, unrestricted player movement within the transfer portal and playoff expansion paved the way for unique Heisman winners.
Seven of the last nine Heisman winners were transfers. Two wide receivers have hoisted the trophy in the past six years. The Heisman “blueprint” hasn’t been slightly altered; it has been obliterated.
More players than ever have a legitimate path to New York City.
So, who can come from the back of the pack and win the award with odds of 25-1 or longer for the third consecutive year? Let's dive into my Heisman Trophy picks and college football predictions for 2026.
2026 Heisman Trophy Picks, Predictions
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is a polarizing player, full stop.
He flashed true greatness in 2024, upsetting Clemson in the Palmetto Bowl, tossing five touchdowns against nationally ranked Mizzou and accounting for 350 total yards in an upset of No. 10 Texas A&M.
But 2025 was a mess for Sellers and the Gamecocks, dragging his career record as a starter down to 12-12.
He was under fire every time he took a snap, suffering 42 sacks. That constant pressure tanked his passing statistics across the board, and his dynamic rushing abilities nearly vanished. He was beaten to a pulp and regressed as a result.
But the good news is that help is on the way.
South Carolina hired Kendal Briles to be Sellers’ new offensive coordinator and play-caller. Briles has created statistical monsters everywhere he’s been.
At Baylor, a combination of Seth Russell and Jarrett Stidham set the world on fire with 49 total TDs in 2015.
At Houston, Briles unleashed D’Eriq King on the college football world, as he exploded for 50 total touchdowns. Briles was on the bleeding edge of RPO exploration, and King created a pick-your-poison dynamic.
An RPO-heavy attack also mitigates offensive line issues, which is great news for a South Carolina offensive line that finished 102nd in pass blocking and 120th in run blocking, per PFF.
Briles has also elevated a similar player in the SEC four years ago. Across two seasons as Briles' QB1, KJ Jefferson completed 68% of his passes while accounting for 60 total touchdowns.
Toss in Briles' recent work with Josh Hoover at TCU, and it’s easy to envision 40 total touchdowns and a boatload of yards for Sellers in this offensive system.
The schedule presents stat-padding opportunities early (Kent State, Towson, Mississippi State) and 5-7 ranked opponents offering ample “Heisman Moment” opportunities.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer and his staff brought in eight offensive linemen through the portal and retained Nyck Harbor at wide receiver.
If some of their new faces in the trenches pop and Harbor makes the expected leap to All-SEC production levels, Sellers will generate the stats to keep him in the Heisman race all season long.
The difference between contending and winning the award will come down to the upsets South Carolina generates. But at 40-1, this is an excellent value as a centerpiece to a Heisman portfolio.
Pick: LaNorris Sellers to Win Heisman Trophy (+4000 · BetRivers)
