Who takes home the September Heisman? Kamario Taylor, Jeremiah Smith and more

When your school signs a five-star recruit, you hope he turns out like Colin Simmons. The Duncanville, Texas, product has looked the part virtually every day he has been on Texas' campus. As a freshman in 2024, he generated six pressures against Michigan in his second career game, then made two tackles for loss in his third. He finished the year with 13 TFLs, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception, then topped himself in three fewer games last season (15.5 TFLs, 12 sacks, another three forced fumbles). After a merely solid start to 2026 by his standards -- 3.5 TFLs and two sacks in three games -- Simmons was transcendent against Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville. He went full Chase Young. Full Julius Peppers. In honor of his surroundings, maybe full Reggie White. Simmons recorded at least one sack in each quarter, and two within a minute of each other in the third. He was personally responsible for sending Vols QB Faizon Brandon backward 52 yards (though I guess he gave 15 of those yards back). With the Texas offense sputtering, the Longhorns' defense had to come up big. Simmons assured it did. Only seven FBS defenders have five sacks this season. Simmons had five sacks Saturday. Celebrating a performance like this is what this Heisman of the Week series is all about. Of course, it's also all about celebrating wide receivers who catch 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns. Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith did that against Illinois at virtually the exact same time Simmons was stalking Brandon. Maybe the single most talented player in college football posted a career-best performance and moved into No. 1 on the Heisman odds lists. Two of the best players in the country had their Heisman moments almost simultaneously Saturday, but who gets the Heisman of the Week nod? Both of them! I make the rules here. Even if we have to snap the trophy in half like at the end of "Mean Girls," we're going to do it. This season, Heisman is running its Heisman Hopefuls Fan Vote all season long, with a platform that provides statistics, EA Sports ratings and other information. In that vein, I am again awarding the Heisman every week of the season and doling out weekly points, F1-style (in this case, 10 points for first place, 9 for second, and so on -- or 9.5 each when two players share the top spot). How will this Heisman race play out, and how different will the result be from the actual Heisman voting? Right now, the two match up pretty well. This week's Heisman co-winners: Jeremiah Smith and Colin Simmons 1T. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Week 4 numbers: 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois This play had Jeremiah laughing pic.twitter.com/2xRQwm6Qxg — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 26, 2026 Smith ran almost literal circles around the Illinois defense and made a defensive coordinator quit. That's a pretty good day at the office. After Malachi Toney began the season with an absurd 234-yard and three-TD performance against Stanford, Smith either matched or exceeded him, depending on how much you value touchdowns. Regardless, your move, Malachi. 1T. Colin Simmons, Texas Week 4 numbers: Eight tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble against Tennessee As someone who is still appalled that Ndamukong Suh finished a mere fourth in the 2009 Heisman voting after posting the best seasonlong performance of the 2000s at any position, I'm frustrated that I haven't put more defenders atop these lists in recent years. And when Simmons goes supernova, he has to share the top spot with another all-time performance. I guess you'll just have to do this again against Oklahoma, Colin. The rest of the top 10 3. Keelon Russell, Alabama Week 4 numbers: 21-for-27 passing for 365 yards and four touchdowns, plus 46 non-sack rushing yards and a score against South Carolina He's learning quickly. In Russell's first SEC start, against Kentucky in Week 2, he took two sacks and threw a pick in his first six dropbacks. Alabama fell behind before eventually charging back. Against Florida State in Week 3, his first 12 dropbacks netted only 65 yards, and Bama again fell behind before charging back. This, on the other hand, was his first pass attempt Saturday: HE GONE💨 — Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) September 26, 2026 📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/ArK3pEPmO4 That was the first of four straight touchdown drives for the Tide. Russell was 13-for-15 for 234 yards, four scores and no sacks in the first half. It took him only a couple of weeks to go from "start slowly, then catch fire" straight to catching fire. 4. Myles Bradley, Bowling Green Week 4 numbers: Five tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup against South Florida Somehow a 4.5-sack performance wasn't even the best of the week. Regardless, Bowling Green's offense was a no-show against USF on Saturday -- 207 total yards, six points -- but the Falcons pitched a shutout for three quarters in a 14-6 defeat. The loss wasn't even slightly Bradley's fault. 5. Wayshawn Parker, Utah Week 4 numbers: 18 carries for 174 yards and two touchdowns, plus 65 receiving yards and another score against Iowa State Utah has exceeded projections in every game, in part because opponents have yet to figure out how to slow the Utes' run game. Iowa State kept quarterback Devon Dampier mostly under control Saturday, so Parker erupted for a career high instead. 6. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State Week 4 numbers: 27-for-38 passing for 360 yards, three TDs and one INT, plus 22 non-sack rushing yards against Missouri Taylor makes his fourth appearance on this list in four weeks, and what's most incredible is that he's doing it despite lulls. He started poorly against South Carolina in Week 3 before igniting. Against Missouri on Saturday he was 13-for-21 for 130 yards with a pick and two sacks in the second and third quarters. MSU was outscored 24-3 in those two quarters. So how do you make this list despite that? By going 14-for-17 for 230 yards and three TDs -- and helping your team outscore your opponent 28-0 -- in the other two quarters. And by handing out some pretty solid life advice after the game. Kamario Taylor with a message 😂 @HailStateFB pic.twitter.com/GLreTQOfTe — SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 27, 2026 7. Kevin Jennings, SMU Week 4 numbers: 33-for-39 passing for 464 yards, three TDs and one INT, plus 17 non-sack rushing yards and a score against Missouri State Jennings is pretty much guaranteed to make an errant throw or two in each game -- he has thrown at least one interception in three of four games this season -- but that's OK when you're virtually perfect otherwise. Jennings topped 425 yards for the second time, and he's top-five in the nation in passing yards (1,453), passing touchdowns (12) and yards per dropback (10.7). 8. Jadan Baugh, Florida Week 4 numbers: 29 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns, plus 12 receiving yards against Ole Miss Baugh was part of a nearly unstoppable tandem in Florida's statement win over Ole Miss. Duke Clark provided a pair of 40-yard bursts, and Baugh rushed with ruthless efficiency -- the national average for rushing success rate is typically around 45%, and he generated an otherworldly 69% in his 29 carries. Combined, the duo produced 268 yards and four touchdowns. Baugh is quickly moving up the list of Heisman favorites. 9. Marlin Dean, UAB Week 4 numbers: 11 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery against Navy UAB upset Navy on Saturday, and the only way Dean could have played a larger role is if he also had thrown a touchdown pass or something. His sack-and-strip set up the Blazers' go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, then he both forced and recovered a fumble in UAB territory on the next drive. THAT'S OURS👀 pic.twitter.com/1CZoVWVxqw — UAB Football (@UAB_FB) September 26, 2026 10. Lee Beebe Jr., Indiana Week 4 numbers: 24 carries for 203 yards and a touchdown against Northwestern When Northwestern's offense began to pick up steam in the second half of Indiana's Friday night win in Bloomington, the Hoosiers' response was simple: give it to Beebe. With starter Turbo Richard injured, Beebe rushed 16 times for 172 yards in the second half alone, and the defending national champs avoided an upset. Honorable mention: • Aidan Chiles, Northwestern (22-for-29 passing for 293 yards and two touchdowns, plus 43 non-sack rushing yards and a score against Indiana). • Cam Cook, West Virginia (29 carries for 193 yards, plus 22 receiving yards against Oklahoma State). • Carlos Hernandez, Wake Forest (nine catches for 194 yards and a touchdown against Louisville). • Sam Leavitt, LSU (17-for-23 passing for 312 yards, two TDs and one INT, plus 22 non-sack rushing yards against Texas A&M). • Darian Mensah, Miami (23-for-27 passing for 338 yards and three TDs, plus 31 non-sack rushing yards and a score against Central Michigan). • Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (20-for-27 passing for 389 yards, three TDs and one INT against West Virginia). • Jeffrey Overton Jr., Virginia Tech (25 carries for 209 yards and a touchdown, plus 19 receiving yards against Boston College). • Dylan Raiola, Oregon (19-for-25 passing for 289 yards and two touchdowns, in less than three quarters, against USC). • Julian Sayin, Ohio State (27-for-36 passing for 367 yards and four touchdowns, plus 29 non-sack rushing yards and a score against Illinois). • Davis Warren, Stanford (22-for-36 passing for 396 yards and three touchdowns against Georgia Tech). Just as Mensah did in Week 1, Sayin got short shrift this week -- throwing for 367 yards and producing five combined touchdowns will get you high on the list just about anytime. But when one receiver accounts for nearly 60% of your yards and all of your passing TDs, I guess he gets the spotlight instead. Point totals and current odds Through four weeks, here are your points leaders. Players who are also in the top 10 in DraftKings' Heisman odds are in bold. 1. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State (20 points) 2. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (17.5 points) 3. Keelon Russell, Alabama (17 points) 4. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (15 points) 5. Nate Sheppard, Duke (13 points) 6T. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (10 points) 6T. Malachi Toney, Miami (10 points) 8. Colin Simmons, Texas (9.5 points) 9T. Mason Heintschel, Pitt (9 points) 9T. Devon Dampier, Utah (9 points) The top eight players in the current Heisman odds -- Smith (+260), Mensah (+380), Taylor (+500), Baugh (+1,050), Notre Dame's CJ Carr (+1,100), Chambliss (+1,150), Russell (+1,600) and Toney (+1,900) -- have all appeared on at least one Heisman of the Week list, and four of them occupy the top four spots in the current points race. Taylor is your official September Heisman winner, but we know that the overall Heisman race has a few plot twists to come. Gordie Lockbaum of the week: Jerry Kaminski, North Dakota Our weekly hat tip to a smaller-school standout, named after the Holy Cross two-way legend who finished in the Heisman top five twice in the 1980s. With special shouts to East Texas Baptist quarterback Jack Crawford (422 yards, four passing touchdowns and a rushing score in a 61-54 win over Texas Lutheran) and Montana star Eli Gillman (275 rushing yards and four TDs against UC Davis), we have no choice but to give the nod to Kaminski after this stat line: 33-for-48 passing for 381 yards and four touchdowns, plus 98 non-sack rushing yards and two more scores. Kaminski's eighth-ranked Fighting Hawks found themselves in a track meet against Indiana State on Saturday, but he was never going to let them lose it. He led touchdown drives on three of UND's first four possessions, and when ISU cut the Hawks' lead to seven heading into the fourth quarter, he engineered TD drives of 81 and 82 yards to eventually put away the game.