We are just two weeks in to the 2026 college football season, but it's never too early to talk about potential Heisman Trophy winners. Hoosier legend Fernando Mendoza took home the Heisman last season while leading Indiana to a perfect 16-0 season and National Championship.
Following in Mendoza's footsteps, Indiana QB Josh Hoover is a name that entered the season with his fair share of Heisman hype. But through two games, that hype may be fading––but it shouldn't be.
Josh Hoover's Heisman odds have gotten longer through two games
With odds of +1500, Hoover entered the season ranked 5th on the Heisman Trophy odds board via DraftKings Sportsbook. But after two games, Hoover's odds have increased to +1750 and pushed him to 8th on the odds board for the prestigious award. Hoover trails Miami QB Darian Mensah (+500), Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (+700), Notre Dame QB CJ Carr (+1000), Texas QB Arch Manning (+1000), Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss (+1300), Miami WR Malachi Toney (+1300), and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (+1500).
Furthermore, Hoover is noticeably absent from On3's Heisman Poll heading into Week 3. Noticeably, Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor, Florida QB Jadan Baugh, and Duke RB Nate Sheppard are featured, while Hoover is not.
NEW: Week 3 On3 College Football Heisman Poll🏆
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Hoover hasn't done anything to hinder his Heisman chances, as he's put forth a pair of strong performances to begin the season. In total, Hoover has completed 70.4% of his passes for 376 yards and 8 touchdowns without an interception.
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Hoover has posted those numbers despite seeing limited playing time. The Hoosiers held massive leads against both North Texas and Howard, which prompted Hoover to sit for the majority of the second half in both contests. Imagine what his numbers would look like if he played another quarter or two.
Josh Hoover deserves more Heisman attention
Yes, Hoover's first two games have come against a pair of lesser opponents in North Texas and Howard. Performances in those games aren't going to put him on the fast track to the Heisman Trophy. With that being said, it's hard not to be excited about what Hoover has done through two weeks. He's been in full control of the offense, accurate, and delivered several throws deep down the field.
It's also worth mentioning that Miami has two players at the top of Heisman odds boards despite playing Stanford and Florida A&M. The Heisman odds for both Mensah and Toney have gotten shorter over two weeks, while Hoover's have gotten longer.
Last season, it took Mendoza a couple of games to really burst onto the national scene. He didn't throw a touchdown pass in the opener against Old Dominion, and had 338 passing yards through two games while Hoover has 376. But Mendoza then went on to take the college football world by storm en route to a historic campaign. I'm not saying Hoover has to be Mendoza 2.0 or that he will post similar numbers, but he is certainly in a strong position to thrive.
Plus, are we really going to doubt Curt Cignetti's quarterback development? Absolutely not. Cignetti has a proven track record of getting the best out of his QBs, and Hoover could be next in line for a career year. Over the next few weeks, it will be interesting to see if Hoover's Heisman odds fluctuate or remain steady.
Betting odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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