Six Players Projected to Win Top College Football Awards in 2026
Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr headline early favorites for the sport's marquee individual honors.
College football's biggest stars enter the 2026 season with a chance to claim some of the sport's most prestigious individual awards, according to an Associated Press preview.
Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy is a favorite for the Doak Walker Award after rushing for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns on 306 carries last season, a 5.1-yard average. He tied Quinshon Judkins for the most rushing yards in a single season in Ole Miss history and set program records for carries and rushing touchdowns, becoming the school's first Doak Walker finalist. He returns with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and a strong offensive line.
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith has posted 163 catches for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns since arriving in 2024, leading the Buckeyes in receiving yards each season. He fell short of the Biletnikoff Award in 2025 despite outproducing winner Makai Lemon, catching 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. With quarterback Julian Sayin returning as starter for the first time in his career, Smith enters 2026 as a contender for the Biletnikoff and possibly the Heisman Trophy.
Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore, a unanimous All-American as a sophomore, led the Irish with five interceptions, 31 tackles, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble, making him a Jim Thorpe Award finalist.
Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons led the SEC with 12 sacks in 2025, adding 15.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, ranking fifth nationally in sacks.
Oregon center Iapani Laloulu, an Outland Trophy semifinalist who started all 15 games last season and earned first-team All-America honors, has a chance to finish his career atop the position.
For the Heisman Trophy, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is described as a sportsbook favorite after throwing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 66.6% of his passes in 2025. He will take on a larger role after running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price left for the NFL. Smith, Sayin, Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore are also considered contenders.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.
