On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 6

There’s a major shakeup atop this week’s Heisman Trophy polling, as a new player has entered the lead. Even more enticing? He’s sharing it with another player.

On3 stops to poll its top national analysts for their take. Voting in this poll are Andy Staples, Ari Wasserman, Chris Low, Brett McMurphy, Pete Nakos, JD PicKell and Charles Power.

Each of the national experts submitted a ballot with his top 10 players on it, and we’ve compiled the results to create a complete ranking using points — 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc. Let’s get into how the rankings unfolded below.

T-1. QB Ty Simpson, Alabama – 63 points

WEEKEND STATS: 23-of-31 for 340 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Simpson was once again electric against Vanderbilt, surpassing the 300-yard mark for the second time this season. While he did throw his first interception of the season, he was the major reason Alabama had no real issues with Vanderbilt on the weekend.

At this point, Alabama once again looks like a national title contender. It has back-to-back wins over ranked teams and Simpson has thrown for 1,478 yards with 13 touchdowns and only the one interception. That’s elite stuff.

T-1. QB Dante Moore, Oregon – 63 points

WEEKEND STATS: Bye Week
Moore was on a bye this week after an all-time performance against Penn State in the prior week. Granted, that win over the Nittany Lions doesn’t look quite as meaningful after Penn State lost to previously winless UCLA this weekend.

Still, Moore is clearly one of the best in the country and leads the Heisman Trophy race. Oregon is one of the teams to beat nationally and will continue to be so as long as Moore’s playing as well as he is.

3. QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss – 45

WEEKEND STATS: Bye Week
Like Moore, Chambliss was on a bye week this week following a huge win. For Ole Miss, it was a win over then-No. 4 LSU, a win that propped the Rebels up as one of the leading contenders for a playoff spot out of the SEC.

Chambliss has now played a huge role in the team’s last three games. He’s thrown for at least 300 yards in each of those games, while also picking up key first downs with his legs. Austin Simmons may be getting healthy again, but he may not have a starting job to come back to.

4. RB Ahmad Hardy, Missouri – 37

WEEKEND STATS: Bye Week
Like the previous two players in the Heisman Trophy poll, Hardy was on a bye week with Missouri this week. The Tigers are not coming off a big win, however. Still, they remain unbeaten, which should allow Hardy some big stages to play on going forward.

Hardy has been a monster so far, though, leading the running back field. He has run for at least 100 yards in every contest, tallying 730 yards and nine touchdowns in just five games worth of action to date.

5. QB John Mateer, Oklahoma – 36

WEEKEND STATS: Did not participate
Mateer missed his first game with a broken bone in his hand this weekend, and he figures to miss at least one or two more. That has predictably taken a toll on his Heisman Trophy polling, because he was leading the race before that.

Can Mateer get back in time to make a legitimate charge for the coveted award? We’ll see. He’s already tallied 1,215 yards passing, but only six passing touchdowns, against three interceptions. He has run for 190 yards and five scores, though.

T-6. DL Rueben Bain, Miami – 32

WEEKEND STATS: 4 tackles
Bain is one of those players whose impact doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet. In the game against Florida State, it was teammate Akheem Mesidor who took advantage of Bain’s pressure by racking up the disruptive stats in the backfield.

But make no mistake about it, Bain had a huge impact in slowing down Seminoles quarterback Tommy Castellanos. Miami remains elite on both lines of scrimmage, but no player is as impactful as Bain on the defensive front.

T-6. QB Carson Beck, Miami – 32

WEEKEND STATS: 20-of-27 for 241 yards, 4 TD
Beck didn’t have his best stuff in a win over Florida a couple weeks ago, but he was absolutely on point against Florida State on Saturday night. More importantly, he got a ton of help from his receivers.

And any good Heisman Trophy campaign needs a decent supporting cast. Beck has it in spades and Miami is loaded from top to bottom. The stage is there. The ability is there. Carson Beck just has to keep delivering and he’ll find his way to New York.

8. QB Marcel Reed, Texas A&M – 24

WEEKEND STATS: 13-of-23 for 180 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT | 6 carries for 30 yards, 1 TD
Coming off his shakiest game of the season in a win over Auburn, Reed was mostly back in form in a big win over a Mississippi State team that was flirting with a top 25 ranking. He threw for two scores and ran for another, the third time this season he has accounted for three or more touchdowns in a game.

Texas A&M has some big games coming up in the next month. Reed will face a Florida defense that has been very stout next week, then he will hit the road for three straight games away from home. That will determine his Heisman Trophy candidacy.

9. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana – 16

WEEKEND STATS: Bye Week
Another Heisman Trophy contender who was on a bye this week. The good news is we should get some legitimate competition for the top award in the weeks to come as more and more of them re-enter the action on the weekends.

Mendoza has been elite this year. He has a 73% completion percentage, has thrown for 1,208 yards and 16 touchdowns, while throwing only one interception. He’s also rushed for two scores and has Indiana 5-0. One to watch for sure.

10. QB Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati – 8

WEEKEND STATS: 13-of-25 for 214 yards, 2 TD | 9 carries for 64 yards, 1 TD
Sorsby was once again excellent in a big win over previously unbeaten Iowa State. Though he matched his lowest completion percentage in a game, he accounted for three touchdowns for the third time in the last four games.

The Cincinnati quarterback has thrown for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns with just one interception. He’s also been great on the ground, rushing for 291 yards and five scores so far this season.

Rest of the Heisman Trophy poll

T-11. RB Justice Haynes, Michigan – 6
T-11. QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt – 6
13. QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech – 5
14. QB Joey Aguilar, Tennessee – 4
15. QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State – 3
T-16. WR Chris Brazzell, Tennessee – 2
T-16. QB Jayden Maiava, USC – 2
18. LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State – 1