Heisman Trophy Rankings Week 5: Shedeur Sanders and the Top 10 Contenders

To be totally honest, the Top Heisman players thing this week is a mish-mosh of ideas and theories.

Yeah, it's supposed to be representative of what's really happening in the betting markets as well as in the projected belief systems of the voters. But it's also partly about who the ten best players in college football are right now, at least within the Heisman parameters.

No, an offensive lineman or a pure defensive player won't win it, so to keep this in the land of the real, it's about the quarterbacks, running backs, and maybe an outlier at another spot

But it's also about top players who should be in the running for the Heisman, but aren't and won't be.

Washington State QB John Mateer should be on this list as one of the most important players of the season so far, but he's not all popular like the Texas quarterbacks or Colorado stars.

So with a mix of projection, reaction, and reality, here are the top ten players currently in the Heisman race.

2024 Heisman Trophy Rankings: Week 5

- Week 4 Schedule, Predictions
- CFN Rankings | Bowl Projections

Players Dropped from the Heisman Race (at least for this week)
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (5); RJ Harvey, RB UCF (7); Jackson Woodard, LB UNLV (10)

10. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa

Unlike some of the other honorary No. 10 guys on this list from earlier in the year, this might stick.

Johnson is No. 2 in the nation in rushing yards per game behind Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, and because he has one more game under his belt than the Bronco star, he leads the nation by a mile in total rushing yards with 685.

Only Jeanty and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton has more than 475.

Johnson just tore Minnesota to shreds in the 31-14 win with 206 yards and three scores - his fourth straight game with 119 yards or more and multiple touchdowns.

Do something big against Ohio State in two weeks, and then we'll actually be serious about talking Heisman.

Last Week Heisman Rank: Not Ranked

9. Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado

No, he's not going to win it, but he'll be on plenty of ballots in a Best Player In College Football way.

Yeah, in an all-around way it's hard to argue with four straight 100-yard receiving games, an interception, and a game-sealing forced fumble against Baylor - even if there wasn't a proper goal line angle to prove it.

So why so low? He'll be a finalist, but he probably won't finish top three.

Last Week Heisman Rank: Not Rated

8. Arch Manning, QB Texas

He could stand to be more accurate - 62% so far - and he threw two picks in the light scrimmage against ULM, but ...

1) It's not like most of America was watching this, and 2) he's a Manning, and the hype is only growing as Quinn Ewers continues to recover from his abdominal injury.

So let's go with this. The Texas Starting Quarterback against Oklahoma and Georgia - coming after this week's win over Mississippi State - will be in the top three mix until the very end as long as the Longhorns keep winnng.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 9

7. Nico Iamaleava, QB Tennessee

I quickly learned Uiagalelei, Roethlisberger, and Tagovailoa. It took decades, but I finally got the Krzyzewski spelling down ... and then he retired.

Iamaleava is kicking my butt - eeeeee-ah-MAH-layva - but we'll all have to get it right over the next 15 years or so. The guy is that good.

He's the signature star of a wonderful Tennessee team that's destroying everyone, including Oklahoma in a 25-15 win more dominant than the final score.

Iamaleava only threw for 194 yards and a score, and his overall numbers have been relatively pedestrian, but his Heisman moments are coming with Alabama and Georgia on the slate.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 9

6. Dillon Gabriel, QB Oregon

The performance two weeks ago against Oregon State made the Heisman hype real, and now it's about the next three weeks to really get into the race.

At UCLA, Michigan State, Ohio State. There will be a build up to the Buckeyes, and then on October 18th it's on.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 8

5. Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss

Furman, Middle Tennessee, at Wake Forest, Georgia Southern.

Yes, yes, we're all very impressed. But that's sort of the deal - build up the stats and the hype, and then rock when everyone is watching.

Kentucky and the SEC opener is this week, and then comes the trip to South Carolina, and then at LSU, Oklahoma, at Arkansas, Georgia.

Keep up the pace of 80% passing for almost 400 yards and three touchdowns per game, and there's a trip to New York coming.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 6

4. Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado

Every Heisman winner needs a moment. Jayden Daniels had a string of them - primarily a brilliant run against Florida. Caleb Williams had the Notre Dame game, Bryce Young had the drive against Auburn, and so on.

Shedeur Sanders had two Heisman moments on back-to-back plays.

First - down 31-24 in the final seconds - he hit Will Sheppard on the chest with a perfect throw, but 1) Sheppard dropped it and 2) there's a chance he falls at the two even if he does make the grab.

And then, after that drama, Sanders did something even more amazing.

Sanders ran to his left, squared his shoulders, and threw a dart - that was NOT a Hail Mary - to LaJohntay Wester for the improbable 43-yard touchdown to help force overtime.

The Heisman problem is that Colorado might struggle to win more than two more games with its nasty schedule coming up.

But if Sanders keeps pulling miracles out of his hat ...

Last Week Heisman Rank: Not Ranked

3. Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State

When we last saw him he was running for 127 yards on 11 carries to get some work in against Portland State.

Rip through unbeaten Washington State this week, and the Heisman spotlight will be blaring.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 2

2. Cam Ward, QB Miami

The Heisman race is nothing more than PR popularity contest, and it really, really helps that during every highlight package he's introduced as Heisman Favorite Cam Ward.

He's wonderful, and Miami has been great against the meh - that includes Florida and USF - and that's the problem.

MAYBE people will watch the Louisville game if the Cardinals beat Notre Dame this week, and some will tune in to the Florida State game, just because, but there's not a lot of national interest meat on the Miami schedule bone.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 3

1. Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama

Alabama doesn't have to beat Georgia this week, but it has to be close, and Milroe has to be wonderful.

I shouted into the wind last year that Milroe deserved the Heisman for engineering the most important win of the regular season - he threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns with no picks, and ran for 29 yards - in the SEC Championship thriller over Georgia.

There will be other big games, but this is his big moment this week. Falter, and Mr. Ward is ready to take over the No. 1 spot.

Last Week Heisman Rank: 1